My Grandmother's Low Country Jerusalem Artichoke Pickles

My grandmother lived in the South Carolina low country, on an island off the coast of Charleston. Every year after the first couple of good freezes, usually in November, my grandmother would dig her Jerusalem artichokes (commercial name Sunchokes). She would dig a clump, then stick a large piece back into the ground for next year's crop. Artichokes can't be cured, and don't keep very long, so she would start right away making her artichoke pickles, relish and chow-chow. This is her pickle recipe, but the amounts have been altered for a smaller batch.

Low Country Artichoke Pickles

Wash and scrape 2 to 3 pounds of artichokes and cut into 1/2 inch of smaller pieces. For whole artichoke pickles, use smaller whole pieces.

Pickling Solution: 

5 cups apple cider vinegar

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons turmeric

2 tablespoons mustard seed

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon celery seed

2 tablespoons whole cloves

1 tablespoon mace

1 tablespoon allspice

1 tablespoon chile pepper flakes (optional)

Set aside: 

1 cup onions, chopped large

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped large

Preparation:

Wash and scrub artichokes and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. For whole artichoke pickles, use the smaller whole pieces. You can get more into the jar with cut pieces, though. Artichokes turn brown very quickly, so have your first soak ready to put them into as you cut them.

You will soak the pickles two times. You must use a ceramic or glass bowl, Do not use a metal bowl, because the metal will react with the mixture and spoil your pickles.

First soak: 
1/2 cup pickling or kosher salt
1/2 gallon water

Second Soak:
1/4 cup alum
1/2 gallon water

Soak prepared artichokes in salt solution, refrigerated, for 24 hours. Rinse well and soak in the alum solution, refrigerated, for at least 24 hours. Keep refrigerated until ready to pack jars.

Directions:

Prepare pickling solution and bring to a boil. Remove artichokes from alum solution, but do not rinse

Load each hot, sterilized pint jar with one tablespoon bell pepper and 1 tablespoon onion , and then pack well,  Cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/3- inch head space. Screw on caps immediately and let cool. Keep cut pickles in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks before using to allow the flavor to seep into the pickles, but a month is better. For whole pickles, refrigerate for at least a month, 2 months is best.

Makes 6-8 pints