Crispy Pickled Peppers Using Pickling Lime Recipes

PICKLED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Combine water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add red bell peppers to the boiling water mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until peppers are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer red bell peppers and liquid to jars, cover with lids, and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.

CRUNCHY PICKLED JALAPENO RINGS (MADE WITH PICKLING LIME)

Steps:

• Day 1:.
• Wash the peppers in cold water and slice into 1/4" rings.
• In a very large plastic or stainless steel container, combine the 1 cup of pickling lime and the gallon of water, stirring well to combine. Add the pepper rings, cover the container, and let it sit on the counter. The pickling lime will settle to the bottom of the container - this is normal. Soak the pepper rings in the lime water solution for 12hours. You can soak them for longer if you like, up to 24 hours, but 12 hours will do the trick.
• Day 2:.
• The next day, drain the peppers, cover again with cold water, and soak for one hour. Do this two more times, draining and covering with fresh cold water each time, until you have soaked the peppers in fresh water a total of three times, for an hour each time. This step is important; it removes all of the lime so the peppers will be acid enough to can safely. DO NOT SKIP ANY OF THE SOAKING STEPS. Drain the peppers and set aside.
• Sterilize 6 pint jars by boiling them for 10 minutes.
• Combine the 7 1/2 cups white wine vinegar, 1 3/4 cups water, 3 tablespoons pickling salt, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring so that the salt and sugar dissolves. As soon as the salt and sugar are dissolved, reduce the heat to medium and cover.
• Place 1 tablespoon of chopped shallots, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, and 3 peppercorns in each sterilized pint jar.
• Pack the peppers on top of the seasonings in the jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
• Ladle the brine into the jars, covering the peppers and leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
• Using a bubble freer, chopstick, or plastic knife, remove any air bubbles. Add more brine if necessary, headspace should be 1/2 inch.
• Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp cloth. Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then remove and let sit, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours before checking seals. It is important to let them sit undisturbed for 12 hours because the sealing compound on the lids is still cooling and hardening, completing the seal. While the jars cool, you will hear a "plink" type sound from each jar - this is the jars completing the vacuum seal as the final air escapes the jar. After 12 hours have passed, remove the bands and check the lids - press down in the center of the lid. If you cannot push the lid down any further, the jar is sealed. If the lid "gives" a bit, and you can push it down, the jar did not seal. You can either put the band back on the jar, and reprocess it for another 10 minutes, or you can just put it in the fridge and use it within 3 months.

LIME PICKLES

Steps:

• Mix 2 gallons water and pickling lime together in a large bowl; add cucumbers and soak, stirring often, for 24 hours. Drain and thoroughly rinse cucumbers under cold water.
• Fill a large bowl with ice water and soak cucumbers for 3 hours; drain.
• Pour cold vinegar into a large pot. Mix sugar, pickling spice, salt, celery seed, cloves, and food coloring into vinegar until dissolved. Add cucumbers; let sit, 8 hours to overnight.
• Bring cucumber mixture to a boil; remove pot from heat.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack cucumber mixture into hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

PRESERVED PICKLED HOT JALAPENO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Rinse the jalapeno peppers in cool water.
• Trim the stems to 1/2" and cut 2 small slits in each pepper, OR cut into 1/4" slices.
• Divide the habanero slices, onion slices, garlic, oregano, bay leaves and peppercorns evenly between your 4 sterilized pint jars. Add 1/4 teaspoon Pickle Crisp to each jar.
• Pack the peppers on top of these seasonings in the jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
• In a 2 to 3 quart stainless steel saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
• Ladle this brine into the jars, covering the peppers and leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
• Using a bubble freeer or plastic knife, remove any air bubbles.
• Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp cloth. Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings.
• Process pint jars in a water bath for 10 minutes.