How To Preserve Hot Peppers In Vinegar- This Romanian recipe comes from the old times, and the only ingredients are hot peppers and plain cold vinegar. These hot peppers preserved this way last many years in the jars, and they are used as a condiment for soups and stews.
What to do with hot peppers
So, you have a bunch of hot peppers you grew in your garden or found at the Farmer's Market, and you don't know what to do with them. The best way to deal with them is can them. How do you do this? Here you have the easiest recipe on the planet.
Hot Peppers In Vinegar- The easiest recipe out there
It is that time of year when I feel the urge to can fruits and vegetables. The crisp air of September is here, and vegetables can be found in abundance at the Farmers Market.
Here in Minnesota, we have to take advantage of the short summers. The Farmers 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, and 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 for preserving 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 types of hot peppers for the winter. People use these peppers as a condiment to spice up their soups and stews.
What kinds of peppers are suitable for this recipe?
It is amazing how many types of hot peppers are out there, so it looks like an excellent opportunity to clarify a few things.
This recipe is for hot peppers that are used as a condiment for your soups and stews during the cold season. It is NOT for bell peppers, cauliflower, carrots, beans, or cucumbers.
If you are not going to use these peppers as a condiment, you will need to look for other ways to preserve them, as this recipe might not be for you.
I made a list of some of the hot peppers that would work for this recipe. I am sure there are more out there, but you get the idea.
Fresno chili pepper(not to be confused with the Fresno Bell pepper)
Thai(Bird's eye chili peppers)
Dutch Red chili peppers
The jars do not need a 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 preserve 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 those who can handle the heat, these peppers are a wonderful addition to any soups or stews.
With this method, the peppers last years on the shelves if you do not eat them all in one season. The jars make a great gift for family or friends around holidays because they are gorgeous and colorful.
A few notes before you start working on these 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 place 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, please do not put them together with the jars. I clean them in warm water with soap and dry them well, then I 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 not even to boil the lids, but for my peace of mind, I think you should place them in hot water for at least a few minutes before you use them. (here is the link that talks about not sterilizing the lids anymore.)
- I would also recommend you cover the peppers and their stems with vinegar. They should all be submerged in vinegar.
- Also, use at least 5% acidic vinegar. Do not dilute the vinegar unless the recipe requires that. Vinegar destroys botulism, so it is important to follow the recipe exactly. The original recipe is made with vinegar 9% acidity, but I tried with vinegar 5% and 7%, and it worked really well.
- The peppers are washed and cleaned, but the stem is left as it is. You can shorten them, but you don't need to cut them completely.
Questions that you, the readers, asked:
No, the jars do not need a pressure canner or boiling water bath, as in the jars, you have pure vinegar that doesn’t ferment. The peppers will last years with no problems. The only thing you need to do is sterilize the jars before you fill them.
Also, vinegar destroys botulism, and this recipe is pure vinegar. Just make sure the vinegar you use is at least 5% or higher acetic acid.
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 boil some water and add them for the last 2 minutes to sit in that hot water.
The new guideline is not even to boil the lids, but for my peace of mind, I think you should place them in hot water at least for a few minutes before you use them. (here is the link for that: https://www.freshpreserving.com/canning-lids-101.html).
I try to replace any lids that do not look good. If they are too old or have rust on them, I replace them.
I would recommend you cover the peppers and their stems with vinegar. They should be all submerged in vinegar. It is a straightforward recipe that would take 5 minutes to complete if you have the jars ready.
No, 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.
No, I don't.
No, there is no need to keep them in the fridge. It would be best if you kept them in a cool pantry, cellar, or basement that is not heated, as you would do with any other cans you prepare for winter.
This is a canning method, not quick pickling. I do not recommend it. You would end up with different stages of the pickling process as you keep adding peppers to a jar with 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.
Solution: I would look for a smaller jar to preserve a small batch of peppers or find other ways to preserve just a few of them (you could dry or freeze them, for example).
Any vinegar that has 5% acidity or more can be used.
You can, but I do not recommend it. Your cauliflower and carrots will be very spicy as they will take the taste of the peppers. I would keep the recipe as it is.
They will not float if you put them right next to each other and as many as they fit without breaking them.
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. (You are killing me, people! Why would you start messing around with the easiest, straightforward recipe that you will ever get in your life? Isn't life complicated enough?)
Follow the recipe, please. It will tell you exactly what you need to do.
If the recipe you are looking for is not on the site already, I do not have it. This is available for any other recipe requests you might have.
Again, if my recipe says nothing about adding garlic, oregano, and other spices, please don't do it. If these things were optional, I would add them to the recipe.
Also, when you add extra ingredients, you change the recipe and make it your own. While I don't have anything against this possibility, I can take responsibility for a recipe I wrote. Still, I cannot be responsible for what you do in your personal kitchen.
Yes, I would refrigerate the opened jar. I keep mine in the fridge and the unopened ones in the pantry in a cool place. They last a long time. Vinegar is a great preservative.
