Re: [CH] Chillies in vinegar
Dave Sacerdote (davesas@tiac.net)
Fri, 02 Oct 1998 09:28:45 -0400
>I've been trying different ways of preserving my chillies, most recently
trying in
>vinegar. I've seen jars that other people have preserved which seem to have
>whole chillies in them. However, whenever I put whole chillies (normally
habs)
>in they tend to float at the top.
I don't usually use pure vinegar. I use a pickling brine made up of 250 ml
vinegar, 750 ml water, and 125 g pickling salt. Bring it to a boil and
allow to cool.
Next I make a slit in my chiles to allow the brine into the peppers. At the
bottom of each jar, I put a bay leaf or two, a few grams of mustard seed,
and half a dozen peppercorns (you may leave any of this out if you like, but
I enjoy the additional flavor it adds to the pickled chiles.) Next, pack
the slit chiles into the jars. Be firm, but gentle because if you pack them
too tightly they will bruise. Then pour overall with the warm brine, cap,
and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. For a "non-cooked"
pepper you can keep them in the fridge without processing. They will still
float a little, but it won't be too bad, and they certainly won't bob about
at the top of the liquid.
FWIW, this brine and method also work great for sweet peppers. I preserve
red bell peppers this way for "sandwich toppers" (add some garlic to the jar
before processing).
===
Dave Sacerdote
davesas@tiac.net
"I am so mighty, I do not have to kill you all." -- Flaming Carrot
Resist or Serve.