Giardiniera is a delicious traditional Italian antipasto dish that is delicious! I just love it on my salads. The pickled vegetables are crisp and tart adding that bright taste to my salad.
How can I make homemade Giardiniera?
It is so easy and you will be so glad all winter that you took the time to make it. Use this in your burgers, pizzas, pasta, salads, and any other dish or meal your heart desires! This homemade recipe is best.
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What Do You Use Giardiniera For
Giardiniera is a big hit in the United States in Detroit, Michigan and in New Orleans, Louisanna Giardiniera is even put on pizza. It tastes amazing on in a salad and adds that special kick. You can put it on brushetta, pasta salad, chop it up on hot dogs, tossed into pasta and so much more.
What is a substitute for Giardiniera?
You can drain and chop up other pickled vegetables like peperonchinis, jalapenos, pickles and things like that.
What Is The Best Giardiniera?
For us, the best is always homemade. Vegetables that come in straight from the garden. Chopped and stuffed into ready hot jars. The brine mixed up and heated and poured over the veggies. Jars covered with lids and slipped into the canner. You will enjoy them for months to come.
Don’t have your own garden? Pick up the vegetables at your local farmer’s market or grocery store and make a batch of these delicious pickled vegetables.
What Is Chicago Giardiniera?
Chicago Giardiniera is a mix of celery, carrots, olives and cauliflower with other yummy veggies and made spicy. They know their Giardiniera in the windy city!
How Long Will Giardiniera Last?
Canned it will last a year or so. Once opened it will last for several weeks in the refrigerator.
Why Is Giardiniera A Chicago Thing?
It just is. The city loves its Giardiniera. It is a topping for their famous Italian roast beef sandwich which is sliced to thin perfection, placed on a delicious roll and served with piping hot au jaus ( the roasting juices from the pan that have been seasoned perfectly and are so delicious).
How Do You Pronounce Giardiniera?
This gives people a bit of trouble when they see the word! It is pronounced jar-din-air-ah
What Does Giardiniera Taste Like?
They are crisp with the bright flavor of the vinegars. If you choose to make them spicy they will have that heat from your peppers.
What is Jardiniere?
Jardiniere is the same thing as Giardiniera.
What Is The Difference Between Muffeletta and Giardiniera?
Giardiniera snd Muffeletta often have some of the same ingredients but the Muffeletta will have more olives and the Giardiniera more vegetables in it.
What Does Giardiniera Mean In Italian?
Giardiniera is a woman’s name in Italy. It means “From The Garden” In Italian.
Who Invented Giardiniera?
Giardiniera or Jardiniere is from Italy where men and women would preserve their summer garden harvest by pickling it so it would last over the winter.. It became a staple in America after Italians looking for a new beginning came to America and it really took off here in Chicago in the late 19th century.
How do I make Giardiniera?
In Northern Italy this is made with vinegar and in Sicily it is made with oil. The Chicagoans like it in oil but we are making it in vinegar. For the oil method you brine the vegetables for two weeks, drain them and then cover them with oil. The vinegar method just does it all at once. The Chicago style has the vegetables cut up in smaller pieces but the Northern Italian method has larger chunks. The vinegar Giardiniera would be great with cheese, on a salad, in a cold pasta salad.
What You Will Need For Giardiniera
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- A Sharp Knife
- A Cutting Board
- A Waterbath Canner
- or A Steam Canner
- Jar Lifter
- Pint Size Canning Jars
- Two-Piece Lids and Rings
- A Debubbler
- A Clean Cloth
- A Ladle
- A Pan For Warming The Brine
- Towels For Putting Jars On The Counter To Cool
- Sharpie To Lable Jars Or Labels
- Hot Pan Holders
- Apron To Protect Clothing
Giardiniera Recipe
- Broccoli (cut into flowerettes we use this but it is not in the original recipe)
- Cauliflower (cut into flowerettes)
- Carrots (cut into 1/4 inch coins)
- Green Beans (chopped)
- Onions (small onions or do wedges)
- Red Bell Pepper
- Brussel Sprouts
- Garlic Cloves
- Celery
- Hot Peppers (if desired hot – use rubber gloves if you chop them)
- Red Pepper Flakes ( a couple of pinches in a jar if desired hot)
- Hot Pepper Flakes
- 1 Heaping Tablespoon of Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 and 3/4 cup of spring or chlorine free purified Water
- 1 and 3/4 cup of White Vinegar
- Peppercorns
You can also add
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Summer Squash
- Other Beans
- Etc
Directions
- Wash Your Jars
- Place jars in your canner and on the rack to lift them off of the bottom of the pan.
- Fill all of your jars 1/2 way with water and then add water to the pan.
- Turn the pan on to get hot.
- Chop up your fresh vegetables in large pieces until you have about 7 or 8 cups in all.
- Mix a brine of 1/2 and 1/2 water and vinegar. 3 1/4 cups of each in a pot
- Add a heaping tablespoon of Himalayan pink salt. Do not use iodized salt.
- Some people add sugar (you can if you want to here add 1 – 2 Tablespoons of sugar.)
- Heat the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns and if desired, sugar to the pot and heat up. When the salt and sugar melt, it is ready.
- Using the jar lifter, lift hot jars out of your canning pot and dump the water back into the pan.
- Place the jar onto a towel or folded washcloth.
