You can eat it raw or cooked, stewed, grilled, pickled, or fried. Put it in soups and stews, or season it and make a snack of it. It’s all good, and good for you, too.
How do you cook oversized okra?
What i do is boil over sized okra pods (cut open) in a stock pot until the water cooks down and thickens, then strain the water off, then use the water to season any vegetable or meat dish. It makes an awsum seasoning for just about everything.
How do you know if okra is too big?
Picking okra should be done when the pods are 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) long. If you leave them too long, the pods get hard and woody. Once you’re done picking okra, store them in plastic bags in your refrigerator where they will last about a week or freeze the pods if you have too much to use.
How do you use overripe okra?
One ole-timey way of using overly ripe okra (from back in the day when they were careful not to waste a single thing)is to slice it into pieces (several larger pieces, but not a lot of small ones) and cook it in a soup or stew. The still soft parts will cook out into the soup or stew and add some flavor.
Can you pickle okra that is too big?
It’s a lot easier than you would think. The smaller okra pods work best, but as you can see from my photos, I allowed my okra to get a little too big and went ahead and used them anyways. They just aren’t as tender as the babies, but they still are tasty tasty. I used the recipe from my Ball Preserving book.
How big should okra be when you pick it?
2-3 inches
One of the main tips that okra enthusiasts will share with new okra growers is when to harvest okra. The pods should be harvested when they are 2-3 inches in length. Bigger than this and you will find that the pods are woody and not as tender as they could be.
What can I do with fresh picked okra?
Store fresh okra in a paper bag in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can also loosely wrap the okra in a paper towel, then store in a perforated plastic bag. Once the okra is in the bag, there are a few places within the refrigerator where it can be stored.
Should okra plants be pruned?
A: You sure can! As our common okra varieties grow in summer, the top of the plant becomes too tall to reach and doesn’t produce as many pods. When they are too tall to harvest, cut your plants down to a height between 12 and 24 inches.
How long does okra last after picked?
Storage and food safety
Okra will keep for only two or three days. When ridges and tips of pods turn dark, it needs to be used immediately. Once it starts to darken, it will quickly deteriorate. To prevent cross contamination, keep okra away from raw meat and meat juices.
When should you throw out okra?
Okra should be bright green, and never dark green or brown, or have black spots or mould. Okra that has gone bad will feel sticky or slimy to the touch and have created a thin mucus or membrane that coats the pod. You can store okra for 2-3 days in the fridge, or processed for up to 12 months in the freezer.
What is the slime in okra good for?
The fiber in okra has been found to be a demulcent, soothing to the intestinal tract, and potentially helpful in cases of gastritis. In fact, the mucilage in okra has been shown to have anti-adhesive properties that block the adhesion and colonization of Helicobacter pylori bacteria to stomach lining.
How big can okra get?
three to six feet tall
Okra can grow from three to six feet tall. Choose a garden spot where its shade will not harm other sun loving plants. Sow the seeds one inch deep in rows that are three feet apart.
Why is my pickled okra mushy?
The slime is called “mucilage” (sounds gross, I know). It is the result of protein and carbohydrates in the okra pods and leaves. If you’ve ever had a thick gumbo, thank the mucilage. When the pods are cut and cooked with liquid, the okra tends to become slimy.
How big can okra pods get?
The pods on an okra plant can grow as long as 7 inches (18 centimeters), but most are 3 to 5 inches (8 to 13 centimeters) long, with a diameter of 1 inch (2.5 centimeters).
Should I blanch okra before freezing?
Okra freezes extremely well but to add to that good news is even better news: It requires no special prep to freeze – no blanching required!
How do you store okra for a long time?
How to Store Okra
- Don’t. Don’t wash okra pods.
- Seal. Wrap okra in dry paper towels and seal in a Glad® Food Storage Zipper Bag.
- Cut. Cut holes in the bag to allow for air circulation.
- Use. Okra is best used as soon as possible.
What can you not plant near okra?
Bad Companions for Okra
Most gardeners think of nematodes as beneficial for the garden. But they’re detrimental to okra because these tiny creatures like to feed on the young roots of okra plants. Nematode presence can be increased in soil used to grow certain vine crops, like sweet potatoes or squash.
Is the whole okra plant edible?
If you dig “nose-to-tail” veggie eating, this vegetable is for you: the leaves, flowers and seeds are also edible. Young okra greens can be cooked like spinach or beet greens (or eaten raw) and the seeds can even be ground and used as a coffee substitute.
Can I freeze okra without cooking it?
It’s usually simplest and easiest to freeze whole pods, and it’s a cinch to prepare them later. To slice frozen whole okra, allow pods to thaw slightly before cutting crosswise. Many Southern cooks like to slice, bread and bake or fry okra prior to freezing.
Can fresh okra be eaten raw?
The entire okra plant is edible. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like any other greens. Okra pods can even be eaten raw. The less cooked okra is, the better it is for you.
Is fresh okra better than frozen?
Our fried okra recipes call for fresh okra because frozen okra has a softer texture than fresh. We prefer to use frozen okra in recipes for soups and stews, including, of course, gumbo.