Canning question....

[Wheezy50]

I harvested a little batch of banana peppers over the weekend and wanted to can/jar them for later. This was my first attempt and just wanted to get some opinions if i did it correctly. I haven't been able to buy the Blue book (Ball?) on canning food yet, i just picked up a reciepe from the web.

I washed and cut up the peppers (discarded the seeds etc. from the inside) and packed them into 2 new, clean jars. Added some garlic, pepper, and pinch of Italian spices for flavor.

I mixed 1 cup vinager with 1/2 cup water on the stove, got it boiling, and poured into the jars, to the top covering the peppers.

I let them cool for a few mins and put the lids on tight. After a few hrs of cooling it seemed like the lids suctioned down to create a tight seal.

Does this sound right? Was i supposed to boil the jars in water after they were filled or does pouring the boiling water/vin. mix into the jar of peppers take care of this?

How long should the peppers stay good like this? I think it said online to let them sit for 3 weeks before eating??

Thanks in advance for your input!!!!!!!

 

[djl02]

I put jars in the dishwasher and sanitize ,but a hot bath is recommended,I use a 50/50 mix,and 2 to 3 week to cure.Sounds like they will be fine.I have kept them for around 1 year,thats all they'll last around here

 

[CountryBoy19]

I don't have my blue book handy but I sure seem to remember water bath canning them. You have to get all the air out, and just letting the lids suction down doesn't do that.

But I could be mistaken...

 

[Squirt239]

I don't have my blue book handy but I sure seem to remember water bath canning them. You have to get all the air out, and just letting the lids suction down doesn't do that.

But I could be mistaken...

I always keep whatever in the jars, put the lids and rings on snug...not tight. put the cans in a pot of water and boil for 30-45 minutes. take the cans out and as soon as you can stand to touch them, tighten the rings. let them cool the rest of the way (room temp) and store them away. my family has been doing it this way for years...no problems yet.

I recommend a pressure cooker. works a little faster and just as good. They're cheap...maybe 20 bucks at walmart.

 

[Delmar]

I recommend a pressure cooker. works a little faster and just as good. They're cheap...maybe 20 bucks at walmart.

For a big canning pressure cooker? That price sounds low to me.

 

[Squirt239]

i could be wrong...it's been a while since i purchased mine. i apologize if my pricing is incorrect

 

[TiminMishawaka]

Walmart has pressure canners for about 40-50 bucks. They are a good deal for a pressure canner. 20 bucks is the water bath canners.

 

[mrjarrell]

40-50 bucks is a small canner/pressure cooker. A serious pressure canner (like mine) runs well over 100 bucks and holds a bunch of jars at one time. If you're just going to do a few small jars the small one is worth it (it's also good for cooking). If you want to do larger scale canning invest in the large ones.

 

[sgt.porter]

If you cook your pickled peppers they will lose their crunch. You only need a pressure cooker for foods that are low in acid.
Preheat your water bath canner before starting
I use a mix of 50/50 water/vinegar + 1tbsp olive oil per cup + spices + 1tsp lemon juice per jar
let the liquid cool while packing the jars
i put lots of garlic and onion in each jar then fill the jar with peppers to just below the rim
pour the liquid in to the jars leaving 1/2 in head space or just above the rim for most jars
put lids and rings on snug, not tightly
turn water up to high, turn back slightly when it starts to boil
place jars in canner and turn water back up to high
when water starts to boil shut burner off
wait 5 min, pull jars out and put them on towel on counter
tighten lids next morning and store
will last a year or better
This is how I've done it for years. Some people add salt to their peppers, but i don't.

 

[mrjarrell]

Actually you want to remove the rings once the jars are sealed. Less chance of contamination and rust.

 

[grunt soldier]

i am upset to say the least but my peppers always end up soggy. i can't do much about it cause i think peppers are prone to botulism

sgt porter i am curious does that kill all the bad stuff in peppers. i have been reading and what not and most say you need to boil for at least 10 minutes. i just worry about botulism and other stuff in them. let me know cause i hate the soggy peppers

 

[Gritch]

My peppers always end up soggy too. I am going to try this when my peppers are ready: Paleotechnics: Home pepperoncini and pimento recipe

I was also told to slit the peppers and soak them in a mixture of 1/2 cup salt in a gallon of ice water overnight and then drain them good. Then can them as you normally would. Not sure if this way works or not.

