Garden Lifestyle

Perfect Pickled Peppers: Recipes for the Garden

Pickling is an easy way to preserve the flavor of freshly picked peppers

Pickling is an easy way to preserve the fresh flavor of jalapeno peppers when time is tight. Photo: Jodi Torpey

Once August rolls around, I know I’m going to have my hands full of vegetables from the garden. Even though I use as much fresh produce as possible—and donate the extra to my local food bank—there’s always more than I can handle.

If I’m short on time, I go for the quickest and easiest ways for preserving. For example, I sometimes just wash and freeze whole cherry tomatoes, use ordinary pickle juice to pickle beans, and simmer jars of jalapeno peppers for the fridge.

I like this pickling method because it takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. It leaves the peppers with a nice crunchy texture to use as a condiment to eat alone, sprinkle on sandwiches, or pile on corn chips for nachos.

Be sure to wear kitchen gloves whenever working with hot peppers, and resist the urge to touch your face or eyes.

Ingredients

1/2 pound fresh jalapeno chile peppers
1-3/4 cups white vinegar
1 large clove garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon turmeric

Directions

  1. Wash peppers; cut off the stems.
  2. Slice peppers into 1/8-inch rings, and place them in a pint jar (with a lid).
  3. Peel the garlic clove, and place it in the jar with the pepper rings; set aside.
  4. Mix vinegar, salt, and turmeric in a small saucepan, and slowly heat to near boiling.
  5. Pour the warm brine over the peppers in the jar.
  6. Allow the mixture to cool slightly; seal with the lid, and store in the refrigerator.
  7. Let chile peppers marinate for several days before using them.

With refrigeration, the peppers will keep for several months.

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