Ingredients

3 bunches carrots (about 2 dozen)
2 teaspoons dill seed
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
1 1/4 cups water

Directions

Cut greens from the carrots, leaving about 1/4-inch of stem on each. Peel the carrots and trim to a length about 1 1/4 inches shorter than the height of the jar they will be pickled in.

Sterilize a tall, heat-resistant glass clamp jar fitted with a rubber ring. Put the dill seed, peppercorns and red pepper flakes into the jar. Pack the carrots into the jar, stems up. Bring the water and vinegar to a boil in a small, nonreactive saucepan and pour the hot mixture over the carrots to within 3/4-inch of the top of the jar. Seal securely.

Process the jar in a hot water bath for 20 minutes. Remove the jar from the canner and set aside to cool. As with any pickle, these carrots will taste best if they are allowed to cure in the brine for at least a week before they are served. The sealed carrots have a shelf life of about one year. After they've been opened, they'll last about three months in the refrigerator.