Field to Feast: Pickled Goods with Canning Chicks
I had the most amazing day with my new friends, Kacie Luckett and Jeanne Gremillion-Gravois! These entrepreneurs have found the perfect recipe combining work, passion, and play. They are strong Louisiana business women, busy wives, and loving mothers. It was truly an honor to spend time learning all about their exciting new adventure, Canning Chicks!
In this week’s Field to Feast, you will get a behind the scenes look at Canning Chicks, farming vegetables while teaching us the art of pickling and canning. For more information about their business, or to place an order for their absolutely delicious, fantastic products, you can visit their website.
Here are a few tips from the Canning Chicks on different ways to use their products. I highly recommend the pickled mirlitons--they have a tendency to disappear immediately after opening the jar!
Smile always!
Jenn Finley
Meet our farmer, Kacie Luckett
Kacie Luckett is a first-generation produce farmer in East Baton Rouge Parish and owner of Luckett Farms. She farms with her husband Derek and runs a community supported agriculture (CSA) program throughout the year. Kacie and Derek are state chairs of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers program. Kacie also graduated from the LSU Ag Leadership program in 2018, traveling to Spain and Portugal to learn about their agriculture practice there. Kacie Luckett won the 2018 Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Outstanding Young Farm Woman award.
Learn more about Luckett Farms.
Learn more about Kacie and Derek Luckett.
Read about Kacie’s experience in Spain and Portugal with LSU AgLeadership Class XV.
East Baton Rouge Parish Produce Farmer Selected 2018 Outstanding Young Farm Woman
Tips from Canning Chicks
Preparing Vegetables for Pickling
Thinly slice: cucumbers, summer squash, ginger, red onion
Cut into spears: carrots, cucumbers
Peel: carrots
Blanch: green beans (optional, but helps preserve their color)
Brine Basics
For quick pickles, a basic brine is equal parts vinegar and water, but you can adjust the ratio to your preference. Any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination. Steer clear of aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt vinegar for pickling.
Customized Pickle Flavors
The secret to a really unique, flavorful pickle is in the spices you add to the brine. Dill pickles are nothing more than cucumbers flavored with garlic, dill seed, and red pepper flakes. Carrots become more exotic when pickled with coriander, ginger, turmeric, and thyme. Other classic combinations include green beans with garlic and fresh dill, cherry tomatoes with black peppercorns and garlic, and squash with onion and garlic.
One recipe suggestion for the pepper jelly would be to get some brie, top it with any of the pepper jellies, then wrap it in crescent roll dough. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes. Eat with crackers.
Some other meal suggestions for the pepper jelly-- use an 8 ounce jar as a glaze for a pork loin, chicken thighs or breast or wings, fried or grilled fish or shrimp, turkey, ham, veggie glaze.
Pepper jelly can be thinned out with vinegar and a little olive oil to make a vinaigrette dressing for salad.
Pepper jelly can go over cream cheese and be used as an appetizer with crackers. It’s great with smoked cheddar cheese or goat cheese.
It can be used as a dipping sauce for Boudin balls or egg rolls/spring rolls.
I have also had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or put it on a rice cake with the PB & pepper jelly and it’s delicious!
The marmalades can be used in any of these applications if you don’t want the heat. Marmalades are also delicious on toast, crackers, or croissants!
The pickled onions can go on a salad, a brisket sandwich. Any of the pickled vegetables can be used as a healthy snack out of the jar or added to a Bloody Mary!
Products Mentioned:
Pepper Jellies:
Lime Pepper Jelly, 4 oz..
Marmalades:
Pickled Onions:
The possibilities are endless! Thank you so much for visiting with the Canning Chicks!