 

[sgt.porter]

Grunt- I can't tell you it's a safe method because anything that is not the latest and greatest is not approved as safe lol.
That being said, the vinnegar and lemon juice are plenty to reduce your chances of a botulism outbreak. If you're weary about it, use a 25/75 water/vinnegar mix and add a tsp or so of salt to each jar.
A clean workspace and sterilized jars lids and bands are essential as well.
Once in a while a jar will ferment and get all cloudy, but it's still safe to eat, just changes the flavor.
My Great Aunt gave me a recipe where you put them in a drawer of the refrigerator, covered in water and pickling lime. Similar to the method Gritch mentioned. One of these days I'll clean out the fridge and try it. She always told me it was the best method.

 

[Eddie]

I just use a mixture of boiling vinegar and water in about a 6:1 ratio on banana peppers. I sterilize the jars in the dishwasher but don't use a hot water bath. I add about a tablespoon of pickling salt to each jar and a dribble of olive oil. The oil is a trick an old serb showed me; you just put in enough to form a thin layer of oil when the vinegar and water cools. When you draw a pepper or a clove of garlic out of the jar it will get a light coating of oil that improves flavor.

 

[Clay]

Ive got hungarian hot wax peppers on the shelf canned with the hot water bath method that are 5 years old, and still good when ever we open a jar.

We also have home made spaghetti sauce and salsa that are a couple years old, same hot water bath method, and still good.

 

[Vlad the Impaler]

I never hot can pickles.
I do exactly as others describe:
Sanitize jars
Clean and cut peppers
Boil white vinegar, sugar (I do 'em sweet), celery seed & mustard seed
Pack pepper slices tightly in jars
Pour boiling vinegar mix in jars
Cap them immediately

If they cool and pop a nice vacuum, they're GTG.

I usually finish off my stash in a year until the next batch is ready, but I've eaten them up to three years old, never having an issue.

Any fermenting will destroy the vacuum, so you'll know if they've turned on you.

As for that canning blue book.... I started with the guidelines there and hated the results. They over acidify everything to be safe, then it tastes like. Vinegar tainted marinara, lemon tainted salsa, etc. I'll take whatever risk they won't and enjoy my food.

 

[Lex Concord]

I just use a mixture of boiling vinegar and water in about a 6:1 ratio on banana peppers. I sterilize the jars in the dishwasher but don't use a hot water bath. I add about a tablespoon of pickling salt to each jar and a dribble of olive oil. The oil is a trick an old serb showed me; you just put in enough to form a thin layer of oil when the vinegar and water cools. When you draw a pepper or a clove of garlic out of the jar it will get a light coating of oil that improves flavor.

I always thought everything had to be canned in at least a water bath, but with a high acid content you may be safe.

One good place I always check with canning questions is Jackie Clay on Backwoods Home Magazine. I think she has forgotten more about canning than most folks will ever know.

 

[Eddie]

I always thought everything had to be canned in at least a water bath, but with a high acid content you may be safe.

One good place I always check with canning questions is Jackie Clay on Backwoods Home Magazine. I think she has forgotten more about canning than most folks will ever know.

I do things like eggs and peppers; snack foods, in lots of white vinegar and salt. As long as the lid seals you are safe. Botulism is the big threat when canning because when other things go wrong the food will look/smell/taste funny but botulism isn't readily detectable. The key is in the lid. Botulism produces gas that will cause that lid to pop up. Fermentation will also pop the lid, but a fermenting jar of fruit for example will look and smell wrong.

If there is any doubt then I say go with a hot water bath, but as others have posted above, I think that the hot water bath can make the peppers mushy. Maybe using lime on the peppers could counteract this, but I haven't tried it.

 

[djl02]

40-50 bucks is a small canner/pressure cooker. A serious pressure canner (like mine) runs well over 100 bucks and holds a bunch of jars at one time. If you're just going to do a few small jars the small one is worth it (it's also good for cooking). If you want to do larger scale canning invest in the large ones.

They are high,I got a All American off Ebay,It didnt have a rack but I got it for 65.00 It looks new,new ones are 200 to 250. I recommend watching Ebay for items like this.Worth every penny.
Got a compliment yesterday,on my salsa.Told, the best they ever tasted.

 

[RJW]

Pick up a Ball Blue Book for canning. Should answer about any question you have on pressure and hot water bath canninb