How to preserve hot peppers in vinegar- A Romanian recipe that comes from the old times, these hot peppers preserved this way last many years in the jars.
This is probably one of the easiest recipe out there.We consume the hot peppers in winter with soups and stews. Delicious and super easy to make.
It is that time of year when I feel the urge of canning. The crisp air of September is here and vegetables can be found in abundance at the Farmer Market.
Here in Minnesota, we have to take advantage of the short summers. The Farmer Market opens in June and closes at the beginning of October, so if I want to can vegetables for the cold days, this is the time.
I can as much as I am able to and every year is different, based on what vegetables we have locally available. I like to can all kinds of things.
Cucumbers, cauliflower, red peppers, carrots, green tomatoes are some of my favorites. I use vinegar for some of them, but I also brine, as a healthy way to get probiotics due to the natural fermentation.
This recipe of how to preserve hot peppers in vinegar is one of the easiest recipes for canning I can think of. So simple that it doesn’t need any instructions, basically.
The recipe is Romanian and it is an old way of preserving these type of hot peppers.
The jars do not need the water bath. Vinegar destroys botulism, and this recipe is pure vinegar. Just make sure the vinegar you use is at least 5% acetic acid.
I can hot peppers in vinegar every fall. My daughter loves them when the winter comes. She likes them with soups, like this traditional Saxon potato tarragon soup.
For the ones who can handle the heat, these peppers are a wonderful addition to any soups or stews.
With this method, the peppers also last years on the shelves, in case you do not eat them all in one season. The jars make a great gift for family or friends around holidays, because they are very pretty and colorful in jars.
Few notes before you start working on these hot peppers:
Many asked me about the canning process for this recipe.
- First of all, you have to start with the jars. Clean them with warm water and soap or put them in the dishwasher and give them a good bath. Then, sterilize them. Here is a link about how to do that properly.
- When you sterilize the lids, do not put them together with the jars. I clean them in warm water with soap and dry them well, then I just boil water and add them for the last 2 minutes to sit in that hot water.
- Try to replace any older lids that do not look good, if they are too old or have rust on them replace them. The new guideline is to not even boil the lids, but for my peace of mind, I think you should place them in hot water at least for few minutes before you use them. (here is the link that talks about not sterilizing the lids anymore: https://www.freshpreserving.com/canning-lids-101.html).
- I would also recommend you to cover the peppers and their stems with vinegar, they should be all submerged in vinegar.
- Also, use at least 5% acidic vinegars. Do not dilute the vinegar unless the recipe requires that. Vinegar destroys botulism, so it is important to follow the recipe exactly.
Interested in more canning recipes? Here you have an interesting recipe of Pickled Vegetables in a Mustard Sauce.
Enjoy!
How To Preserve Hot Peppers In Vinegar
Ingredients
- 1 pound/ 500 g hot peppers
- 14 oz or 400 ml white wine vinegar or cider apple vinegar 5%
- sterilized jars and lids
Instructions
Clean the jars.
The jars need to be sterilized by boiling them for 10 minutes in a pot of water on the stove.
Wash and clean the hot peppers. Remove leaves, dirt and any bad peppers.
When the sterilizing time is up, remove and drain hot sterilized jars one at a time.
Fill the jars with peppers, as many as they fit tight inside and pour vinegar over them to fill up the jars. Add lids, and tighten screw bands.
Great with soups or as a condiment in stews. They last in a cool place for years.
The peppers need to sit in vinegar for at least one month before they are ready to be consumed.
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Gail says
July 21, 2018 at 8:28 pmOnce done, do you put them in a pressure canner or boiling water bath?
The Bossy Kitchen says
July 22, 2018 at 2:17 amNo, the jars do not need a pressure canner or boiling water bath as you have pure vinegar only in the jars, that doesn’t ferment. The peppers will last years in the jars with no problems.The only thing you need to do is sterilize the jars before you fill them.
Robert Skeba says
August 12, 2018 at 8:52 pmWhen you sterilize the jars do you put the lids in with the boiling water?
Can you use old canning lids or should you purchase new for the canning?
Finally, how full should the can peppers be filled with the wine vinegar?
I appreciate your website, you did a “terrific Job” with the website & you have some great ideas!!!
Thanks for the all info,
Robert,
The Bossy Kitchen says
August 12, 2018 at 10:20 pmHi Robert, Thank you for your kind words. When I sterilize the lids, I do not put them together with the jars. I clean them in warm water with soap and dry them well, then I just boil some water and add them for the last 2 minutes to sit in that hot water. I try to replace any lids that do not look good, if they are too old or have rust on them, I replace them. The new guideline is to not even boil the lids, but for my peace of mind, I think you should place them in hot water at least for few minutes before you use them. (here is the link for that:https://www.freshpreserving.com/canning-lids-101.html). I would recommend you to cover the peppers and their stems with vinegar, they should be all submerged in vinegar. It is a very simple recipe that would take 5 minutes to complete if you have the jars ready. Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
Ronn Rodriguez says
August 13, 2018 at 1:33 pmI followed you instructions and it looks like the peppers came out perfect. Thank you for this. I was so tired of ending up with mushy peppers after waterbath canning.
The Bossy Kitchen says
August 13, 2018 at 5:25 pmHi Ronn, I am glad you liked the recipe. Enjoy the peppers!
Bob McPhail says
August 13, 2018 at 4:20 pmHello!
Does it matter if I slice the peppers into rings with this method?
The Bossy Kitchen says
August 13, 2018 at 5:51 pmNo, it doesn’t matter. However, make sure the peppers are all submerged in vinegar. Use at least 5% acidity vinegar and do not add anything else to the recipe. Let me know if you have any other questions and thanks for visiting.
