Hot Cherry Peppers Stuffed with Prosciutto and Provolone
In case you didn’t know it, I’m huge on Pinterest! Okay, well, my Pickled Hot Cherry Peppers recipe is huge, anyway. One of the things I miss most about living in Connecticut is being able to find both fresh and pickled cherry peppers at the store. Stuffing pickled cherry peppers with provolone cheese and prosciutto is popular out east, but the ones I’ve come across here in Northern Illinois are all made with raw peppers, which is not very appetizing at all.
Not being able to find these beauties forced me to start growing, pickling and stuffing them myself. This isn’t really a bad thing, as it’s made me pretty damn popular at the holidays. It may sound like an odd combination but trust me that they’re delicious. I’ve also heard the stuffed version of these called hot cherry poppers and cherry bombs so hey, if that makes you like them more, that’s okay.
If you’re lucky enough to be able to buy cherry peppers at your local store or market, I have just the appetizer for you! The pickling part is super easy, even when canning and processing them to put up. All you need is fresh cherry peppers white vinegar and water.
Hot Cherry Peppers Stuffed with Prosciutto and Provolone
Pickling the peppers:
You don’t have to can these, though. You can pickle them and put them in the fridge, as long as you have space. When I don’t process these for preserving, I call it “quick pickling”.
Prepare the peppers by washing them and cutting the stems off. Using the tip of a sharp knife, make a small slice into the pepper at the top of it, around the stem area. I like to do this to assure the hot juice is released from inside the peppers. Now you’re ready to pickle them.
- 6 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 1/2 pounds 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
In a large saucepan, bring the vinegar and water to a boil. Add peppers, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool and transfer peppers to a glass jar or container and then cover completely with vinegar/water brine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Here’s an extreme stuffed red cherry pepper close-up shot:
Stuffing the peppers:
Be sure to reserve the pickling juice for storing and serving. To prepare the peppers for stuffing, use a sharp knife to cut the top off of the peppers. Then, using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them.
For the stuffing, take a chunk of provolone and cut it into cubes The actual size of the cubes may need to vary, depending on the size of the peppers. Cut strips of prosciutto in half lengthwise, Wrap a cube of provolone with a piece of prosciutto and stuff the wrapped cube into a hollowed-out pepper. Set the stuffed pepper into a shallow dish and repeat until all of the peppers you have are stuffed.
Using the reserved pickling juice, fill the dish of peppers until the level is about half way up the peppers. Cover dish and refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably within a few hours.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing these, you’re missing out. It may sound like a strange combination but the heat of the peppers, the tang of the vinegar, the smooth creaminess of the provolone and the salty earthiness of the prosciutto is a fabulous collaboration. I typically make these hot cherry pepper poppers for the holidays and for get-togethers and they are always, always the first thing to disappear.
Enjoy!
Love your photo…I can see why the peppers would be popular on Pinterest. The stuffed peppers were very popular in New Hampshire as well…haven’t seen them since we moved to Florida.
Must be an East Coast thing. 🙂 The rare time I’ve found them here, the peppers were raw…Yuck.
Based on the instructions it’s unclear if you you stuff post pickling or if covering them with the pickling liquid will pickle them after they are stuffed. Can you clarify, I assume the latter, but want to get it right
Hi Jessica, I’m so sorry that my instructions aren’t clear; I’ll have to update them so as to not cause anymore confusion. You pickle the peppers first and then stuff them. After I stuff them, I do put just a little bit of reserved pickling juice back into the bottom of the dish that the stuffed peppers are in but just a half inch or so. This is an optional step. Let me know if you have any other questions and thanks!
Love these peppers !! I can’t find the peppers here in southeastern Florida so I grow my own plants. Back home Up north they are plentiful and I Would put up jars of them and give them to friends and I also eat jars of them. If you like peppers, cheese and procutto you gotta try these
Thanks so much! They’re definitely a favorite of mine too and have been for a long time! 😊
I’m from up north and live in SE Florida…specialty deli stores, Fresh Market and Publix if the have their olive bar has them at times…they are packed in olive oil. Good luck hope you can find some!
Trying these tonight. Is there a way to preserve these for storage on a shelf? I would like to be able to stuff these after they are pickled for apps all winter long.
Hi Kristen. This recipe is for long term storage aka preserving, as they’re processed for canning. You can preserve them this way and then stuff them with prosciutto and provolone when ready.
Kristen, I’m so sorry! I thought you’d commented on my actual pickling recipe and not this one! I link to my canning recipe above but here it is again. Sorry again and let me know if you have any other questions! Best wishes! 🙂
https://lolarugula.com/2012/12/16/pickled-hot-cherry-peppers/
Hello! I am currently about to pickle some cherry peppers from the garden – Is there a suggested amount of time to let them pickle before stuffing them? Also to preserve longer would you suggest re-jarring them with olive oil? And would you need to give a can bath at this point? Trying to send some to my Uncle at some point.
Hi Brittany! You can honestly eat them right away no matter if you quick pickle them or process/can them. If you don’t can them for long term shelf storage, they’ll stay good in the fridge for weeks as long as the peppers are all fully submerged in brine. My recipe for canning the peppers long term is linked in the first paragraph of this post but here it is again. You don’t want to stuff the peppers until you’re ready to serve them. https://lolarugula.com/2012/12/16/pickled-hot-cherry-peppers/
Hello,
How long will the stuffed peppers last?
Thank you
A few days in the fridge!
These are a family favorite! Especially for the holidays and special occasions! If you haven’t tried these yet you don’t know what you’re missing! Scrumptious!
Wow! Thanks! These are my absolute favorite things at any festive occasion!
Hello. Is it possible to water bath can after you stuff the cherry peppers?
Thank you
I’m so sorry I missed your question until now! No, I don’t recommend stuffing them first.