Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 2 to 3 pounds sunchokes ((choose small ones if possible))
  • Juice of 2 to3 lemons
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 cup kosher or pickling salt
  • 2 tablespoons turmeric, (or 1 large fresh turmeric root, sliced)
  • 4 cups cider vinegar
  • 1 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 to 2 cups sugar ((depending on how sweet you want them))
  • 2 tablespoons mustard seed
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chile flakes or 1 dried chile per quart
  • 1 clove per quart
  • 1 bay leaf per quart

Instruction

  • Cut jerusalem artichokes into 1/2 inch pieces and put any cut pieces into a bowl of water with the lemon juice in it -- they will discolor otherwise. When you have them all cut, mix the 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon of the turmeric (or the sliced fresh turmeric root) and the 1/4 cup salt. This is your brine. Brine the sunchokes overnight, about 8 to 12 hours.
  • To make the pickling liquid, mix the vinegar, sugar, 1 cup water, the rest of the turmeric (if you are not using fresh turmeric root), mustard seed, dry mustard, chiles, cloves and bay leaves (basically everything else) and bring to a boil. Stir well and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Get your hot water bath ready if you plan to can these. Skip this if you plan on keeping the pickles in the fridge.
  • Fish out a chile, clove and bay leaf from the pickling liquid and put one in each jar.
  • Rinse the sunchokes well, then pack into jars. Cover with the cooled vinegar mixture. Make sure to leave at least 1/4 inch of headspace if you are canning. Process in a hot water bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Wait at least a week before eating.