I love okra, and I won't try to pretend that it isn't slimy, but there is something magical about pickled okra. The slime makes the vinegar less astringent and since I like to add a lot of crushed red peppers, the slime helps with the burn (kinda like aloe vera).
I don't can, so these are refrigerator pickles. The clemson spineless and red okra were picked from my garden today. I stuffed the jars with okra, garlic, mustard seeds, jalepenos, and added some pickling spices. Then I boiled up some vinegar (apple cider, rice wine, and white) with mustard seeds, cumin, chile flakes, and salt. As it started to boil, this concoction was reminiscent of pepper spray (don't ask me how I know, but I would recommend that you never test out your pepper spray indoors). My husband fled the house with our toddler in tow. Between coughing fits, I poured the fiery solution over the pickles and left them on the counter to cool, before putting them in the fridge.
Less than an hour later I took out a jar to test a pickle and ended up eating the whole jar! They were spicy, crispy, and delicious!