How to Preserve Artichokes in Oil

Last Updated: November 17, 2021 Tested

Preserving produce in jars by marinating and cooking it first is a practice that is common throughout most of Southern Italy. Preserving artichokes is especially common in Southern Italy by people who wish to keep the spring and summer artichokes all year round in their kitchens to be used during the winter months when they are unavailable. Typically, artichokes are preserved in a jar with olive oil and last 2 to 3 years if they remain unopened. After opening, preserved artichokes should be refrigerated and used within 1 year. Here are a few steps on how to preserve artichokes in oil.

Steps

1
Buy approximately 4.4 lbs. (2 kg) of small artichokes that are all about the same size. Choose artichokes that are heavy for their size and have closed leaves, which signify that they are fresh.
2
Fill a large bowl with cold water, cut 4 or 5 lemons in half, and squeeze most of the lemon halves into the bowl of water.

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3
Extract the hearts from the artichokes.
- Pluck off the leaves of the artichokes, and then cut the artichoke tips off, removing the top third of each artichoke.
- Remove the choke, which are the hair-like fibers above the heart.
4
Rub each artichoke heart with the cut side of a lemon half, and then place it in the bowl of lemon water. The lemon water will prevent the artichokes from turning brown after they are exposed to the air.
5
Place a large pot containing 3 parts of water to 7 parts of vinegar on medium high heat.
6
Add a few laurel leaves, 2 tbsp. (28 g) of peppercorns and 2 tbsp. (28 g) of salt to the pot of vinegar and water and allow it to come to a boil.
7
Drain the artichokes and then place them in the pot once the mixture has come to a boil.
8
Cook the artichokes for only 5 minutes, and then drain them and put them standing upside down on a dishcloth that is clean and dry.
9
Cover the artichokes with another clean, dry dishcloth and leave them to sit overnight. You will want to let them drain overnight to make sure that all the water and vinegar is drained from the artichokes.
10
Boil a pot of water and vinegar the next morning, and place a few empty jars inside of it to sterilize them. Remove the jars after a few minutes and allow them to drain completely.
11
Put the artichoke hearts inside the sterilized jars once they have drained completely, and then press down on the artichokes to remove all the air from the jar.
12
Pour enough extra virgin olive oil into the jars to cover the artichokes completely.
13
Place the lid on the jar and tighten it to preserve the artichokes.
14
Check artichokes for the first few days to make sure they are completely covered in olive oil. If they are not, you should refill the jar with oil to completely cover them.

Community Q&A

Question

After the jar is opened, how long will they keep in the refrigerator?

Community Answer

Marinated artichokes will last unopened on the shelf for about 3 years. Once opened and refrigerated, they will last approximately 6 months.