->Hot Peppers 05 <-

4 pounds hot, long red, green or yellow peppers

3 pounds red or green bell peppers or combination, cut into strips

5 cups white vinegar (labeled 5% acidity)

1 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons pickling salt

2 cloves garlic

Wear rubber or plastic gloves when handling hot peppers.

2 to 4 small slits in each hot pepper. Blanch

hot peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool in ice water.

Drain well. Flatten hot peppers with a wooden spoon.

In a 6 quart saucepan, combine all remaining ingredients, except

bell peppers. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 10

minutes. Firmly fill hot pint jars with flattened hot peppers and bell pepper strips, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Fill hot jars with

vinegar mixture, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove garlic, if

desired. Carefully run a nonmetallic utensil down inside of jare

to remove trapped air bubbles. Wipe jar tops and threads clean.

Place hot lids on jars and apply screw bands. Process in boiling

10 minutes. Yield: approx.

12 pints.

I have used the basic recipe here for all kinds of peppers. You

don't have to use the combination suggested. I have also made sliced

pepper rings, instead of pickling whole. For whole peppers you

need to blanch, but with sliced rings I raw pack into jars and pour

the boiling brine over them and then proceed with boiling water

bath.