Choose pods that are roughly 2 to 4 inches in length. Okra bruises very easily and prefers being stored in a cool, moist environment. Store fresh okra wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, and then place it inside a ventilated plastic bag.
The paper absorbs excess moisture, which can speed up deterioration. Store in the refrigerator -- ideally between 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit -- for no more than 2 to 3 days. Do not wash okra until you're ready to use it. Okra can be used for a variety of dishes, but it's perhaps most well-known as an ingredient for Louisiana gumbo. Sliced, it's added to other soups and stews as a thickening agent.
It can also be fried -- whole, halved or sliced -- and fresh pods are made into pickles, which can be served alongside fried chicken or fish, as well as burgers. Rachel has worked professionally as a chef and writer on food since How do you know if okra is ripe? Category: food and drink world cuisines. Watch for okra to ripen five to six days after the appearance of flowers. Ripe pods are bright green and firm but tender. If okra is dull green, it is probably too mature, and the quality is most likely compromised.
The seeds inside a ripe pod are small. How big should Okra be when you pick it? How long does okra last in the fridge? Can I freeze fresh okra?
Why is my okra so hard? How many times can you harvest okra? Can you freeze okra without cooking it? Do you peel okra? What is the best fertilizer for okra? Can you eat okra raw? How much okra should I eat a day? How much sunlight does okra need? What can you not plant with okra? Okra that is too mature can be dried, cured, and used in flower arrangements. Okra seed is easily saved for next season by leaving some of the last pods on the plant until they get very large.
Remove them and allow them to dry. The seeds will shell easily from the pods. Other okra plant material such as leaves and stems can be put in a compost pile.
Figure 3. Harvest okra when it is about 3 to 4 inches long. Download a printer-friendly version of this page: Okra. Contact Your County Office. Our work makes a difference, in the lives of Texans and on the economy. View Economic Impacts ». By: Joseph Masabni Okra is a warm-season vegetable that grows well in most Texas soils. Site selection For good yields, okra must grow in full sunlight in fertile, well-drained soil. Soil preparation Work the soil only when it is dry enough not to stick to garden tools.
Wear gloves and handle the pods as little as possible, to prevent softening before use and skin irritation. Keep this knowledge in mind for your chosen variety note it in your gardening journal! The longer they grow, the tougher they are.
The pods become woody, the spines firmer, and the stems harder to cut. If you leave a generous length of stem, you may bunch your stems, wrap them with twine, and suspend them upside down to dry in a cool, dry location for use in everlasting floral arrangements. This is also a good way to save seeds from open-pollinated varieties that will produce replicas of parent plants when sown next growing season.
People seem to love or hate okra, with no middle ground. However, with a few cooking tricks, you can make them not only palatable, but delicious.
Gently rinse and pat dry before use in recipes. Many people, especially in the American South, prepare the vegetable by frying it in a dredge of cornmeal. Some folks use an egg batter before dredging, and others use milk or buttermilk.
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