Pickle Peppers

It's the end of the world. All fresh food and crops have been destroyed. Don't you wish you had pickled some peppers to eat after the apocalypse? Stay alive with these steps.

Steps

Preparing the Peppers

  1. Select peppers that are crisp and fresh. When pickling peppers, it is up to you to decide which kind of peppers you would like to pickle. Many picklers mix hot peppers and red or green sweet peppers for a balanced flavor, but the the peppers you choose are up to you. However, there are some characteristics you should keep in mind, regardless of what type of peppers you use:[1]
    • Look for peppers that are firm and have a smooth skin.
    • Avoid old peppers that are soft and wrinkled or have brown spots, as old peppers can taste bad and become chewy when pickled.
  2. Purchase 7 to 9 pounds of peppers to fill a canner load of 9 pint jars. This is the standard amount. The step-by-step process listed below will yield 9 pint jars.[1]
    • A bushel of peppers generally weighs 25 pounds and can yield 20 to 30 pints.
  3. Wash your peppers. You can use cold or lukewarm water with the same results.
  4. Slice your peppers in half and remove the cores and seeds. Remove any bad spots on the peppers. Quarter the now seedless peppers.
    • Small peppers can be left whole. If you choose to leave them whole, cut several slits along their sides.[1]

Blistering and Peeling the Peppers

  1. Remove the skins from your peppers by 'blistering' them. If you have already cut your peppers, make sure to place them skin side down during whatever heating method you choose to use.
    • Preheat your oven or broiler to 400º or 450ºF (205º to 232ºC). Place the peppers on a cookie sheet and stick them in the oven or broiler for 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn the peppers often so that they blister evenly on all sides.[1]
    • Place peppers on a wire mesh for the stovetop method. Hold the wire mesh over a heated electric or gas burner. Turn the peppers frequently with a pair of tongs. Make sure each side is heated equally.[1]
    • Heat an outdoor grill. Place the peppers 5 to 6 inches above glowing coals. Rotate the peppers using tongs.[1]
  2. Place the blistered peppers in a pan. Place a damp cloth over them. Doing this allows the peppers to cool quickly and makes the skins easier to peel.[1]
  3. Gently pull the blistered skin off of the peppers. Occasionally rinse the peppers with water.Use a knife to scrape off any skin that does not peel easily.

Making the Pickling Juice

  1. Prepare the pickling juice. Place 5 cups (1.2l) vinegar, 1 cups (240ml) water, 4 tsp. (20g) pickling salt, 2 tbsp. (28g) sugar and 2 cloves of garlic in a pot.[1]
    • The garlic is optional. It adds to the flavor but is not necessary.
  2. Bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove the garlic cloves once the mixture has simmered for 10 minutes. Discard used garlic cloves.

Sterilizing the Jars

  1. Wash the jars you will be using to keep your pickled peppers. You don't want any bacteria festering in your jar of pickled peppers.
  2. Put the jars upside down in a large pot of boiling water about 2 to 3 inches high (5.1 to 7.6cm), then turn down the heat. Leave them in the pot for 10 minutes.
  3. Place the jar seals and rings in a smaller pot of hot, simmering water.

Pickling the Peppers

  1. Place peppers into jars so that they are loose and not tightly packed. Leave 1 inch of space at the top of the jar. Flatten whole peppers.[1]
    • Add ½ a teaspoon of salt if you would like your peppers to be saltier.
  2. Pour the pickling liquid over the peppers. Leave a 1/2 in. (1.3cm) of space at the top of the jars.
  3. Eliminate bubbles of air by stirring each jar with a small rubber spatula. Bubbles can cause mold to form inside the jar once it has been sealed.
  4. Dab the rims of each jar with a cloth or paper towel.
  5. Put the seals on the jars and tighten them so that they are firmly closed, but not too tight.

Using the Canner

  1. Put each jar on the rack inside of your canner, so that they are a few inches above the water. Once all of the jars are placed inside, lower the rack down into the canner.
    • If you do not have a canner, you can make your own. Find a pot or saucepan that is large enough to hold the jars. There should also be room for an inch of water above the jars. Place a washcloth or towel at the bottom of the pot before you put the jars in. This will keep the jars from directly touching the metal of the pot.
    • If you do not have a jar lifter, place rubber bands at the ends of tongs. The tongs will act exactly like a jar lifter.
  2. Add enough hot water to the canner to make sure that the bottom of each jar is covered by 2 inches of water.
  3. Cover your canner with the lid and allow the water to boil again. Be sure that the water is at a constant boil for 10 minutes.[1]
  4. Remove the lid after 10 minutes and raise the rack. After 2 minutes, remove the jars from the canner and place them in a safe place to cool.



Tips

  • Wear rubber gloves when working with hot peppers to reduce burning of the skin and eyes.
  • To reduce the heat of pickled peppers, pickle both mild and hot peppers together.

Things You'll Need

  • Peppers
  • 5 cups (1.2l) white distilled vinegar
  • 1 cups (240ml) water
  • 4 tsp. (20g) pickling salt
  • 2 tbsp. (28g) sugar
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Cookie sheet
  • Pot with lid
  • Water bath canner
  • Canning jars, seals and rings
  • 2 Large pots
  • Medium pot
  • Kitchen knife
  • Dish cloths
  • Rubber spatula
  • Washcloth

Related Articles

  • Keep Apples White During Preserving
  • Pickle Okra
  • Preserve Foodstuffs
  • Pickle Quail Eggs

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 http://www.pickyourown.org/pepperspickled.htm
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Pickle_Peppers&oldid=361200"