Sweet Pickled Banana Peppers Questions

[phoebe]

Hi Everyone,
I have a question about a Sweet Pickled Banana Peppers recipe.It sounds really good & it has great reviews.

Ingredients
1/2 lb banana pepper, seeded and slicded across,so you have rings
Pickling Juice
2 cups white vinegar
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Directions
Sterilize 2- 1/2 pint jars.
Bring the vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed to a rolling boil.
Place peppers in the 1/2 pint jars.
Pour on the pickling juice.
Bring brine to within 1/2" of the top.
Be sure the edge of the jar has no juice on it.
Seal jar and leave for 2 weeks.

In her notes: She says that she doesn't water bath them & that she's kept them for a year no problem.

My questions are: Do you think that it's safe without water bath processing them further? Is it because of all the vinegar that you don't need to water bath them?

Thanks for any advice I'd really like to try this recipe.

phoebe

 

[mcnerd]

They are fine if "refrigerated" up to a year, but that is NOT a canning recipe and should not be used if one plans on storing the jars on the pantry shelf. It would not be safe at all.

You are absolute correct and it is a ongoing problem with many older recipes and people that "can" by the philosophy of "but I've always done it this way". Of course anyone is entitled to do whatever they want behind closed doors, but if you are going to come out of the closet and share with others....you better have current and safe information and recipes.

"Any" recipe written before 1998 is obsolete and should not be followed. And any recipe that does not kill any potential bacteria by either a Boiling Water Bath or a Steam-Pressure Canner should only be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

The vinegar does not kill bacteria, which is what the canning process does. If this woman never got sick it was because she luckily has not had a bad batch (yet) and/or is immune at some level. Others may not be so lucky. One company reports one woman went 44 years before it nailed her, but it did.

BTW, if I came across recipes with statements like that....I toss in the trash and cross that person off my list to trust.

 

[phoebe]

Thanks so much for your advice!
I'll make them & treat them as refrigerator products.

phoebe