Properly preserved garden peppers can be used throughout the year.
Peppers are low-acid foods, no matter how hot they are, and so the only safe way to preserve them in water is to use a pressure canner. The peppers must be firm, fresh and free from blemishes, bruises and insect damage. Any salt used must be plain with no additives. If your peppers have a tough skin, they have to be prepared before they're preserved. Roast them until the skin is charred. Cover the charred peppers and to cool. When you can handle them without being burned, scrape off the skin and remove the stems and seeds.
Instructions
1. Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water or in the dishwasher. Gently run your fingers over the rim of each jar to check the glass for chips. Do not use any chipped glass for this project.
2. Put the jars, lids, jar grabber, canning funnel and a large metal spoon in a large pot of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the water off the jars and turn each jar upside down on a very clean dish towel. Place the other items on a towel to drain.
3. Wash your pressure canner and rinse. Fill it with about 4 inches of water and put it on the stove with the lid off to begin heating. Follow the directions that came with your pressure canner. Bring about 2 qts of water to a boil in a smaller pot. Turn down the heat to a simmer.
4. Put 1/2 tsp. salt in each jar. Loosely pack each jar with peppers, leaving an inch of space at the top. Pour in enough simmering water to cover the peppers, maintaining the inch of open space at the top of the jar. Put on the lids and rings and hand-tighten them.
5. Add hot water to the pressure canner, if necessary, to bring it back up to 4 inches of water. Place the jars in the canner and put on the lid. Allow the canner to steam vent for 10 minutes.
6. Put on the weight or guage and adjust the heat to obtain 11 lbs. of pressure. Process for 35 minutes, or according to the instructions that came with your canner.
7. Turn off the heat at the end of the processing time. Allow the canner to cool until the pressure drops to zero.
8. Release the weight or gauge, remove the lid and remove the jars. Place them on a clean towel and allow them to cool completely. Press the center of the lid. If it pops up when you release pressure, the lid did not seal. Refrigerate the peppers and use them soon.
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