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Cooking Okra - Tips from our Forum

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Cooking Okra - Tips from our Forum
Here are some helpful tips on cooking okra, from our forum.

Ingredients:

  • okra

Preparation:

From McGentry:
One suggestion for handling okra so that it is not slimy: While okra is still whole, rinse thoroughly, pat completely dry with toweling. Place whole pods in zip lock freezer bags. Leave in freezer until okra is frozen solid (at least overnight is best). Remove from bag, slice while still frozen. Add immediately to dish - don't allow to thaw even a little, as the water contact is what encourages the slime to come out.

From Stitchwitch:
Just couldn't resist joining the okra slime melee. I don't know where you are but I am writing from Cajun country and here what we do to cut the slime:

When fresh okra is in season, we slice it and then cook it down very slowly in a heavy pot (not cast iron, it darkens it.) with a few fresh or canned tomatoes, onions, garlic and about a tablespoon or so of vinegar. Plain old white vinegar. All of this is mixed up and cooked covered until oka is tender. We refer to this as "Smothered Okra." It is usually seasoned with salt, black pepper and cayenne. It can be eaten as is or cooled and frozen and added to gumbo when we get a little cold weather, like in the 50's. Just thought the great okra debate could use another thought. Marie

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User Reviews

 5 out of 5
Another cooking tip for Okra, Member bapiner98

For many, many years, I would not eat anyones' okra. The reason was whenever someone made stew of any kind with okra in it, I could always see the slime... In 1996 my husband & I went to visit both my auntie and great auntie in Owensboro, KY. My great auntie made some Okra stew... I turn my nose up when i saw the okra.... However, on further Inspecting the stew w/okra; and to my amazement there was no slime!!! My great auntie's secret is to cook your okra in either lemon juice or orange juice. I do this every time whenever i'm creating a special dish. I cook my okra first in lemon juice and once it's all cooked out; I add a touch of Extra EVOO... Then i add this to my special dishes that I'm creating.... This really, really works... You have to be very patient when cooking the okra, because you want to make sure that all of the slime is gone, especially if it's fresh okra from your garden. My husband been growing okra for me ever since. And since I'm allergic to Iron pills & iron IV's, i must get my iron from some source of vegetables... So I hope this will be of a great help to another cook out there, who were in the same boat as I was. Happy reading.

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