Content

• Ingredients
• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Prepare the pots
• Method 2 of 3: Prepare the jalapeños
• Method 3 of 3: Preserve the jalapeños
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Spicy jalapeño peppers can easily be cut into small pieces and preserved so that they can be stored for a long time. This process takes a whole day from start to finish, so make sure you have enough time before starting this project.

Ingredients

• 900 g jalapeño peppers
• 6 liters of ice water
• 1.75 liters of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 435 ml filtered or spring water
• 190 grams of edible lime
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of celery seed
• 6 tablespoons of mustard seeds

To step

Method 1 of 3: Prepare the pots

1. Wash the jars and lids. Use a clean sponge to thoroughly scrub the jars and lids with warm water and dish soap. This is especially important if the pots have been used before, but it should be even if they are brand new.
2. Use boiling water to sterilize the jars. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When it boils well, carefully lower the pots into it with a glass tong. Do not allow the pots to bump into each other as they may break or tear. Let them sterilize for 10 to 15 minutes before carefully removing them with the glass tongs.
3. Sterilize the lids separately. The lids must also be sterilized before use, but some lids cannot be cooked. Heat water in a smaller pan, but to be on the safe side, lower the heat before putting in the lids so that the water just bubbles. Use glass tongs to lower the lids and take them out again after 5 minutes with the tongs.
4. Dry the jars and lids. The jars and lids should still be warm when you start canning the jalapeños. That's why it's better to dry them with kitchen paper or a clean, dry tea towel than to let them air dry.

Method 2 of 3: Prepare the jalapeños

1. Use good quality peppers. Do not use peppers that are soft or flecked. Take ripe, firm jalapeños that are beautiful, radiant green, yellow or red.
2. Cut the jalapeños into slices. Each slice should be about half an inch thick. Use a sharp knife to make clean, straight cuts, or use a slicer if you have one. Discard the stem.
3. Mix the ice water with the edible lime. Mix the two ingredients in a plastic, steel or glass container. Be careful, because if you inhale the edible lime it can irritate your airways.
4. Soak the jalapeños in the ice water mixture. Stir the peppers into the solution so that they are all well moist.
5. Chill the jalapeños. Place the container with the water and jalapeños in the refrigerator and let it sit there for 12 to 24 hours. Stir the peppers every few hours while they are soaking.
6. Drain and rinse the peppers. After they have soaked, drain the water from the peppers by throwing them into a strainer. Rinse the jalapeños well under running water.
7. Now soak the peppers in clean water. Place the peppers in a clean container and cover with cold water. Let them soak in the refrigerator for an hour to remove any residual lime. Drain the water again.
8. Drain, rinse, and soak the peppers two more times. This process may seem like an exaggeration, but it is necessary to remove all edible lime and reduce the number of seeds left behind.

Method 3 of 3: Preserve the jalapeños

1. Boil water in a preserving kettle. While you are preparing the jars, you should also prepare your preserving kettle. Fill the kettle with enough water to completely submerge the pots. Put a preserving rack on the bottom so that the jars stay in place.
   • If you don't have a preserving kettle, you can also use a large, heavy pan. Make sure you put something on the bottom so that the pots don't bump into each other.
2. Mix the mustard and celery seeds. Mix the two spices in a small bowl.
3. Divide the seed mixture evenly among all pots. Spread equal parts of the seed mixture over all pots until all the seed is gone.
4. Place a funnel on the pots. If possible, use a wide funnel, because then you can get the peppers in more easily.
5. Put the pepper rings in all the jars. Use a large spoon or measuring cup to add about the same amount of chilies to each jar. Leave an inch of space between the peppers and the top of the pot.
6. Boil vinegar, sea salt and filtered water. Mix the three ingredients in a pan and heat it over high heat, stirring occasionally. When the salt has dissolved and the liquid is boiling, remove it from the heat.
7. Pour the salt solution over the jalapeños. Use a soup ladle to scoop the vinegar and salt solution into the jars, making sure that the peppers are completely covered and there are no air bubbles at the bottom of the jar. Leave about an inch of space at the top of the pot.
8. Wipe the rim of the pots. If anything has gotten on the rim of the pot, it is important that you wipe it off with a clean, wet cloth. If salt or herbs remain on the edge, the jar will not close properly.
9. Put the lids on the jars. Screw the lids on the jars, and stop when you feel resistance. Do not close the lids too tightly as this can damage the pots.
10. Place the jars in the preserving kettle. Gently lower the jars into the boiling water with a glass tong. Don't let them bump into each other or drop them hard on the bottom. Leave the jars in the preserving kettle for 10 minutes.
    • Process the pots for 10 minutes at 300 m or below.
    • Between 300 m and 1.8 km) 15 minutes.
    • Above 1.8 km 20 minutes.
11. Take out the jars and let them cool. Use the glass tongs to carefully remove them from the water. Let them cool for 12 to 24 hours in a draft-free place.
12. Make sure they are closed properly. If the center of the lid can be moved up and down, the lids are not properly closed and the peppers cannot be safely stored for a long time. However, if the center cannot move, the lids are properly sealed.
13. Keep the peppers in a dry place. A kitchen cupboard or cellar is fine. Shake the jars to distribute the spices before serving.

Tips

• If you use apple cider vinegar you will get a slightly sweeter taste than if you use white vinegar. White vinegar is best if you want to keep them as spicy as possible.
• You can remove the seeds from the peppers at the beginning of the process if you want a milder flavor.

Warnings

• Wear disposable gloves when handling jalapeños. The peppers can burn your skin, and even more so in your eyes. Avoid touching your eyes when canning jalapeños, and wash your hands with soap and water when you are done.
• Make sure you clean all supplies well afterwards. All knives, pots, and pans should be thoroughly cleaned to remove traces of the hot peppers. Otherwise, you could end up with a nasty, spicy surprise later.
• Keep chilies that are not properly sealed in the refrigerator and use them within a few days.

Necessities

• 6 (weck) jars of 500 ml with lid
• Large pan
• Medium pan
• Big scale
• Ladle
• Serving spoon or measuring cup
• Funnel
• Clean cloths or paper towels
• Weck kettle
• Kitchen timer
• Disposable gloves