We’ve got fruit dripping from our trees, but the vegetable garden is bleak. Not much can withstand the heat and humidity. Peppers are an exception. They actually thrive in it.
One way to make this pepper harvest last is to pickle them. As much as I love naturally fermented vegetables like pickled okra, that takes some time and engineering, even more so when it’s hot. In comes the quick-pickle, the fast and easy method for pickles you can eat tomorrow, or a few months from now.
You can use any pepper you like, or a mix. Be warned: once you add some hot peppers, all the peppers will share the heat. Large peppers are best sliced into rounds. For the little ones, just pierce them with the tip of your knife to allow the brine to soak in.
Pickled peppers will liven up any snack, sandwich, or barbecue. They’re a classic hot dog topper, and a staple for smack and crackers.
Now, how do I get the hot pepper off my fingers so I can take my contacts out?
- 5 cups peppers
- 3 1/2 cups vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- Slice peppers into 1/4" rings or make a slit in small pepper with the tip of a knife. Stuff them in a quart-sized jar.
- In a saucepan over medium-high, stir together vinegar and all remaining ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour the vinegar mixture and spices over the peppers. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Screw on a lid and refrigerate them. They're ready to eat after 24 hours.
- If you want to tame the heat of spicy peppers like jalapeños, remove the seeds.
- Wear gloves if you don't want hot peppers on your fingers.
She picked a peck of peppers, and packed a plenty to a pickle jar.
Precisely.
I loooovvveee pickled anything and everything! Your brine sounds great- love the addition of celery seed. In regard to getting the hot pepper residue off of your hands, try rubbing them with oil first, and then a combination of baking soda/vinegar. It sounds weird, but it works!
So that’s how chefs do it! Good to know.
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