For most of us, the broccoli stem is something to ignore, and for most common cooking methods, the broccoli stem is not the star of the show. The rough and fibrous stem gets an overhaul in this recipe for Pickled Broccoli Stems.
The most crucial part is to make the broccoli stems tender and it can be done by removing the outer fibrous layers.
Once the sides of the stems are removed, cut off the woody end of the stems. Now you’re ready to slice the broccoli stems into matchstick-like slivers.
After cutting the broccoli stems, they’ll look more light in tone and less waxy in appearance. These are refrigerator pickles, so there’s no need to sterilize jars. Simply transfer the stems into a jar and make the pickling liquid.
Preparing the pickling liquid is amazingly simple. A base of vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes is boiled, and then is the marinade base for the broccoli stems.
Let the Pickled Broccoli Stems cool down before covering the jars and refrigerating them to cool completely.
Once cooled, they’re ready to serve!
The broccoli stems are tender but at the same time, have a nice crunch, just like any pickled food you’d pull out of a jar.
The tart and spicy pickling liquid absorbs slightly into the broccoli stems, imparting tons of sour, spicy flavor.
