Pickled Hot Cherry Peppers
Hot cherry pepper seeds proved to be somewhat of a challenge to find until just a couple of years ago. It seems that they’re making a comeback, though. Finally. These little red orbs of fiery deliciousness are well worth the search, in my opinion. Here’s how I preserve them – if you are familiar with the canning process, this ranks as one of the easiest recipes around. The most tedious part of this is making a slit at the top of each pepper but this helps release their hot oils into their brine as they process. It also helps prevent them from cracking in the canning process.
This recipe typically makes 5-6 pint jars of peppers, depending on their size.
- 6 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 1/2 pounds of hot cherry peppers (red or green both work!) washed. Using a sharp knife tip, make a small slit in the top (stem end) of each pepper – the number of peppers can vary widely depending on the size of them. For the best-packed jars, use a mix of large and small peppers.
Directions
- Fill a water bath canner with water, insert jar rack and jars, and bring to a boil.
- In a separate medium-sized saucepan, cover 5 canning jar lids and rings with water and bring to a boil.
- Jars, lids, and rings can remain up to an hour in water that they’ve been boiled in for 10 minutes
- Boil jars, lids, and bands for 10 minutes to ensure everything is properly sterilized.
- In a separate large pan, add vinegar and water and bring to a boil – I typically start this right before I start sterilizing everything.
- When jars are sterilized, use a canning jar lifter to carefully remove the jars, drain out the water (I usually drain one or two back into the pan to compensate for water lost while sterilizing and the rest gets poured down the sink), and place the sterilized jars on a clean counter or clean towel on your counter.
- Turn your water back on and begin to bring it back to a boil while you fill your jars.
- Carefully pack as many cherry peppers into each jar as you can, alternating direction and using various sizes of peppers.
- When all the jars are packed with peppers, use a ladle and canning jar funnel to fill each one with your hot vinegar and water mixture, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace in each jar.
- Use a chopstick to move the peppers in the jars around and release as much air as you can. Top off with additional vinegar/water mixture if necessary.
- Wipe the rims of the jars clean.
- Place a lid and band on each jar, tightening the lid but not extremely tight.
- Use the jar lifter to carefully place each filled jar back into the canner.
- Make sure your jars are completely submerged and covered with water.
- Cover the canning pot and bring to a boil.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- When possible, remove the canning pot lid and let the jars cool for 10 minutes in the pan before carefully removing them. This helps with the loss of pickling solution in your jars. There’s no harm in removing the jars immediately; just ensure that they don’t lose an excessive amount of liquid (half or more) and that your jars seal properly. Letting the sit in the canning bath isn’t always practical if you have a lot of canning on deck. Note that fresh-packed peppers such as these, meaning you don’t cook them before putting them into the canning jars, have a tendency to lose more liquid during the canning process.
- Let the jars sit, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours; jostling them around after canning may prevent them from sealing properly.
Now, you can add garlic and spices to these if you’d like. I use this very simple brine because I use mine to make my hot stuffed cherry peppers with prosciutto and provolone (also called cherry bombs or hot cherry poppers) which are a huge hit at the holidays and all year long. If you follow the link above, I also show you how to quick pickle them…no canning required.
I’ve often been asked if you can process and can these hot cherry peppers stuffed with prosciutto and provolone and my answer to this is “no”. I mean, technically you can but I would never recommend it. You don’t want the prosciutto and provolone to pickle, just the peppers. 🙂
Give these babies a try – if you like hot, you’re going to love these! They’re also great in bloody mary’s and just as an appetizer (no stuffing required).
Enjoy!
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of hot cherry peppers. Sounds delicious!
They’re also delicious fresh from the garden and tossed on the grill!
you have to get out more!
I have followers from all over the world and hot cherry peppers aren’t readily available everywhere. I’m always happy to help people discover new things.
Hi Lesley! I hope you don’t mind being nominated for another blog award.:) I’ve just nominated you for the Shine On Award. Please click here for more info: http://eyedancers.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/two-new-blogging-awards-and-a-very-sincere-thank-you/. Thanks! — Mike
Thank you so much – this is so, so nice of you! I’m not sure I can keep up with the ones I’ve received lately but I’m honored and thankful!
This is great! I just bought a couple of pounds of hot cherry peppers because they were cheap and looked beautiful and I thought maybe I’d photograph them. Now they’re sitting on the counter (looking beautiful) and wondering about their fate. Now I know. Thanks. Ditto about them stuffed with prosciutto. Ken
This has got to be the easiest canning recipe ever and it’s worth it – I love the pickled heat! Thanks Ken!
how many is 21/2 pounds?
They vary quite a bit in size so it really depends on the size of them but around 45-55.
Hi, after you do the boiling processing canner, do you take the peppers out, or leave in water. I would think if you leave them in water they will continue to cook, and not be somewhat firm, would appreciate your answer. thank you
Hi and thanks for stopping by! No, I don’t leave them in the water after processing. I use a jar lifter, carefully lift the processed jars of peppers out of the water, and then place them on a kitchen towel to fully cool.
can you use apple cider vinegar?
Absolutely!
Hi Lesley, do you have to use a processing canner or is a boiling hot water bath ok? I’m new at this. Thanks!
I just use a hot water bath canning for these…no pressure canning required!
Did you use quart or pint jars.
Hi Steve, it’s pint jars.
Looking forward to trying the cherry pepper recipe this weekend. Assuming I follow and boil the packed jars for 10 minutes in the canner. How long will they last? Do they need to be refrigerated?
I’m so sorry I missed your question until now! As long as you sterilize and process everything correctly, they don’t require refrigerating. I’ve had mine last 2 years, at which point they’re usually gone and I have to make more!
I am a yearly hot cherry pepper stuffer so I decided to grow them this year, I’m thrilled you have this to follow as I was searching for days for the right recipe. I’m excited to attempt this and have the garden fresh peppers to stuff for the holidays! Thank you!
Hi Donna, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I’m thrilled this will help you out! I make these almost every other year, and everyone just loves them!
I successfully at least I think it was successful, packed 15 jars of hot cherry peppers! I just read on some other edu website that you need to use the pressure cooker option instead of the water bath because it’s not safe and could result in botulism. Now I’m freaking out because I don’t want to make anyone sick that’s for sure! I know someone who follows the water bath method for her garden and said it’s perfectly safe but she makes relish and pickles, etc. so my question is should I have cut the stem off completely? I didn’t because I usually I do that when Im ready to stuff them. Thank you so much for your time, you have great info to offer!
~stressed out new canner in CT🤣
Canning can be stressful, can’t it!?! Botulism is much more prone to happen in non-vinegar based recipes. I think if you do a Google search on that, you’ll feel a lot better! And as long as you properly sterilized and processed everything, you should be fine!
And congrats on completing your first round!
I have read you need to poke some holes at the stem of the cherry pepper, but no one ever explained why. I also have read to leave the jars in the hot water bath fo 10 minutes after boiling, but never knew why. I love your recipe because you explain the “why’s” behind the directions. Love it!
That is SO nice of you to say, thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to read this and comment! Best wishes in your hot cherry pepper journey. 😊
After canning them are they RDY to eat or do they need to stay in the jars for a certain amount of time. I want to give some jars out to friends.
They’re best after they’ve sat for a few weeks! That’s nice of you to share! 😊