Pickled Peppers

When it comes to pickled things, I'm more than a bit picky. I don't like any sort of pickled cucumber, though this might be because I don't like cucumbers. I didn't like the pickled carrots I made so long ago. I do, however, like sauerkraut and pickled plums, and I have recently discovered a love of pickled peppers.

I first had some pickled peppers not that long ago. I know, what rock have I been living under all my life? (Unfortunately, that would be my mother who doesn't really care for most vegetables and then destroys them when attempting to do something that resembles cooking them for other people.) Anyway, I had these pickled peppers on a grilled cheese sandwich when I was in Traverse City, MI visiting my old friend Beth, and it was the most fantastic explosion of deliciousness in my mouth.

So, when the pepper harvest came in from my CSA this year and I was inundated with peppers of all natures, I thought that I would try to recreate this wonderful thing. And I did.

Pickled Peppers
 
1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
3% w/w (non-iodized) kosher salt (~1/2 ounce)

Enough peppers to fill the up to 2 pint jars, preferably a mix of (mostly) sweet and (2-3) spicy (but not habaneros as their flesh is too thin)

1. Prepare jars and begin boiling the water bath canner

2. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds, and sear the skins of the peppers beneath a broiler or over a grill

3. Remove the peppers skins and chop as finely as you'd like the pickled peppers

4. Boil the water, vinegar and salt solution for five minutes

5. Pack the jars tightly and to within 3/4" of the rim

6. Pour the pickling liquid over the peppers and fill up to 1/2" of the rim

7. Remove air bubbles in the jar by running a chopstick around the side

8. Lid the jars and process in water bath for ten minutes (fifteen for quarts)

Note: Some people want to have a 1:2 water:vinegar concentration, but as long as the jars remain sealed the contents are safe to eat. If you do want to up the vinegar, but you don't want the extra sourness, you can add sugar (though I don't know how much per cup of liquid). Sugar, however, tones down spiciness as well as acidity, so you'll want to add more spicy peppers per jar to get the same kick.

These pickled peppers will need to sit preferably a month or more to properly soak in all the flavors--the sourness of the vinegar, the saltiness, and the spice from whatever hot peppers you added to the jar.

pickles?

I was rather hesitant about the carrot challenge from Tigress in a Jam/Pickle because I'm a little weirded out by carrot jams and jellies, and I've never liked a pickle in my life. However, I've only had pickled cukes (and I'm very particular about cukes anyway), so I decided I might as well pickle my carrots ('cause I do adore vinegar). I followed a very basic recipe and did a ridiculously small batch.

1/2 lb carrots, quartered and cut to fit in a 1/2 pint jar and blanched for 5 minutes
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 tablespoon salt
a few peppercorns, some nutmeg, a small pinch ground cloves

The carrots and spices got packed in the prepared jar. The liquids and salt was brought to a boil and poured over the carrots. I made sure there were no air bubbles, and I boiled the result for 10 minutes in the canning pot. I'm still waiting on the results...

Early April, after I opened the jar--
So...I don't like them. Cloves were a bad idea, but just in general I think I'll stay away from pickling anything. Maybe it's more of an acquired taste, anyway.