Hot Pickled Peppers
Submitted by platinum pool
Hot pickled peppers brined overnight in salt water, then water-bath canned in vinegar, sugar, garlic and horseradish brine. Crisp, snappy and shelf-stable for a year of nachos, sandwiches and antipasto plates.
YIELD
8 pintsPREP
2 hrsCOOK
15 minREADY
18 hrsThese hot pickled peppers are the kind of thing your grandfather kept in a basement pantry, ready to top everything from Italian beef sandwiches to scrambled eggs. The recipe makes 8 pints, which sounds like a lot until you realize how fast they disappear once you taste one.
The overnight salt-water brine is what makes these snap when you bite into them. A 12 to 18 hour soak in heavy salt water (1½ cups in a gallon of water) draws out moisture from the pepper cells and firms up the texture, the same brining trick used in classic dill pickles.
Horseradish in the canning liquid is the secret weapon. It adds a sinus-clearing sharpness that complements the pepper heat without competing with it, plus its natural compounds help keep the peppers crunchy through long storage. Garlic skewered on wooden picks goes in to flavor the brine, then comes out before canning so it doesn’t cloud the jars.
Water-bath processing for 10 minutes makes them shelf-stable for at least a year.
Pro Tips
- Wear rubber gloves throughout, capsaicin embeds in skin and you will regret rubbing your eyes hours later
- Cut two slits in each pepper as the directions say, this lets brine penetrate properly and prevents the peppers from floating
- Use a non-metal tool to release air bubbles, metal can react with the acidic brine
- Leave proper ¼ inch headspace, too little and jars don’t seal, too much and the contents oxidize
- Let the jars sit in the pantry at least two weeks before opening, the flavors meld dramatically over time
Variations
- Use a mix of peppers (banana, Hungarian wax, jalapeno, serrano) for layered heat and color
- Add a tablespoon of pickling spice to each jar for a more complex flavor profile
- Swap white vinegar for apple cider vinegar for a slightly sweeter, fruitier brine
Ingredients
Directions
Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands as you prepare the peppers, they can burn your skin! And, never touch your face, or especially your eyes, while you are working with hot peppers.
You will need a large mixing bowl in addition to the basic equipment.
This recipe makes about 8 pints.
Select fresh, tender, evenly sized peppers, wash well. Wearing rubber gloves, cut two small slits in each pepper.
In large mixing bowl, dissolve the salt in the 1 gallon of water. Add peppers and let stand in a cool place 12 to 18 hours.
Drain, rinse, and drain again. Organize remaining ingredients, the equipment, and work space.
In a large preserving kettle, combine all remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
Remove garlic.
Pack peppers into hot jars to within ¼ inch of the tops.
Heat simmering liquid to boiling and our over peppers to within ¼ inch of tops of jars.
Run a slim, non metal tool down along the insides of jars to release any air bubbles.
Add additional boiling liquid, if necessary, to within ¼ inch of tops of jars.
Wipe tops and threads of jars with a damp clean cloth.
Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs.
Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. follow basic steps for boiling water bath canning.
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