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Preserving Peppers

When preserving peppers, the vegetables are best picked at their peak. Fortunately, home gardeners can process small amounts at a time. There is an old saying that goes, "You eat what you can, and what you can't, you can".

In the olden days, canning was not merely a way to avoid waste. Gardeners planned their crops in order to have plenty of vegetables to put up in reserve for the winter months.

Today's gardens are also planted with a surplus in mind. Not only is harvest preservation done for economic reasons but also because home canned products taste so good!

Canning peppers

Can peppers as soon after harvesting as possible. Due to the soft texture of canned peppers, they are most useful in soups, mixed vegetable dishes, and as a seasoning.

In preparation for canning hot peppers: wash the vegetables. Remove stems, cores, and seeds. Cut into strips. Cover with water in large pot. Boil 3 minutes. To peel, chill pieces in cold water until skin will strip off.

The hot pack method is used when canning peppers. Hot packed foods make a more solid pack, as they shrink less during processing than raw packed foods.

Before filling the canning jars, the peppers are first heated. Some experts prefer to blanch peppers, but there is general agreement that they are the one vegetable for which blanching is not essential.

After heating, flatten pepper pieces in hot jars using a narrow spatula; allowing 1 inch headspace. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and a half teaspoon salt per pint.

Use twice the amount of each per quart. Add boiling water. Allow 1 inch headspace. Put lids on jars. Process using pressure canner at 10 pounds. Pints are processed for 35 minutes, quarts for 45 minutes.

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Pimientos are a mild red pepper that is used as paprika, olive stuffing, and garnishes. Canned pimientos make a great antipasto, served criss-crossed with anchovies on a bed of greens.

To prepare for preserving peppers: cover with water in a large pot and boil 5 minutes. Then cool vegetables quickly in cold water. Strip off skin; remove stem, core, and seed.

When packing, flatten peppers into hot half pint or pint sized jars. Leave headspace of a half inch. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt per pint.

Use half as much for a half pint. Do not add water or oil. Place lids on jars securely. For processing, pressure can at 10 pounds. Process pints or half pints for 20 minutes.

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Canning Hot Peppers

The following recipe for canning jalepeno peppers is for canning hot pepper jelly. Serve jalapeño jelly with plain crackers and cream cheese or with a cold meat and cheese platter. Makes 5 half pint jars.

1. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, and both kinds of peppers in a blender and puree.

2. Pour puree into a saucepan and stir in the sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Skim jelly and, if desired, strain it.

4. Return to a boil and at once stir in the pectin. Remove from heat and add food coloring. Skim again, if needed.

5. In the final step of preserving peppers: while jelly is boiling hot, pour into sterilized half pint canning jars, and seal.

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