Garlic scape (aka garlic flower) season is pretty near finished in my neck of the woods and I was sad to see it go. Yesterday I preserved the last of the scapes that I planned to harvest, leaving the rest to mature and produce bulbils that I will scatter about for next year (you can read about that over here). I made a final batch of scape pesto that has been set in the fridge and likely won’t last out the month. [My recipe for garlic scape pesto is in my book, Easy Growing: Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces. This is the best pesto to make in my opinion.]. I pickled the rest in vinegar to be enjoyed months down the road when fresh garlic scapes from the garden are a distant memory.

Here’s how I did it. There may still be some time left to pickle yours!

RECIPE: Pickled Garlic Scapes

Makes 2 pint jars.

Ingredients:

• About 1-1 1/2 pounds young garlic scapes
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup filtered water
• 2 tablespoons pickling salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika powder

To each pint jar add:

• 15 black peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon white mustard seed
• 1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seed
• 2 juniper berries
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seed

Wash and dry the scapes (if required). I find that the thin pointy end of the flower and the lowest part of the stem tend to be too tough to chew so I nip them off with a pair of kitchen scissors. I test for stem hardness by bending it. It won’t break like an asparagus, but it will help you identify where the soft and pliable portion ends.

Sterilize 2- pint-sized jars, preferably the type that have a ridge below the neck. This ridge will help keep the scapes submerged in the pickling liquid. Place spices in each hot jar and then tightly pack in the prepared scapes. I find the easiest way to do this is to hold a scape by the stem end and coil it into the jar. When the jar is about half packed, I push down and keeping adding more. I then fill the middle spaces with straight stems. This helps keep the scapes firmly in place.

Bring the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and paprika to a boil in a nonreactive pot. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.

Pour the hot brine over the scapes, leaving 1/2″ headspace.

Check for air bubbles, wipe the rims clean, and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for elevation).