The Worst Pickled Okra Brand Ruins The Flavor With Too Much Sweetness

Pickled foods are versatile sides that can be eaten with a variety of entrées, including fried dishes and sandwiches — or, better yet, eaten alone as a snack. In the Southern states, one pickled treat particularly shines: Okra, with a rich history that can be traced back to Africa. In its natural form, its slimy texture is enough to deter anyone from even indulging in a second helping, but pickled okra tells a different story. Its crunchy texture, paired with a pleasant tug-of-war of zest and acidity, can surprisingly make it irresistible. However, it's not the same case for every brand on the market. When we tried eight pickled okra brands and ranked them from worst to best Wickles Wicked Okra fell to the bottom of the list due to its overpowering sweetness, as if it belonged on the dessert table. While sugar is more than welcome in pickled okra, there's such a thing as too much.

Even though Wickles Wicked Okra had strong flavors like red chili peppers, it was hard to ignore how sweetness reigned over them. It was almost impossible to enjoy other tastes, unlike with other brands that provide a good flavor balance — which begs the question: When searching for the best jar, what should you consider? Balance and subtlety win, and sweetness, of course, should never overpower everything else.

No two palates are the same, so who knows, you might even prefer your pickled okras sweet. However, the Southern gem tastes a lot different. It should be a balance between tang and sweet, with a red pepper's gentle spice, and the brine should shine through. Otherwise, you'd have competing flavors vying for attention, which would make the aftertaste confusing, instead of offering a bold bite. There's a science behind how pickling works, and a nice jar should also change the okra's natural texture, which is why pickled okras have a good crunch in contrast to their naturally gooey texture. Wickles Wicked Okra does this part right, however, that's where it stops.

An overly sweet jar of pickled okra might make it hard to enjoy it with bloody Marys, as a side dish to serve with fish, or as a worthy addition to the charcuterie board, as it might mess up the whole vibe you're going for. Instead of pleasant flavors swirling in your mouth, it becomes a face-off between ingredients, overpowering the dish (or drink) instead of elevating the taste.