- Fill the jars packing the vegetables in firmly but not too tight. Add a couple of spicy peppers or a pinch of red pepper flakes to each jar if desired.
- Make sure as you are packing your jars you add in your small onion, pearl onion or a wedge of onion in each jar and add in a clove or two of garlic in each jar (unless you don’t like them, then omit).
- Using a ladle, pour hot brine over vegetables.
- Wipe your jar rims with a clean lint free cloth.
- Add the flat lid and a ring to just tight. Do not overtighten!
- Using the jar lifter (tongs) Lift the jar and place back into your canner.
- Continue the process until all jars are full
- Bring water to a boil and begin timing at this point for 10 minutes
- Remove hot jars with jar lifter / jar tongs onto the folded towels on the counter (makes sure you have several layers of towels to protect it from the heat. Leave room between each jar and let cool 24 hours
- When cool label and date your jars and put them in a cool dark place.
- Will last over a year.
If you are steam canning:
- Make sure the bottom of your steam canner has at least 3 quarts of water in it.
- Fill the jars with vegetables and then brine as above.
- Wipe down the rims and place the 2 piece lids on your jars and tighten to just tight. Don’t over tighten because the air needs to get out.
- Place jars into your steam canner.
- Place the lid on top of the steam canner.
- When you see steam coming out of the top out of the hole on top of your canner then start timing for 10 minutes.
- When timer goes off remove hot jars with the bottle lifter / Jar tongs onto a flat surface like the counter top with several layers of folded towels to protect the surface.
- Leave a space between each jar. Let cool for 24 hours without disturbing
- Label jars with date and what it is and store in a cool, dark place.
- Will last over a year.
Print recipe for later
Best homemade Giardiniera (hot or mild)
A delicious pickled garden vegetable mix that you are sure to love.
Ingredients
- Broccoli (cut into flowerettes we use this but it is not in the original recipe)
- Cauliflower (cut into flowerettes)
- Carrots (cut into 1/4 inch coins)
- Green Beans (chopped)
- Onions (small onions or do wedges)
- Red Bell Pepper
- Brussel Sprouts
- Garlic Cloves
- Celery
- Hot Peppers (if desired hot - use rubber gloves if you chop them)
- Red Pepper Flakes ( a couple of pinches in a jar if desired hot)
- Hot Pepper Flakes
- 1 Heaping Tablespoon of Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 and 3/4 cup of spring or chlorine free purified Water
- 1 and 3/4 cup of White Vinegar
- Peppercorns
- You can also have.
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Summer Squash
- Other Beans
- Etc
Instructions
Wash Your Jars
Place jars in your canner and on the rack to lift them off of the bottom of the pan.
Fill all of your jars 1/2 way with water and then add water to the pan.
Turn the pan on to get hot.
Chop up your fresh vegetables in large pieces until you have about 7 or 8 cups in all.
Mix a brine of 1/2 and 1/2 water and vinegar. 3 1/4 cups of each in a pot
Add a heaping tablespoon of Himalayan pink salt. Do not use iodized salt.
Some people add sugar (you can if you want to here add 1 - 2 Tablespoons of sugar.)
Heat the vinegar, water, salt, peppercorns, and if desired, sugar to the pot and heat up. When the salt and sugar melt, it is ready.
Using the jar lifter, lift hot jars out of your canning pot and dump the water back into the pan.
Place the jar onto a towel or folded washcloth.
Fill the jars packing the vegetables in firmly but not too tight. Add a couple of spicy peppers or a pinch of red pepper flakes to each jar if desired.
Make sure as you are packing your jars you add in your small onion, pearl onion, or a wedge of onion in each jar and add in a clove or two of garlic in each jar (unless you don't like them, then omit).
Using a ladle, pour hot brine over vegetables.
Wipe your jar rims with a clean lint-free cloth.
Add the flat lid and a ring to just tight. Do not overtighten!
Using the jar lifter (tongs) Lift the jar and place it back into your canner.
Continue the process until all jars are full
Bring water to a boil and begin timing at this point for 10 minutes
Remove hot jars with jar lifter/jar tongs onto the folded towels on the counter (makes sure you have several layers of towels to protect it from the heat. Leave room between each jar and let cool 24 hours
When cool label and date your jars and put them in a cool dark place.
It Will last over a year.
If you are steam canning:
Make sure the bottom of your steam canner has at least 3 quarts of water in it.
Fill the jars with vegetables and then brine as above.
Wipe down the rims and place the 2 piece lids on your jars and tighten them to just tight. Don't over-tighten because the air needs to get out.
Place jars into your steam canner.
Place the lid on top of the steam canner.
When you see steam coming out of the top out of the hole on top of your canner then start timing for 10 minutes.
When the timer goes off remove hot jars with the bottle lifter / Jar tongs onto a flat surface like the countertop with several layers of folded towels to protect the surface.
Leave a space between each jar. Let cool for 24 hours without disturbing
Label jars with date and what it is and store them in a cool, dark place.
Will last over a year.
Varieties and uses
This can be made spicy or mild. If after canning and when you are ready to eat you can drain the liquid and replace with a good quality olive oil to have it the Sicilian way.
You can use this on charcuterie boards (drained) with meat slices, cheese chunks and other delicious food.
It tastes amazing on a salad or a pasta salad. I think you will really love it.
Before you go check out these other canning recipes:
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- How To Can Beef Stew For Beginners
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