Pickled Peppers or Chiles
Submitted by AMBERSTEELE
Pickled peppers or chilies in vinegar brine, with optional olive oil top layer. Versatile pantry preserve for sandwiches, charcuterie, or stir-frys.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
10 minREADY
40 minThese are the pickled peppers that improve everything they touch. Sandwiches. Pizza. Charcuterie boards. Greek salads. Stir-fries that need a brightening hit. A jar in the fridge means flavor is one fork away from any dish.
The two small slits cut into whole peppers are a technical must. Without them, hot brine can’t penetrate the pepper’s waxy skin, and you’ll end up with crunchy raw peppers floating in vinegar instead of properly pickled. Two slashes are enough to let the brine seep in while keeping the pepper visually whole.
Heating the vinegar to a simmer rather than a boil is the second critical detail. Boiling vinegar releases its acid as vapor and weakens the preserving power of the brine. Simmer at 150 to 160°F (65 to 70°C) is hot enough to kill spoilage organisms while keeping the acidity intact.
The optional olive oil top layer is the chef’s-secret trick. Each pepper passes through the oil as you pull it from the jar, giving it a glossy, restaurant-style finish. The oil also forms a protective seal that helps preserve the peppers between uses.
Pro Tips
- Use heavy-duty canning vinegar (5% acidity minimum). Lower-acid vinegars won’t preserve safely.
- Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for 10 minutes before filling.
- Wear gloves when handling hot chilies. Capsaicin oil lingers on skin for hours.
- Wait two weeks before opening. The flavor fully develops only after the peppers have time to absorb the brine.
Variations
- Add 1 tablespoon of pickling spice or whole peppercorns to each jar for layered flavor.
- Tuck a garlic clove and fresh dill sprig into each jar for Eastern European style.
- Use apple cider vinegar for a sweeter, fruitier brine.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash the peppers or chilies thoroughly.
Cut around the stem of each large pepper and pull out the stem with attached core and seeds.
Leave the peppers whole of cut them into sections or strips, as desired.
Hot chilies may be stemmed and seeded, of left whole with stems intact.
Make two small slits in whole peppers or chilies.
Mix the vinegar and water; heat to a simmer - 150 to 160 degrees F.
The vinegar should NOT be allowed to boil.
Add the salt Pack the peppers of chilies rather tightly into jars.
Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the peppers to within ½ inch of the jar rims.
Or, if you wish to add olive oil, pour the vinegar to within ¾ inch of the rim and pour oil to within ½ inch of the rims.
The peppers or chilies will be coated with oil when they pass through the oil layer as you use them.
Cover jars and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
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