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]

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.]

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?

 

[mcnerd]

There are several approved and tested recipes for pickled hot peppers containing olive oil, but it must be done carefully because the oil will climb up the sides of the jar and can interfere with the sealing process. There is also a (minor) danger of water/bacteria particles being surrounded and protected by the oil during the heat processing.

Sample recipe at National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Pickle

 

[wanna be]

I guess Im missing something.

They are peppers not pickles!I thought it was funny that you put them into quarintine in the garage .I have heard that peppers are dangerous to preserve.As the others have stated in not so many words This is no place for the novice.I have never canned anything and I know absolutly nothing about it,but knowing what I know I will freeze my extra peppers and buy my pickled peppers.

 

[GB]

They are peppers not pickles!

Yes these are peppers, but they are also pickles since they were pickled. Anything that is pickled becomes a pickle.

This is no place for the novice.I have never canned anything and I know absolutly nothing about it

Since you say you know nothing about the subject, let me educate you a little. There is no reason a novice should not can. It is a very easy and safe thing to do as long as you follow a few basic instructions that most anyone would have no trouble following. There is no reason to scare people away from this great activity as it can be a lot of fun, can save money and food, and just makes a lot of sense for a lot of people to do. Remember, every single person who has canned was a novice the first time they did it.

 

[wanna be]

I was not implieing that canneing or pickleing should not be done or was too dangerious to be done .The only reason I responded to this post is that I would love to pickle some serano peppers and not haveing the basic canneing skills I have chosen not attempt this.Are fresh peppers a little more challenging to safely pickle?I have heard this over and over mabey Im wrong.Hone your skills on some safer items, and to suggest otherwise is a disservice to the reader.Thats all I ment.

 

[Wyogal]

Quite frankly, I wouldn't use oil when making pickled peppers. But, I wouldn't hesitate to make pickled peppers using a vinegar solution. Of course, I would follow an approved recipe, can find them on the Bell canning site. I just wouldn't use one with oil in it, having a friend that nearly died after eating some canned with oil.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Not following the instructions, as GB said, is asking for trouble no matter what you are canning or how long you have been canning:

Pickled peppers and mixed vegetable-pepper home-canned products are commonly prepared by many Colorado households. These products also have been implicated in botulism deaths due to the use of untested recipes, under-acidified products, addition of too much oil, or lack of processing.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation is a good place to start learning about canning, and the Pickled Hot Peppers page steps you through the process with one recipe. The Colorado State University Extension Fact Sheet # 9.314 Making Pickled Peppers at Home is also good (conforms to the standards at the NCHFP) but has a little more info and recipes for pickled peppers.

If you can follow instructions there is no reason for you to be afraid to try it!

 

[wanna be]

Thanks for the places to look to be safe .I really do think it would be fun to try.I will still try my hand at safer starter items any suggestions?

 

[Wyogal]

Any of the recipes without oil... notice that the only recipe that had a botulism warning was the one with oil. I've made pickles with cucumbers and beets for years. They are very easy. I think the recipes for the peppers that just have a vinegar base would be fun to try as well. One can pickle just about anything.

 

[DinaFine]

Pickling in Vinegar and salt should not be a problem as long as recipe proportions are followed exactly. I have done this and am not an experienced or expert canner by any means. I would not use oil in the pickling mix unless I found a reliable recipe. You shouldnt have a problem as long as you follow recipes and stick to the stated proportions for sugar, vinegar and salt. Canning is tricky when you are preserving meat or veggies and fruit that is low in acid. I dont think you have this problem when you are pickling as the salt and sugar as well as vinegar supplies all the necessary acid and preserves the veg.

good luck