Hungarian Hot Peppers

Traditional Canned Peppers, Hot or Sweet, in oil.

Difficulty: Medium

Cuisine Eastern European

Keyword Appetizers

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 10

Brine Time 12

Servings 8 Quarts

Equipment

8 Quart Jars with Rings & Lids
Canning Funnel
Large Stainless Steel Pot
Water Bath for Canning

INGREDIENTS

BRINE (Over Night)

1 gal water
2 cups salt

PREPARING PEPPERS

1 bushel Freshly Picked Peppers - Hot: Hot or Medium Hungarian, Hot Banana Peppers, Jalapeno,
Sweet: Sweet Banana Peppers, etc.
16 cloves Garlic - 2 per quart
8 tsp Italian Seasoning Mix - 1 tsp. per quart
24 Tbsp EVOO - 3 Tbsp. per quart
8 pinches Alum (Optional) - 1 per quart

CANNING SOLUTION

1 gal water
1 cup pickling salt
1 cup cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Prepare peppers: Wash peppers, drain. Then, wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands, cut into rings about 1/2" thick. Discard stem ends. Place cut pepper rings into a large stainless steel bowl or pan, or glass bowl.
Make Brine: Combine water and salt, stir together until salt is dissolved. Pour brine over peppers. Cover and allow to soak overnight. (10-12 hrs)
Optionally, you may add small green tomatoes, small pickles, small pieces of cauliflower, or carrot slices to make a hot pepper vegetable mix. Just soak vegetables in brine overnight with peppers

Next Day

Prepare quart jars. Clean, & sterilize jars, lids & rings. Place garlic, Italian seasoning, EVOO, & alum (optional) in each jar.
Make Canning Solution: In a large stock pot, make canning solution with water, pickling salt, and cider vinegar. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Can Peppers: Drain peppers. Rinse lightly with cold water. Using a Canning Funnel, pack peppers into jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Keep jar rims CLEAN,
Again, using Canning Funnel, fill jars with canning solution. (Be sure to release all air bubbles.) If you dripped on rim, clean it with sterile cloth. Tightly place lids and rings on jars.
Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. (Do not process in a pressure cooker. Peppers will get mushy & not stay crisp.)
Store in a cool place for 4 weeks minimum to allow seasonings to work. They get better and hotter as they age.

Notes

IMPORTANT: When canning for long-term storage it is critical that you thoroughly wipe the rims of the jars before sealing to be sure no residue is on them, otherwise they will NOT seal properly.

Suggested by Mary Ann Augustyn - October 14, 2020