Peppers can be pickled with vinegar or salt in water.
Pickling, otherwise known as brining, is a method used to preserve food. During the process food is packed in a jar and either an acid or a brine solution is poured in with it for preservation. Other ingredients are added for flavor, otherwise the pickled food would just taste salty or sour. Fresh vegetables, such as peppers, are often pickled in order to preserve them for use when they are out of season locally. Peppers are typically pickled with vinegar, but can also be pickled with salt in water.
Instructions
1. Select peppers for pickling. Peppers used for pickling should be free of blemishes, nicks and cuts. The peppers should be ripe, and the color should be bright and vibrant. Peppers continue to ripen after being picked, so you need to pickle them right away in order to preserve them.
2. Prepare your pickles by washing the peppers under a stream of cold water. Remove all dirt and debris. You can pickle peppers whole or cut. If you don't want whole peppers, remove the stem and cut them in slices. If you don't want your pickled peppers to be hot, you will need to remove the seeds too.
3. Put your peppers into a clean 1-qt. jar. Do not crowd the peppers by overstuffing the jar.
4. Make a 5.4-percent brine solution by mixing 3 tbsp. canning or pickling salt with 1 qt. water. Allow this mixture to come to a boil in a saucepan on the stove. Remove it from the heat, and let the brine cool to room temperature.
5. Pour this brine solution over the peppers in the jar. The peppers should be completely submerged in the brine solution. If desired you can add a clove of garlic or sliced onion to enhance the flavor.
6. Put the lid on the jar of peppers and seal it. Place the jar in a dark area of your home. Leave it there for 3 to 5 days.
7. Move the jar to the refrigerator. Allow the peppers to pickle for between 3 to 6 months before you use them.
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