Okra originated in Africa, likely in the region around Ethiopia or West Africa, where it had been cultivated for thousands of years before spreading to Egypt and the Middle East. It came to the American South primarily through the transatlantic slave trade, as enslaved West Africans brought okra seeds with them. By the 18th century, the vegetable took root in Southern cooking (get it?... took root). Okra is prized for its ability to thicken stews and gumbos thanks to its natural mucilage (slimyness), and it's also commonly fried in cornmeal, pickled, stewed with tomatoes, or simply boiled and seasoned. Okra remains a garden staple across the South, valued for thriving in hot, humid summers where many other vegetables struggle.

My personal favorite way to eat it is pickled. Pickled okra is not slimy at all and is crisp and better than a pickled cucumber to me. My second favorite is breaded and fried. Again, not slimy. For the record- I'll eat it boiled, in stews and I've even dehydrated my pickled okra which was also delicious. Here's what you'll need to pickle your own and my recipe that I've worked on over the years:

Materials List:

Large Canning Pot

Jars (I prefer wide mouth)

Lids and Rings for jars

Ingredients:

Okra                                                    Hot Peppers                            Dill Seed

Apple Cider Vinegar                          Garlic                                      Mustard Seed

Salt                                                                                                      Alum

You're asking yourself how much okra to buy... I don't know how much you want to pickle. I don't know how good you are at tetris-cramming okra into your jars. I try to buy okra that's around 3-4 inches long and about 20 pieces can fit into a wide mouth far. So buy 3 pounds of medium size okra and see what happens and adjust your amounts from there. Maybe start with less okra. Or if you end up with large okra pieces, cut them to fit in to the jars. Sliced okra pickles the same way as whole okra pieces. I do try to have at least two hot peppers and two cloves of garlic per jar if that helps you make your grocery list. I personally buy 5 pounds and plan on having leftovers for frying and freezing. May the okra odds be ever in your favor. 

Vinegar/Water/Salt ratio:

2 cups Vinegar/3 cups Water/1/3 cup pickling Salt

The above ratio will make 2 or 3 Quart jars worth of brine (with okra in the jars).

Use a large pot to boil jars, lids and rings for about 5 minutes to sterilize them and then set them aside. Leave the boiling water on the burner.  You will use this in the last step.

Have more okra than it looks like would fit in the jars because you're going to cram it in there.  Wash it really well and throw out any piece that doesn't look perfect.  You don't want it to contaminate the whole jar. And if you have left over okra, cut it up and bread with cornmeal and flour and fry it. Or freeze it and use it in vegetable soup over the winter. 

 Boil 3 cups of water, 2 cups of vinegar, 1/3 cup of pickling salt (this keeps it from clumping), 1 tablespoon of dill seed, 1 teaspoon of mustard seed, and 1 teaspoon of alum (this helps keep the okra crisp).  This makes the brine.

Cram the okra in the jars without splitting any of the pods. If any of the okra pieces are too large, make a jar of cut okra and pickle it. And I always use a couple of hot peppers.  Use more or less according to desired heat. Add 2 skinned cloves of garlic. Ladle the brine in over the okra, peppers, and garlic.  Only cover it halfway and add more okra as the jar settles.  Tap the jar on the sides to release any air bubbles.  Then fill the jar up and only leave about 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Tap to release air bubbles.

 Put the lids on and loosely tighten the rings. Tighten enough to keep the liquid in but just barely loose enough to let air escape. Then place the almost completed jars back in the boiling water.  Make sure they are completely covered with water and right side up. Boil for another 5 minutes.

Remove jars of okra from the water and let cool on the counter.  You will probably hear the lid "pop" when it cools off and it seals. The next day, you should not be able to push the lid down.  If you can, put the jar in the fridge and eat that jar first.

 The okra will be ready to eat immediately but it’s better if you let it soak in all the brine for at least a week. Another advantage of waiting a week is that it’s a way to guarantee you did it right. If you've done something wrong, something gross will be growing in your jars.

Hope you enjoy pickling your own okra! If you don't... I won't hold it against you and will pray for you.