Pickling peppers | jar of pickled peppers

Pickling Peppers The 2 Best Ways

Quick Pickling Peppers are one way to preserve peppers. This is a super-easy way to have pickled peppers without all of the canning.  These will not last as long as a fully pickled pepper but will last about three months or so in the refrigerator.  Be sure you make them ahead because it takes a couple of weeks to really get that yummy pickled taste in your peppers.

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pickling peppers for canning | jar of pickled peppers on a checkerd cloth with more peppers in the background on a cutting board

Quick & Easy Refrigerator Recipe Pickling Peppers

 

INGREDIENTS

  •  1 pound of peppers
  •  2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  •  2 cups (475 ml) water
  •  1 cup (235 ml) vinegar
  •  1 tablespoon of Himalayan Pink salt

Directions for Quick Method Pickling Peppers

  • Grab your peppers and look them over.  Take out any peppers with bad places. You want only ones with no rotten places or bad spots. Rinse your peppers and set them aside in a colander to drain. You can spray them with a squirt of GSE.   If you are doing hot peppers or chilies, put on some rubber gloves to protect your hands. If you want them sliced, get out your cutting board and a sharp knife and slice the peppers into ¼” thick slices and set them aside.
  • Now is the time to prepare your jar.  Wash your canning jars in hot soapy water and rinse with a hot water rinse to make sure they are clean and free of soap.  
  • Using your gloves pack the jar with your peppers and garlic cloves. We like to smash the garlic cloves using the side of a knife before putting them in to expose more of the flavor to your brine. You can add other seasonings, thin slices of onion, etc. 
  • In a medium saucepan bring the water, vinegar, salt to a rolling boil. Once boiling, pour into the jar until the liquid completely submerges the peppers. With a clean lint free cloth, wipe the rim of your jar clean and using a canning jar lid, close the lid on the jar.
  • Pickling instructions: Using a couple of towels folded up, let the jar cool on the counter until it reaches room temperature. Once cooled, put the jar into the refrigerator and let the peppers pickle for at least 4 hours before serving, but for best results serve after at least 24 hours. Thes quick method pickled peppers are good for up to 2 to 3 months in the refrigerator.

Pickled Pepper Notes & Tips

Using protective gloves while working with hot peppers will save you a lot of pain. Our aunt ended up in the emergency room after working with a batch of jalapeno peppers. Using this simple precaution will really make this a safe and easy job!

Recipe questions + quick tips

 

How long does it take for peppers to pickle?

No matter if you are making refrigerator quick pickled peppers or the ones to store in your pantry, it will take a good 3 weeks to really get the pickled peppers to really have the flavor that you want. 

Do you remove seeds when pickling peppers?

We do not remove the seeds when pickling peppers but you can! If you are worried about your peppers having a bit too much punch you can remove the seeds and ribs using a good pair of clean kitchen gloves. You can even rinse them off to make sure that extra spice is rinsed off your pepper before canning it. 

Do you blanch peppers before pickling them?

We have never blanched our peppers prior to pickling them.

How do I pickle peppers for more long term storage?

You would actually can them.  Here is a recipe for canned pickled peppers.

Pickling Peppers For Canning 

  • 1 1/2 pounds jalapeño peppers
  • 3 1/2 cups of white vinegar that is 5% acidity
  • 1 cup of spring water or filtered water
  • 1 tablespoon pickling salt
  • Ball Pickle Crisp or Mrs. Wages Xtra Crunch

Instructions For Pickling Peppers

  •  Wash peppers and strain them in a colander. Decide if you want to have them sliced or whole.  If you want them sliced, put on some kitchen gloves to keep from burning your hands and cut off the stem end and then slice the peppers into 1/4-inch thick rings. 
  • Wash 2 pint size canning jars with hot soapy water and rinse with hot water to remove all of the soap.

If you are steam canning your pickling peppers:

  • Check the directions to your steam canner and follow them.
    • Make sure the bottom of your steam canner has at least 3 quarts of water in it. 
    • Fill the jars with peppers and then ladle in the brine as above and then add 1/4 teaspoon of pickle crisp to each jar.
    • Wipe down the rims and place the 2 piece lids on your jars and tighten them to just tight. Don’t over-tighten because the air needs to get out.
    • Place jars into your steam canner.
    • Place the lid on top of the steam canner. 
    • When you see steam coming out of the top out of the hole on top of your canner then start timing for 10 minutes.
    • When the timer goes off remove hot jars with the bottle lifter / Jar tongs onto a flat surface like the countertop with several layers of folded towels to protect the surface. 
    • Leave a space between each jar.  Let cool for 24 hours without disturbing
    • Label jars with date and what it is and store them in a cool, dark place. 
    • It Will last over a year.

If Using A Traditional Water Bath Canner For Pickling Peppers

Check the directions that go to your water bath canner and follow those directions.

  •  Place the rack into the bottom of the water bath canner and fill the pot with enough water to cover jars. Place the jars into the water and simmer them.
  • Next, you will take a medium saucepan and combine vinegar, water, and salt. Stir to combine and let it boil for five minutes. 
  • Using jar lifter tongs remove a jar from the hot water draining the water back into your canning pot being careful not to get the hot water on your hand. Place the hot jar on a folded washcloth on the counter to avoid the hot jar touching your cold counter and causing the jar to crack and to protect your counter’s surface.  Pack the washed peppers into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1/4 teaspoon Pickle Crisp to each jar, if desired.
  • Ladle brine into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Using debubbler tool, or the skinny end of a wooden spoon remove the air bubbles from the jar by inserting the debubbler at the edge of the jar all the way to the bottom and moving the end toward the center of the jar.  The air bubbles will come to the surface.  Using the end of the debubbler check your headspace (the room left at the top of the jar and make sure it is 1/2 inch.  If you need to add more brine, you can do it now. 
  • Using a clean, lint-free cloth or clean paper towel wipe the rim of your canning jars to remove any brine from it.. Place the flat new canning jar lid on jar. Screw on the band to just tight.  You don’t want it on too tight or it won’t allow the air to escape while canning.  
  • Using the jar lifter tongs, lower the canning jars into the water bath canning pan. The boiling water should cover jars by 1 to 2-inches after all jars are in the pot. Cover the canning pot and then return the water to a rolling boil. When water starts to boil start timing for 10 minutes. It needs to keep boiling for the 10 minutes and not just simmer.
  • When the timer goes off, using your jar grabber tongs, remove the jars from the water and place them on the counter on several layers of towels to protect the jars and the counter surface. 
  • Leave a space between the jars and let them sit there to cool for 24 hours
  • Once you remove the jars to the counter you will begin to hear a popping sound. This is the jars sealing.
  • When the jars are cooled touch the middle of the lid to make sure that the jar has sealed. If it has sealed the lid will not push down when you touch it and come back up when you let go. It will remain down. If any jars did not seal put them in the refrigerator for use now.
  • After cooled label jars with what is inside and the date you canned them.
  • Store in a cool dark place. 
  • They will be good for over a year. 

Print Recipe For Pickling Peppers

Yield: 2 pints

Pickling Peppers For Canning

sketch of the rosevine cottage girls and animals

Pickling peppers is an easy way to preserve your pepper harvest.

Ingredients

  • Pickling Peppers For Canning 
  • 1 1/2 pounds jalapeño peppers
  • 3 1/2 cups of white vinegar that is 5% acidity
  • 1 cup of spring water or filtered water
  • 1 tablespoon pickling salt
  • Ball Pickle Crisp or Mrs. Wages Xtra Crunch

Instructions

 Wash the peppers and strain them in a colander. Decide if you want to have them sliced or whole.  If you want them sliced, put on some kitchen gloves to keep from burning your hands and cut off the stem end, and then slice the peppers into 1/4-inch thick rings. 
Wash 2-pint size canning jars with hot soapy water and rinse with hot water to remove all of the soap.

IF YOU ARE STEAM CANNING
Check the directions to your steam canner and follow them.
Make sure the bottom of your steam canner has at least 3 quarts of water in it. 
Fill the jars with peppers and then ladle in the brine as above and then add 1/4 teaspoon of pickle crisp to each jar.
Wipe down the rims and place the 2 piece lids on your jars and tighten them to just tight. Don’t over-tighten because the air needs to get out.
Place jars into your steam canner.
Place the lid on top of the steam canner. 
When you see steam coming out of the top out of the hole on top of your canner then start timing for 10 minutes.
When the timer goes off remove hot jars with the bottle lifter / Jar tongs onto a flat surface like the countertop with several layers of folded towels to protect the surface. 
Leave a space between each jar.  Let cool for 24 hours without disturbing
Label jars with date and what it is and store them in a cool, dark place. 
It Will last over a year.

IF USING A TRADITIONAL WATER BATH CANNER
Check the directions that go to your water bath canner and follow those directions.
 Place the rack into the bottom of the water bath canner and fill the pot with enough water to cover jars. Place the jars into the water and simmer them.
Next, you will take a medium saucepan and combine vinegar, water, and salt. Stir to combine and let it boil for five minutes. 
Using jar lifter tongs remove a jar from the hot water draining the water back into your canning pot being careful not to get the hot water on your hand. Place the hot jar on a folded washcloth on the counter to avoid the hot jar touching your cold counter and causing the jar to crack and to protect your counter's surface.  Pack the washed peppers into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1/4 teaspoon Pickle Crisp to each jar, if desired.
Ladle brine into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Using debubbler tool, or the skinny end of a wooden spoon remove the air bubbles from the jar by inserting the debubbler at the edge of the jar all the way to the bottom and moving the end toward the center of the jar.  The air bubbles will come to the surface.  Using the end of the debubbler check your headspace (the room left at the top of the jar and make sure it is 1/2 inch.  If you need to add more brine, you can do it now. 
Using a clean, lint-free cloth or clean paper towel wipe the rim of your canning jars to remove any brine from it.. Place the flat new canning jar lid on the jar. Screw on the band to just tight.  You don't want it on too tight or it won't allow the air to escape while canning.  
Using the jar lifter tongs, lower the canning jars into the water bath canning pan. The boiling water should cover jars by 1 to 2-inches after all jars are in the pot. Cover the canning pot and then return the water to a rolling boil. When water starts to boil start timing for 10 minutes. It needs to keep boiling for 10 minutes and not just simmer.
When the timer goes off, using your jar grabber tongs, remove the jars from the water and place them on the counter on several layers of towels to protect the jars and the counter surface. 
Leave a space between the jars and let them sit there to cool for 24 hours
Once you remove the jars to the counter you will begin to hear a popping sound. This is the jars sealing.
When the jars are cooled touch the middle of the lid to make sure that the jar has been sealed. If it has sealed the lid will not push down when you touch it and come back up when you let go. It will remain down. If any jars did not seal put them in the refrigerator for use now.
After cooled label jars with what is inside and the date you canned them.
Store in a cool dark place. 
They will be good for over a year.

 

Ideas for serving pickled peppers

Pickled peppers are delicious served on pizza, served in a bowl of your favorite pinto bean recipe. They taste great on nachos, are great served as a garnish for your meal, served in a pasta salad to give it a kick.  They spice up hamburgers and are just delicious!

More easy pickled vegetable recipes

So here we go! Ready To Can? Let’s start canning!

Canning And Preserving Videos:

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