I throw them away in the summer if they end up sitting in the fridge for a few months and make a new batch when the hot peppers are available at the Farmers Market.
Interested in more canning recipes?
Pickled Vegetables in a Mustard Sauce
Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickled Cucumbers
Romanian vegetable spread or Zacusca
How To Salt Preserve Herbs For Winter
Pickled cucumbers in vinegar- easy recipe
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
How To Preserve Hot Peppers In Vinegar- Easy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound/ 500 g hot peppers
- 14 oz or 400 ml white wine vinegar or cider apple vinegar at least 5% or more acidity
- 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.
- 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.
Janet says
Wow! Thanks for a truly easy recipe! I love that I can scale it to the amount I have!
Jason says
Hello, there's no need to put a slice in the side of the pepper to allow vinegar to go inside the pepper? Air won't get trapped in there and cause bacteria growth?
The Bossy Kitchen says
No, you don’t need to slice the peppers.
Pam says
Can you do this recipe with Anaheims?
The Bossy Kitchen says
Yes, you can.
Leanne says
I'm so excited to try your recipe! I'm doing 4 litres of red jalapenos because that's what I have a huge amount of! I am hopeful this technique works with them as well as with the chilies you use. I'm doing lots of different preserves with my hot peppers and this is one of them!
Thank you for sharing.
Carey Berend says
This seems like a wonderful recipe for a first attempt at canning. We have an abundance of yellow banana or Bruno peppers, not sure which, but they are not hot. Is there a reason this recipe won’t work with peppers that aren’t hot?
The Bossy Kitchen says
I am not familiar with Bruno peppers, but you can try to do a small batch and see if you like it. In my opinion, if the peppers are not hot, they need some other spices in the vinegar, as they are quite bland. I do not have a recipe on the blog for these types of peppers, but I am working on one.
Carey Berend says
Thank you for your reply. I’ll give it a try and see how they turn out. I’ll check out your other recipes as well.
The Bossy Kitchen says
Thank you, Carey!
Kathy says
I am wondering about Cajun bell peppers. They are about the size of a habanero. I read no bell pepper and understand. Do you know about the Cajun bell peppers? I am going with the Fresno reds and others but I was wondering about the Cajun. Thanks for all the information you have provided.
The Bossy Kitchen says
Hi Kathy, I do not have experience with the Cajun bell peppers, but you can try a smaller jar and see if you like them.
Cathy says
Tried this recipe yesterday, after leaving on counter over night I discovered that the peppers floated in jars even though I packed them in tightly. Will they be okay
The Bossy Kitchen says
They will be ok.
Linda krigbaum says
I did
What u said I have some settling Is this ok?
Edward Halverson says
Can I reuse the vinegar after the peppers have been used?
Thank you in advance.
The Bossy Kitchen says
What do you mean by reusing it? Do you want to pickle more hot peppers using the same vinegar? The answer is no. Because this is a canning method, for safety, you always need to use fresh ingredients.
Edward Halverson says
I mean I have been soaking jalapenos in pure 5PH vinegar.
I have almost used them all. (peppers). Can I reuse the vinegar?
The Bossy Kitchen says
My advice to you is no, don't do it. During the pickling process, the peppers release water, diluting the vinegar and raising its pH. So it is not a good idea to reuse the vinegar as you may bring fermentation in the new batch. You could use the remaining vinegar to start a mayonnaise, brine a chicken, flavor a potato salad, make a salad dressing, etc.
Deb Parady says
@The Bossy Kitchen,
I have been thinking about using my my vinegar from canned peppers as a base for chicken marinade. Thoughts?
The Bossy Kitchen says
It might work. Do you have a recipe for that marinade? I would be curious to see it.
Diane Patton Heras says
When are they ready to eat?
The Bossy Kitchen says
The recipe card at the bottom of the article tells you. They need at least a month before you can eat them.
Chester Bobo says
Hi, your recipe sounds easy enough. I pickled some pepers last summer and ended up having to throw them away after awhile. There was a fungus film on the top. What I didn't do as sterilize the jars or tops and didn't let them sit for a month before openning them. Would you know what and how this fungus film appeared? I'm looking forward to picking peppers this fall. Thanks and I await your response.
The Bossy Kitchen says
Hi, I am not sure what that fungus film was. You need to sterilize the jars and the lids, as there is nothing worse than getting sick from spoiled food. Make sure the vinegar is at least 5% acidity when you use my recipe. If you follow the instructions, you should be fine.
Todd says
Can I use this recipe for a combination of hot and sweet peppers mixed together I noticed you keep saying this for hot peppers only is this due to the acidity of the hot peppers versus regular peppers
The Bossy Kitchen says
No, but I am sure you can find online more recipes for pickling sweet peppers, this recipe is only for hot peppers.
Michael says
I just happened to search for and received the easiest way to preserve my reaper peppers.
And I have been laughing out loud the entire time at the people who INSIST on deferring from the obvious!!
Your responses KILLED me, thanks for the chuckle and the recipe!!
The Bossy Kitchen says
:-)) Thank you, Michael! I really appreciate your comment!