Making Pepperoncini Advice

[cats]

We have absolutely tons of banana peppers and have been harvesting them for several weeks now. Up to this point, I have just been cleaning, cutting up, and freezing them in Hefty freezer bags. I was thinking that perhaps I could make them into pepperoncini (not sure of spelling), but have been unable to find a recipe in any of my cookbooks for doing this. I would want something that doesn't require any kind of processing, but just could be jarred and refrigerated. I know they would need something added for "heat", but have no clue as to all the ingredients. Has anyone tried doing this and can help me out? Thanks so much!

 

[TheLemonSong]

I was thinking...while I'm not sure how to add heat or whatever..try this:

My mom does this with pickles. She'll eat all the pickles in the jar, then she'll just cut up cucumbers and put them in the pickle juice with some seasoning and in a few days they turn in to great pickles. Why not try the same thing w/ pepperonici...just get a large jar, and when you're done eating them put the banana peppers in the jar.

I think in general a vinegar brine with some roasted chili flakes, salt, and pepper might work just fine to help you make the pepperonici, or you could add some jalapeno to raise the heat.

Hope that helps...

 

[jennyema]

I have the same problem with my banana peppers -- tons of them.

I'm gonna pickle some this weekend.

I'll probably just use vinegar, salt, some sugar and water.

Here are some "recipes"

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pickled+banana+peppers

Or this (seems technical) http://www.paleotechnics.com/Articles/Pepperoncini.html

 

[Brianschef]

I stuff mine with fresh cabbage, then jar them, then put them into a brine, they are tasty all winter long, you can either use them as a side dish salad, or slice on sandwiches or make a nice cole slaw.

 

[Daphne duLibre]

I have the same problem with my banana peppers -- tons of them.

I'm gonna pickle some this weekend.

I'll probably just use vinegar, salt, some sugar and water.

Here are some "recipes"

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pickled+banana+peppers

Or this (seems technical) http://www.paleotechnics.com/Articles/Pepperoncini.html

The paleotechnics article is excellent. It got me to look up lactic acid ([size=-1]lactic acid, CH3CHOHCO2H, a colorless liquid organic acid.) and to realize the role of fermentation in the pickling process.

I too have attempted to pickle veggies, and meats with vinegar/brine and the taste of the acetic acid (vinegar) is all wrong. So, fermentation which produces lactic acid is the key here.

-- which reminds me that my Chinese neighbor makes "Kim Chee" -- nappa cabbage that's fermented in huge crocks, with various peppers. Eureka! Now I understand what's going on and why my pickles don't make it.

So, here's a link from a Google (It's a noun and a verb these days.) on lactic acid bacteria and canning/pickling.

http://www.eufic.org/gb/food/pag/food18/food184.htm



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