Gunplumber Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 So I have a bunch of peppers, and will have more cucumbers eventually. Some I'm drying, but I want to play with pickling. I do not want to can them. I do not have room in the fringe. I don't want to freeze them. I am not looking for best seasoning combinations, as I have a hundred recipes for that. What I'm looking for is the bare minimum to salt and vinegar and whatever for the sole purpose of preserving a bunch of hot peppers. What I'm having trouble doing with all the recipes is extracting the mechanical process from "this combination of dill/garlic/alum/etc. tastes best. Maybe I don't understand what pickling is, but I thought it was a way of preserving without the regimented procedures for safe canning. Quote Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) ....you mean like, sauerkraut? Salt it and mash it and let it ferment....and yet it keeps well. Don't know the answer to your query but I'd like to know too. I'm also trying to find the LEAST possible way to preserve ....or make [soap]...etc. Cuz what if you only have basics like salt/vinegar.... MtRider ...Wow, I'm really impressed that your garden did so well in AZ heat!!! Edited October 23, 2014 by Mt_Rider trying for English...lol Quote Link to comment
Suncat Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 the most basic of soap can be made with lye and fat.. and lye can be made by running water through wood ashes. Quote Link to comment
Annarchy Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Nice jalapeño plant GP. Give it 2-3 years and it will look like a tree. I looked up some pickle recipes. All of them said to refrigerate. Short of canning them, most places said they would spoil otherwise.Simply Scratch was intriguing, but they have to be refrigerated also.http://www.simplyscratch.com/2013/05/easy-homemade-pickled-jalapenos.html INGREDIENTS: 15 large Jalapenos, stems trimmed {discarded} and sliced 2 Garlic Cloves, smashed and peeled 1 cup Distilled White Vinegar 1 cup Filtered Water 4 tablespoons Sugar 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt[/size] DIRECTIONS: In a medium sauce pan combine the garlic, water, vinegar, sugar and salt. Heat to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once at a boil; add the sliced jalapenos pressing them so they are submerged under the pickling liquids. Remove the pot off of the heat and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the jalapenos into a clean jar. Ladle the pickling juices over top until you've reached the top of the jar. Let cool at room temperature before securing a lid and popping them into the fridge. I personally, would treat these as I would any opened jar of jalapenos. They should last a long while if kept refrigerated in the airtight jar. I found some useful info here, for preserving them.I am looking forward to the answer also, since my jalapeño plants have begun to produce. I have been freezing them and giving them away. I'm thinking of making the above recipe, or the one here: http://www.theyummylife.com/Pickled_Jalapeno_Peppers because DH likes pickled jalapeños.I will keep looking for more info. Quote Link to comment
Gunplumber Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 Some recipes say to soak in lime water . What does this do? I'm wondering the if the garlic is purely for flavor or if also an antibacterial? Quote Link to comment
Annarchy Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Here's a little about it: http://jalapenomadness.com/preserve_jalapenos_pickling_safety.html#.VEpy5b75ITM Pickling Jalapeno Peppers Preparing and Canning Fermented and Pickled Foods ... Firming agents Alum may be safely used to firm fermented pickles. However, it is unnecessary and is not included in the recipes in this publication. Alum does not improve the firmness of quick-process pickles. The calcium in lime definitely improves pickle firmness. Food-grade lime may be used as a lime-water solution for soaking fresh cucumbers 12 to 24 hours before pickling them. Excess lime absorbed by the cucumbers must be removed to make safe pickles. To remove excess lime, drain the lime-water solution, rinse, and then resoak the cucumbers in fresh water for 1 hour. Repeat the rinsing and soaking steps two more times. To further improve pickle firmness, you may process cucumber pickles for 30 minutes in water at 180°F. This process also prevents spoilage, but the water temperature should not fall below 180°F. Use a candy or jelly thermometer to check the water temperature. (Bolding mine.) I wish Violet was around to help answer the question about the garlic. Quote Link to comment
Mt_Rider Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) Sheeeesh....over in Ebola threads, we have to learn bio-chemistry to comprehend. Now chemistry would be useful to fully comprehend THIS as well. MtRider ....gotta get DH deeper into canning cuz he DID take all that science in high school/college. Edited October 24, 2014 by Mt_Rider Quote Link to comment
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