Refrigerator Pickled Peppers

This year I grew a variety of peppers including bell, banana, jalapeno, and Anaheim. I used my jalapeno peppers to make hot salsa and Cowboy Candy (sweet pickled hot peppers). I used a mix of bell, banana and Anaheims in my sweet cucumber pickle relish. Now that my plants have stopped producing, I picked enough to make one jar of refrigerator pickled peppers.

I picked a recipe from the Safe Canning Recipes Facebook page that I follow. It's a great place to learn about canning from experts. Click here to find their pepper recipe links.  Click here for the Refrigerator-Pickled Banana Peppers recipe on the "Who Needs a Cape" blog.

Refrigerator Pickled Peppers

Ingredients:

3 cups of vinegar (white or apple cider)
4 medium-sized banana peppers
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. salt
6-10 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dill (or fresh dill sprigs)
1 tsp black peppercorns (divided)
2 clean jars


Directions:

Wash and prepare peppers. I used a combination of banana peppers and Anaheim chilies (a mild variety).  I found that one medium and seven small peppers would not quite fill a pint jar.

Slice (if desired) and remover seeds (if desired). I chose to cut mine in rings and include most of the seeds. Be sure to wear gloves for spicier peppers. Peel garlic cloves.

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, oregano, dill and 6 garlic cloves in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Raw pack prepared peppers to warm sterilized jars. Add peppercorns and fresh dill, if desired.

Strain brine mixture and discard scraps. I strained and filled my jar in one step. Fill jars with brine to cover the contents.

Cover lightly the jars with canning lids during the cooling process. Once the jars are cool, discard the canning lid and over with a screw-type lid.  Transfer the jars to the refrigerator.

I used a pasta sauce jar and a repurposed plastic lid for my pickles. Since refrigerator pickles don't need to be processed in a water bath, this was a good use for my recycled items.

Let the peppers steep in the brine for at least 24 hours before eating.  The longer they sit, the better they will become. Keep the jars refrigerated so you can enjoy these peppers with salads, sandwiches or as a tangy snack. -- Margy