Allen C. says
August 19, 2018 at 7:31 pmDoing my peppers the old way was a chore. Your recipe is simple and wonderful. Thanks a million for sharing.
The Bossy Kitchen says
August 19, 2018 at 8:11 pmYou are so very welcome, Allen! Thank you for visiting!
Arlene Anderson says
August 23, 2018 at 6:14 pmDo you heat the vinegar before pouring over the peppers?
Thank you
The Bossy Kitchen says
August 23, 2018 at 7:03 pmNo, I do not. There is no need to.
Lisa says
August 29, 2018 at 10:11 amHello. Thanks for all the info. Should these be stored in the fridge?
The Bossy Kitchen says
August 29, 2018 at 3:11 pmNo, there is no need to keep them in the fridge. Just store them in a cool place, like a pantry, basement etc.
Brandon says
September 4, 2018 at 3:49 pmWould it be possible to add to a jar of vinegar as I pick them. I don’t have enough ripe to fill a jar but more than I can eat before they go bad..
The Bossy Kitchen says
September 4, 2018 at 5:53 pmHi Brandon, I never tried that and I would not recommend it. You would end up with different stages of the pickling process as you keep adding peppers to a jar that has older peppers already marinating inside. You also create a great environment for bacteria to develop because you keep opening the sterilized jar to add more peppers. I would look for a smaller jar where I can preserve a small batch of peppers or find other ways to preserve just few of them (you could dry or freeze them for example).
Shawn McEntire says
September 13, 2018 at 2:45 pmcan you use distilled white vinegar instead of white wine or apple cider vinegar?
The Bossy Kitchen says
September 16, 2018 at 1:21 pmYes, you can.
lisa says
September 19, 2018 at 9:47 amseveral jars of my pepper vinegar has some kind of something growing on top of the vinegar ??? The same happened last year. What am I doing wrong?
The Bossy Kitchen says
September 19, 2018 at 10:34 amHi Lisa, I am not sure what is growing on top of the peppers. Did you sterilize the jars? Was the vinegar at least 5% acidic? I preserve these peppers for years now and had jars that I opened even after 2 years with no problems. I never had anything growing on them, so I am sorry that I do not have an answer for you.
Cheryl says
September 24, 2018 at 11:53 amHi there,
I am going to try this method. I’m wondering if you can add cauliflower and carrots with the hot peppers before adding the vinegar. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much,
Cheryl
The Bossy Kitchen says
September 24, 2018 at 11:18 pmYou can, but I do not recommend it. Your cauliflower and carrots are going to be very spicy as they will take the taste of the peppers. I would keep the recipe as it is.
Julie says
October 6, 2018 at 2:39 pmHow do you keep the peppers from floating? Worried they aren’t completely covered in vinegar, I filled the vinegar to the brim, hoping this works, however messy when I put the lid on.
Can you use any peppers? I have an over abundance of many varieties.
Thank you, loving your site….
The Bossy Kitchen says
October 6, 2018 at 2:48 pmThey will not float if you put them right next to each other and as many as they fit without breaking them. I never used any other peppers besides the long hot ones. This is a recipe only for them. What other peppers do you have? Are they sweet? Hot?
jocelyn says
October 18, 2018 at 11:33 amI am going to try your recipe but would like to add some spices and garlic. Should I boil the vinegar and spice mixture before pouring over the peppers when adding spices?
The Bossy Kitchen says
October 18, 2018 at 12:11 pmHi Jocelyn, If you boil the vinegar and add spices and garlic it is not going to be my recipe anymore. I would suggest you look for a recipe that would tell you how to do what you want and skip this one.
Denise Edwards says
December 19, 2018 at 5:18 amCan I use the jars with a plastic/rubber locking lid? I’ve had Mason jars lids rust.
The Bossy Kitchen says
December 19, 2018 at 10:45 amHi Denise, Yes you can, just make sure the jars and the lids are sterilized.
Ron Jackson says
April 1, 2019 at 6:22 pmHi. I enjoy your comments. I canning VERY hot peppers in small mason jars. Pint size I believe. Is there anything special I need to do with the peppers? I know to wash and clean them, but was curious if they need to soak somehow first? I’m not going to cut them …. but put in the jars whole. Thanks for any suggestions …..
The Bossy Kitchen says
April 1, 2019 at 7:12 pmYou do not have to do anything, just follow the recipe. Wash, clean the peppers, sterilize the jars, then just fill up the jars with hot peppers and pour vinegar over them. Make sure they are covered with vinegar. Close the jars and let them sit for about a month. They don’t need to be soaked on anything. There is, really, nothing easier than this one. 🙂
Sandi Jammes says
May 18, 2019 at 9:59 amI can’t wait to try this recipe! Can’t imagine anything easier! I just have a couple of questions.
1- is this going to taste similar to the vinegar/pepper bottles you find on tables in southern restaurants? Great on greens, etc…..
2 – Do you have a recipe for “Hot Giardiniera”. You know… hot cauliflower, carrots, celery, etc. It’s become my “drug of choice” for snacking to keep calories, sugar, etc low.
Thanks in advance. Excited to try your recipes out.
The Bossy Kitchen says
May 18, 2019 at 8:43 pmHi Sandi, I am not sure how the southern peppers taste as I never had them before. However, try the recipe and see if you like it or not. I still have hot peppers preserved like that since last year. I made few jars and they last for years.
I do not have a recipe for :Hot Giardiniera” on the blog, but I am working on putting one on the blog for the fall. Thank you for visiting and happy pickling hot peppers! 🙂