Learn how to pickle chili peppers straight from the garden. It is very easy to do, and the peppers will last several weeks or months. Its a great way to preserve your chili peppers.
Hey spice lovers! Today I’m gonna share my tried-and-tested method for pickling chili peppers. As someone who’s been preserving chilies for years, I can tell you it’s actually pretty simple once you know the basics. Let’s dive right in!
What You’ll Need
Basic Equipment
- Clean glass mason jars with lids
- Large pot for boiling
- Small saucepan
- Tongs
- Funnel
- Knife and cutting board
- Clean kitchen towels
- Gloves (trust me, you’ll want these!)
Ingredients for Basic Pickling Brine
- 4 cups white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 28-32 ounces fresh chili peppers
- Optional spices (see below)
Step-by-Step Pickling Process
1. Prep Work
- Clean and sterilize your jars and lids
- Wash chilies thoroughly
- Put on those gloves!
- Slice peppers into rings (or leave whole with small cuts if you prefer)
2. Making the Brine
- Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a pot
- Bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
- Remove from heat
3. Packing the Jars
- Pack chilies into clean jars
- Leave 1/2 inch headspace at top
- Pour hot brine over peppers
- Remove air bubbles by tapping jars
- Wipe jar rims clean
- Put on lids and bands (not too tight!)
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
-
Choose Fresh Peppers: Pick firm, unblemished chilies. No soft spots!
-
Spice It Up Try these optional add-ins
- Garlic cloves
- Bay leaves
- Peppercorns
- Coriander seeds
- Mustard seeds
-
Safety First:
- Always use 5% acidity vinegar
- Don’t mess with vinegar-to-water ratios
- Keep everything clean and sterile
Storage and Shelf Life
Quick Pickle Method (Fridge)
- Store in refrigerator
- Lasts 2-3 months
- Ready to eat in 1-2 weeks
Water Bath Canning Method
- Process jars for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude)
- Store in cool, dark place
- Lasts up to 1 year unopened
- Refrigerate after opening
Common Questions I Get
Q: Will pickling make my chilies less hot?
A: Nah, they mostly keep their heat level, maybe slightly mellower.
Q What’s the best vinegar to use?A White distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar (5% acidity) White keeps colors brighter!
Q: Can I reuse the brine?
A: Better not to – fresh brine each time keeps things safe and tasty.
Ways to Use Your Pickled Peppers
- Taco topping (my fave!)
- Sandwich kicks
- Pizza perfection
- Burger boosters
- Salad additions
- Straight from the jar (if you’re brave!)
Troubleshooting Tips
If your pickled peppers aren’t turning out perfect, here’s what might be wrong
Soft or Mushy Peppers
- Used old/soft peppers
- Brine too weak
- Stored too warm
Cloudy Brine
- Used table salt instead of pickling salt
- Didn’t use fresh ingredients
- Water too hard
Final Words
Pickling chilies ain’t rocket science, but it does need attention to detail. Follow these steps, and you’ll have awesome pickled peppers that’ll last months! They’re perfect for preserving your garden harvest or just having spicy goodness ready whenever you need it.
Got questions? Drop ’em in the comments! I love helping fellow chili enthusiasts get their pickle on!
Happy pickling, y’all! ️
Remember to always follow proper food safety guidelines when preserving foods. When in doubt, throw it out!
Would you like me to explain or break down any part of this guide in more detail?
Best Vinegar for Pickling Peppers
For pickling peppers, use high grade white distilled vinegar or cider vinegar of 5 percent acidity. White vinegar is better to retain the color of your peppers. If the flavor is too acidic for your tastes, you can offset it with the addition of sugar or honey without affecting the pH.
Note that the acidity is important for pickling safety to prevent the growth of botulinum bacteria.
Jarring or Canning Your Pickled Peppers
The above method is for easy pickled peppers that are kept in the refrigerator. If youd prefer to process them in jars for longer storage, follow these procedures:
- Once your peppers are cleaned and prepared, fill your large pot with water and wait until it gets to a rolling boil.
- Prep your canning pot by installing the rack and filling it with about 4 inches of hot water from the tap. (Obviously, if the directions for your particular canner are different, follow those.)
- Put it on the stove top and fire up the heat to low. For the moment, leave the lid off. In the event that you are using a regular large pot in lieu of one that is specifically meant for canning, it’s fine if there is no rack for the cans, but it will make it easier if there is one, simply for handling purposes. You’re ready to can.
- Make more room on the stove top for your smaller saucepan. Here, combine the vinegar, water, canning/pickling salt, and sugar. Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
- Fill your jars with peppers, but be sure to leave 1 inch between the top of the jar and the lid. This is called “head space,” and will allow the contents to expand during processing. Be sure to pack the jar as full as you can without infiltrating the head space.
- Once your jar is full of peppers, use a ladle and the funnel to fill your jar with the vinegar solution you created earlier. Be sure to leave ½ inch of space between the vinegar solution and the top of the jar. The pickling solution should always come to the top of the peppers in the jar, just covering them.
- For pickles, the USDA standard is ½ inch head space between the liquid and the top of the jar. If you leave too much head space, there will be too much air for a strong vacuum to form during the process, causing the jar to seal improperly or fail.
- When jars are full, place lids on jars and screw on – but not as tightly as you can. Make sure it’s snug, but you don’t have to power jerk the lids on.
- Arrange the jars in your canning pot – make sure there is at least 1 inch of space between each jar and its neighbor. Once jars are arranged, fill the canning pot using a ladle until the water reaches 1 inch over the tops of the jars. Use the boiling water in your other pot to fill the canning pot, but be careful not to pour boiling water on the tops of the jars.
- Pour the water between the jars until they are submerged.
- Once a rolling boil is reached within the canning pot, set a timer for 10 minutes, if your kitchen is 1,000 feet or fewer above sea level. For those 1,000 through 6,000 feet above, boil your peppers for 15 minutes, and if you are above 6,000 feet, boil for 20.
- Remove jars from the canner (using tongs: they’re hot) and allow to dry on a towel or cutting board. Make sure that they won’t be disturbed by sudden drafts or something bumping into them.
- After they cool, you can check the validity of the seal by pressing the top of the jar: if the top is sucked in, the jar is sealed. If it pops up and down, the jar is not sealed and you’ll need to start over (from the beginning: do NOT reprocess jars that were not sealed by initial canning. Remember, safe is much better than sorry).
- Remove the rings and wash the jars thoroughly. Store jars in a cool, dry place without the rings. Label with contents and date.
Congratulations! You now have pickled peppers.
Note that the above recipe is a basic pickling recipe and that you can include many other spices to achieve new and tasty pickled pepper flavors.
The National Center for Home Food Preservation provides home canning instructions and many recipes that have been tested for food safety. NCHFP.uga.edu.
