- 1). Wash the ash keys thoroughly in cold water and make sure to pick off all remnants of the stalks. The ash keys should be full grown but still very green. If you chop one in half, the cross section should yield no fibers.
- 2). Place the keys in a single layer on a cooking pan and fill the pan with just enough water to cover the keys completely. Boil them for 5 minutes. This will clean the exterior of the keys and remove any unwanted sediment or detritus.
- 3). Drain the pan and refill it with fresh water. Boil the keys for another 5 minutes. Remove the keys and lay them out on a cloth to dry.
- 4). Pack the ash keys into the mason jars so they stand vertically once the keys have dried. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of space left at the top of each jar.
- 5). In a glass bowl, mix all the spices, sugar and salt with the vinegar. Place the bowl in a pan of water and bring the water to a boil for another 5 minutes. This is to heat the vinegar and spices indirectly, to avoid affecting the quality or flavor of any of the ingredients.
- 6). Remove the bowl from the pan and let it cool back down to room temperature. This may take up to 3 hours. Pour the liquid into the mason jars, being careful to strain the liquid of any particulate.
- 7). Seal the mason jars tightly and store them in a cool, dry place for no less than 3 months to allow the keys to pickle.
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