Carrots in Honey and Vinegar

This recipe comes from "The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest" by Carol W. Costenbader. I made some a few years ago and they're very good. This is an easy recipe that even inexperienced home-canners can make. You will need either two pint jars or 1 quart jar, preferably wide-mouth to make packing easier. No need to sterilize, as you will be processing for 30 minutes. Remember to use the freshest possible produce. Don't use the ones that come in bags!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 2 pints or 1 quart

Ingredients

• 1  lb  baby carrots
• 1  cup white wine vinegar
• 1  cup water
• 2  tablespoons honey, plus
• 2  teaspoons honey
• 2  teaspoons pickling salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 4  sprigs fresh dill

Directions

1. Scrub the carrots and trim their green tops, leaving 3 inches, if desired. Remove the root end (the tip). Blanch the carrots in boiling water for 2 minutes, then immediately plunge into ice water. Drain well.
2. Combine the vinegar, water, honey, salt, and pepper in a nonreactive (stainless steel) saucepan and boil until the honey has dissolved.
3. Evenly divide the carrots into hot, clean jars, wedging the carrots and stacking some upside down.
4. Fill the jars with the hot liquid, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
5. Add 2 sprigs of dill to each jar. (You can add the dill before the carrots if you want to see it in the finished product.) Cap and seal.
6. Process for 30 minutes in a boiling-water-bath canner. Let the flavors marry for 2 weeks before using. Adjust for altitude if necessary.