Purslane is a wonderful, vitamin and omega-3 fatty acid rich wild edible. Often eaten in salads, it is also delicious as a cooked green, and as pickles! I’ve made some delightful hors d’oeuvres of dockseed crackers, a little goat chevre cheese and pickled purslane. For the record, dockseed crackers, goat chevre cheese, and my sumac jelly are also pretty bomb. The lovely thing about pickling purslane is that you preserve it into the winter, extending the season.

You can use any kosher pickling brine recipe for this, I like to use this tried and true recipe. I like to make a large batch of brine ahead of time and reheat it as needed. I have also used the pre-packaged brine mixes like this, and it works just fine. The bonus to making a large batch of brine ahead of time is that I can make a few pints at a time and not get buried as my various pickling goods ripen. As you can see below, I’m making cucumber planks at the same time as the purslane. They use the same brine and processing method. So I can get more done in less time.

I start by washing my purslane and cucumbers, and then cut them to the correct length to fit into a shouldered pint jar.

In each jar a put a teaspoon of a mixed pickling spice (you can also make your own) either two garlic cloves, or a teaspoon of chopped garlic, and fresh dill blossoms.

I raw pack the purslane (and cucumbers) in sterile jars just removed from the canner. I bring it to boil with the jars in it to save time, and then pull the jars out to pack them. Once the jars are packed, I ladle the brine over them, leaving the recommended headspace of 1/2 inch. The jar rim and threads are wiped clean, and the two part lids put on.

Pints are processed for 10 minutes at my altitude in a boiling bath canner, at a full rolling boil. After 10 minutes, I turn the canner off, and allow them to sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes.

After five minutes, they are removed, and set on a clean, dry towel overnight to cool. The lids should start popping very quickly. Once full cooled, remove the bands (for real, remove the bands, DO NOT LEAVE THEM ON!! The entire point of the two part home canning lids is that if there are any enzymes or pathogens in the jar, the unbanded lids will pop off so you won’t eat dangerous food. DO NOT LEAVE THE BANDS ON!) then label and date the jars. You can use the paper labels, or a fine line Sharpie to write on the lids (single use, don’t do that to your Tattlers or Harvest Guard lids). Dates are very important. Generally, home canned goods should be eaten within a year, and dating can ensure proper stock rotation.

I find these to be a wonderful pickle, and use it in the same way you would a regular pickle. Which includes in the middle of the night snacking right out of the jar like a raccoon. I’m just sayin.