Pickled Jalapenos - WHAT WENT WRONG?!?

[Resdon111]

Three days ago I made some pickled jalapenos for the first time. I've done pickled eggs before and followed a similar recipe. I went to check on the jar three days later and was left with this.



All the white globular stuff is...well...I don't know. It shouldn't be there, I know that. The white globular crud is the only thing that's wrong; the other little bits are pickling spice. It looks like fat, but I know there isn't that much fat in peppers. As far as bacteria/fungi, I find it hard to believe that there could be that much growth in three days under refrigeration. The jar is brand new, the seal is intact (I haven't dared break it), and the button on the lid is still sucked down. I've removed the jar from my fridge into ziplock quarantine in my cold garage.

WHAT WENT WRONG!?!

[Andy M.]

What's your recipe?

[Resdon111]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy M. What's your recipe?

Wash peppers and drain. Pack peppers tightly in jars for every cup of vinegar used: 1/4 c. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pickling spice.

Heat mixture to boiling. Pour over peppers so they are well covered. Seal jars and process 10 minutes in hot water bath.

[Andy M.]

At refrigerator temperatures, olive oil solidifies and looks exactly like that goop in your pictures. If you bring the jar and its contents to room temperature, that will disappear.

You can see that by putting your oive oil bottle in the fridge and observe the changes.

[Resdon111]

I feel like an idiot for not realizing that. Thanks for pointing that out!

[GB]

Don't feel like an idiot. That is something that would be easy to not consider when you are thinking more along the lines of mold and bacteria and canning.

[Andy M.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resdon111 I feel like an idiot for not realizing that. Thanks for pointing that out!

The first time you see cold olive oil all whitish and weird-looking, that'a the way you react. It won't bother you again.

[Wyogal]

yep. the olive oil. I haven't used oil in a pickle recipe before.

[velochic]

Where did you get the recipe? I would be worried about having oil in the pickling solution. It changes the pH profile and I would think it would require pressure canning. Anything with fat does. That amount of olive oil sound very dangerous to me. Fat, in particular, is a great medium for spores to grow.

[Wyogal]

does anyone else ever put oil in their pickles?