Pimiento Sweet Pickles

Old-fashioned sweet pickled pimientos made the way your great-grandmother did it: brined overnight, simmered in a heavily spiced vinegar syrup, and packed into sterilized jars. This is a serious canning project that turns 24 sweet red bell peppers into jewel-toned preserves that taste like concentrated summer.

The overnight salt brine draws moisture from the peppers and firms them up so they hold their texture through the simmering and canning process. Without this step, the peppers turn soft and mushy in the jar.

The pickling spice blend here is warm and aromatic: whole cloves, a blade of mace, a cinnamon stick, allspice, fresh ginger root, and whole mustard seeds. These whole spices get simmered with vinegar and seven cups of sugar into a thick, syrupy brine that’s sweet, tangy, and deeply spiced. Straining out the spices before packing keeps the jars looking clean.

Boiling down the syrup after straining is the final step. You want it thick enough to coat a spoon before pouring over the packed peppers. Thin syrup makes watery pickles.

Chef Tips

• Use firm, thick-walled red bell peppers for the best texture after pickling
• Sterilize jars right before packing. Hot jars, hot syrup, and hot peppers make a proper seal
• Chop the peppers uniformly so they pack tightly and absorb the syrup evenly
• These improve with age. Wait at least two weeks before opening for the best flavor

Variations

• Add a few dried chili flakes to the spice mix for sweet-hot pickled peppers
• Use a mix of red and yellow peppers for a colorful jar
• Reduce the sugar by a cup or two for a more tangy, less sweet pickle