Here in the mountain foothills of North Carolina, July and August are the time to start canning and pickling. Many varieties of hot peppers grow like weeds in our hot southern summers. Here are some great recipes you can make to preserve that sweet, spicy deliciousness and enjoy it all winter long.
Please use caution when working and cooking with hot peppers! Their heat can burn your skin and their cooking steam can be irritating to your nose if you breathe it in.
These recipes all use the water bath canning method; please review the directions that came with your canner before you begin.
Dixie Relish
There are many recipes to make this treat. This is the one my Mom followed. It takes a couple days to make, but it is so worth it! This recipe makes about 5 pints.You will need a small pickling crock.
Ingredients
- 2 cups green bell peppers – whole
- 2 cups sweet red bell peppers – whole
- 4 cups chopped cabbage
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- 4 Tablespoons mustard seed
- 2 Tablespoon celery seed
- 3 or 4 whole hot red peppers
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 quart vinegar
Instructions
- Soak whole bell peppers in a brine of 1 cup salt and 1 gallon water, overnight.
- Remove bell peppers from brine and let stand in clear, cold water, then rinse well.
- Remove stems and seed and chop. (I use the food processor to get all the chopping done)
- Add chopped bell peppers to crock.
- Continue chopping your vegetables and placing them in the crock.
- Add your seasonings, remaining salt, sugar, vinegar and hot peppers, and stir together well.
- Let mixture steep overnight – use a weight stone or press plastic wrap down to cover contents well and keep all vegetables submersed in brine.
- Drain and heat the liquid. When the liquid is hot, add the other ingredients and cook for 10 minutes.
- Seal in clean, hot jars.
Notes
- You can use a small pickling crock like this one to brine your ingredients overnight.
Classic Hot Pepper Jelly
Ideal as a spread with cream cheese on crackers or used in recipes as a glaze.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups finely chopped red bell peppers
- 1 1/4 cups finely chopped green peppers
- 1/4 cups finely chopped hot peppers – which kind you use depends on how hot you like it
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 (1.75 ounce) packaged pectin
- 5 cups white sugar
Instructions
- Heat peppers and vinegar in a large saucepan over high, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Mix in pectin, stirring constantly, and bring back to a rolling boil.
- Carefully but quickly stir in sugar.
- Return to a boil, stirring, and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove pan from heat and skim off any foam.
- Ladle mixture into clean, hot jelly jars.
- Grab a towel and give all the jar rims a quick wipe to remove any debris that may interfere with sealing.
- Place sealed jars in water bath canner according to your canner’s directions.
- Bring water to a boil and process for 5 minutes.
Old-Fashioned Hot Pepper Rings
This recipe makes a small batch. I make multiple batches, varying the heat depending upon the peppers used.
Ingredients
- 1 pound hot peppers
- 3 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 3 teaspoons of kosher salt
Instructions
- Measure vinegar, water, and garlic into a small saucepot and put on medium heat
- Bring to a boil.
- Trim the stems off and slice peppers into rings. (I cut the rings about 1/2″ wide)
- Fill hot jars with the pepper assortment, making sure to leave 1/4″ of headspace.
- Once all the peppers are in you can add a teaspoon of kosher salt add a little sugar (up to you).
- Ladle the hot picking liquid into the jars.
- Add your garlic.
- Fill the liquid to cover the peppers maintaining the 1/4″ of headspace.
- Give the jars a light tap to get the air bubbles out.
- Grab a towel and give all the jar rims a quick wipe to remove any debris that may interfere with sealing.
- Place sealed jars into a water bath canner, according to your canner’s directions.
- Bring water to a boil and process for 5 minutes.
