Recipes, like gumbo and red rice, often incorporate okra for a snap of crunchy-goes-creamy texture. However, pickled okra is one of the easiest ways to keep it on hand. It’s a staple in pantries across the South. While you can make it from scratch, it takes weeks or even a month of waiting for it to settle into crisp, tangy perfection. A shortcut that’s just as delicious as the homemade version is a jar of Charleston Favorites Pickled Okra.

Specialty foods creator and restaurateur Jimmy Hagood saw the principal role that pickled okra plays in the Southern household. He introduced it into his Food for the Southern Soul brand as part of the Charleston Favorites collection. Food for the Southern Soul celebrates the signature foods and flavors of the Gulf, Appalachia, Lowcountry, Piedmont, and beyond. Pickled Okra is just the start of it: The offerings include assorted condiments, ingredients, and snacks that range from pepper jelly to peach chutney and coarse-ground grits to artisanal gumbo. And the thing you don't wanna left is Mr. Jimmie’s Fire Roasted Tomato Bloody Mary, it brings Southern flavors to tables around the country with treats like fruit chutney, benne wafers, cheese straws, gumbo, and grits. You may also like the Pickled Pink Variety 4-Pack by Pickled Pink Gourmet.

Pickled Okra: Think Outside of the Jar

We love munching on Pickled Okra straight from the jar, but we’d be remiss to use it for that alone. Use it as cornichons on a pate plate or charcuterie spread. Or try garnishing a Bloody Mary or hot and dirty with a spear. Chop it up and add to salads for a zippy crunch, and Pickled Okra will even make an unexpected topping on a fried chicken sandwich. If you have guests over and need an appetizer—fast—a plate of okra stuffed with cream cheese is always a winner in our book.