What to do with a box of cayenne peppers? - Page 3

jgln · 08-30-2011, 04:42 AM

I grow jalepeno peppers for sauce too (when red) but I also like to have green ones for burgers and tacos but they don't last very long, a few weeks or so. I have pickled them but they lose some of the crisp in the processing so I tried cutting them up, adding them to canning jar and add some salt, some water and some vinegar and then seal and shake up and put in the refrigerator, no heat no boiling. They keep very well this way for a long time and have the same crispness as the day I cut them up.

**bottlebomber** · 08-30-2011, 04:46 AM

Fridge pickles rock. You can pickle just about anything and it tastes amazing. I like to do what you said, but I also put in fresh farmers market carrot slices and a little onion and garlic

jgln · 08-30-2011, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottlebomber

Fridge pickles rock. You can pickle just about anything and it tastes amazing. I like to do what you said, but I also put in fresh farmers market carrot slices and a little onion and garlic

I add some vinegar and salt to the water just to keep the water fresh, deter mold and make the peppers last as long as possible ( had had crisp peppers in winter this way) but I bet they would keep a long time just in water too. I wonder how long? I think I will try a jar with just water to see. Idea was to keep peppers fresh but not to really pickle.

****I must admit, I do not know how safe this method (just water) would be. Not sure if Botulism would grow in plain water conditions at those temps. I better check.**************

**bottlebomber** · 08-30-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgln

I add some vinegar and salt to the water just to keep the water fresh, deter mold and make the peppers last as long as possible ( had had crisp peppers in winter this way) but I bet they would keep a long time just in water too. I wonder how long? I think I will try a jar with just water to see. Idea was to keep peppers fresh but not to really pickle.

****I must admit, I do not know how safe this method (just water) would be. Not sure if Botulism would grow in plain water conditions at those temps. I better check.**************

I was referring to using salt and vinegar as well... to do what your saying, I think you might definitely want to blanch the peppers for a few seconds, and make sure the water has been boiled

**Randar** · 08-30-2011, 03:09 PM

Now that we're onto pickling, my understanding is that using vinegar (pH 2.4) to keep the final solution safely below pH 4.6 and you avoid risk of botulism. This is really the key to be safe.

So, for peppers, I usually pack all the raw peppers, garlic, herbs into the jars and then boil some vinegar and salt and then fill the jars and pressure can for 5 min at 15 psi. The shorter processing time (and I try to cool them relatively quickly) keeps the peppers from going mushy and suffices to seal the jars... the vinegar does the job of the preservation. I try to keep the time at which the peppers are hot as short as possible.

jgln · 08-30-2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randar

Now that we're onto pickling, my understanding is that using vinegar (pH 2.4) to keep the final solution safely below pH 4.6 and you avoid risk of botulism. This is really the key to be safe.

So, for peppers, I usually pack all the raw peppers, garlic, herbs into the jars and then boil some vinegar and salt and then fill the jars and pressure can for 5 min at 15 psi. The shorter processing time (and I try to cool them relatively quickly) keeps the peppers from going mushy and suffices to seal the jars... the vinegar does the job of the preservation. I try to keep the time at which the peppers are hot as short as possible.

Yep, just what I do to preserve them for storage at room temps. But I think if you refrigerate you can get away without the cooking? Less acid? Less salt? I am happy to get feeback from anyone on this.

**Randar** · 08-30-2011, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgln

Yep, just what I do to preserve them for storage at room temps. But I think if you refrigerate you can get away without the cooking? Less acid? Less salt? I am happy to get feeback from anyone on this.

My understanding is that the canning isn't entirely required as long as enough salt and vinegar are used to ensure pH is low enough and salinity is high enough. I just take the conservative route of canning for longer term cellar storage and reduce any potential risk of contamination/spoilage. Better safe than sorry (although I am sure I am over-doing it)

Nateo · 08-30-2011, 04:23 PM

Local health department told me pH of 4.0 is considered "shelf stable." Not sure if that varies by who you talk to.

The idea behind using salt is that the kind of lacto that ferments sauerkraut or kimchi is salt-water tolerant, whereas other bugs/molds aren't. So the salt is just to kill (most) everything but the lacto, and the lacto is what lowers the pH into the proper range.

Lacto is inhibited in an over 10% salt solution. IIRC 1tbsp salt/cup H2O will give you about a 5% solution.

One reason not to can would be because it kills the beneficial bacteria, just like how certain yogurts aren't pasteurized. But for long-term storage I'd say canning is the way to go. Water bath canning is fine if the pH is low enough, but a pressure canner is the ultra-safe way.