Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns Recipe

By
Marisa McClellan
Marisa McClellan
Marisa McClellan is a food writer, canning teacher, and the voice behind the long-running food blog Food in Jars. She is the author of Food in Jars (2012), Preserving by the Pint (2014), Naturally Sweet Food in Jars (2016), and The Food In Jars Kitchen (2019).
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Mar. 26, 2019
04232012-203131-finished-ferns-610.jpg

Fiddlehead ferns are a fleeting spring delicacy. Found primarily in the wild, they are the fresh growth that appears at the top of a fern frond. The finished pickles are good served with poached eggs and toast, with runny cheeses, or alongside any rich bit of meat or pate.

Recipe Facts

Active: 45 mins
Total: 168 hrs
Serves: 8 to 12 servings
Makes: 1 pint

Rate & Comment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound fiddlehead ferns

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

  • 1/2 teaspoon dill

  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

  • 2 allspice berries

  • 1 garlic clove, smashed

Directions

  1. Place fiddlehead ferns in a large bowl of cold water and wash well. Rub away any brown chaff and trim cut ends.

  2. Add two tablespoons of salt to two quarts of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add fiddlehead ferns and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

  3. Combine vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Place spices and garlic cloves into the bottom of a prepared pint jar. Pack fiddlehead ferns into the jar and add hot pickling liquid to cover.

  4. Wipe rim, apply lid and ring and process in a small boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove jar from canner and let cool on a folded kitchen towel. When jar is cool enough to handle, remove ring and check seal.

  5. Sealed jars can be stored in the pantry for up to one year. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly. Let these pickles age for at least a week before eating.

Special equipment

mason jar, small canning pot

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
11 Calories
0g Fat
2g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 11
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 147mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 6mg 29%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 14mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes