Crisp pickled peppers?

HotPepperQueen

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Jan 4, 2012
Messages
588
Reaction score
202
Points
167
Location
Central MN, Zone 3/4 Border
I've come to find that when pickling peppers, they always tend to get softer than what I'd like. I would say that when I pickle mine and want them crispier, I cut the peppers thicker. Here is my recipe for pickled peppers if you'd like to try it! Add 1/2 teaspoon of alum instead of 1/4 and see if that helps with crispness.

Brine:
2 quarts purified water
1 quart apple cider vinegar
1 cup salt

Heat above until boiling.

Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced garlic (I know, it's a lot!), 1/4 teaspoons alum, and 1 tablespoon of dill seed in a hot jar, fill with sliced peppers, and pour hot brine over the top leaving some head space. Cover with hot lids and rings.
 

vfem

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
7,516
Reaction score
39
Points
242
Location
Fuquay, NC
I do it with 'pickle crisp' that ball sells. It helps the pickled things you do from going limp when canning. Its like 1/8 tsp per pint before you pack them with the peppers or pickling solution. Helped when I pickled the banana peppers last year. :) They kept firm enough to win us a 2nd place for our peppers. I'm down to the last 2 jars for my sandwiches, but they are delicious!
 

hoodat

Garden Addicted
Joined
Apr 28, 2010
Messages
3,758
Reaction score
501
Points
260
Location
Palm Desert CA
I don't water bath pickles with a strong vinegar content. I just pack the jars and pour the boiling solution over them, cinching the lids down immediately. Almost every jar will seal and the occasional one that doesn't is just refrigerated and used first.
I use water and vinegar half and half. That strong vinegar content just about eliminates any harmful organisms. In years gone by pickles were held in crocks in the cellar and not normally canned.
 

The Mama Chicken

Attractive To Bees
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
650
Reaction score
1
Points
64
Location
Central Tx, Zone 8a
hoodat said:
In years gone by pickles were held in crocks in the cellar and not normally canned.
Fermenting is starting to be very popular again these days. I know of dozens of people who ferment their pickles in crocks in their pantries (not a lot of cellars amongst my friends.)
 

seedcrazy

Chillin' In The Garden
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
113
Reaction score
1
Points
46
Location
Cental KY
I make my sauerkraut in a jar and then 6-8 weeks later after fermenting to my desired level, I can them. But I have heard you can put a grape leaf in jars of pickles and it keeps them crisp, wonder if that works with peppers?
 

journey11

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
8,469
Reaction score
4,218
Points
397
Location
WV, Zone 6B
I would think it should. It's the tannic acid in them that does the trick.
 

Jared77

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
2,616
Reaction score
974
Points
277
Location
Howell Zone 5
I do it with 'pickle crisp' that ball sells.
Did the same thing this year. Glad to hear it worked so well. I've done the grape leaf thing and it didn't help. I used wild grape leaves so maybe that was why it didn't work.
 

Latest posts

Top