Busting Out My Inner Martha – Pickled Jalapenos

I decided to tackle the art of canning a few weeks ago. Ambitious, I know. But how hard could it really be? One thing is for sure, there is a lot of information out there on the subject! Everyone has an opinion on how to do it right (and safely). Frankly, I was overwhelmed…

I decided to give Martha Stewart’s recipe for pickled jalapenos a shot. They came out perfectly and everyone begged me for the recipe. I’m all about sharing, so here are the tips and tricks I learned along the way:

Ingredients

Directions

1) Place your mason jars in a large pot, fill the pot with hot water until the jars are submerged and bring the water to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and leave jars in the water. Sterilize the lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Using tongs, lift the jars from the pot and place them on a layer of clean towels.

2) Dice up your jalapenos (I got my beauties from a local market) and place them in the jars:

3) In a medium pot, bring the cider vinegar, 2 cups water, bay leaves, salt, sugar, and peppercorns to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

4) Pour the liquid over the jalapenos and let everything cool (about 1 hr). Your jars should be filled up to a quarter-inch from the top. Wipe the rims carefully and eliminate air bubbles by poking through the jar with a chopstick or wooden skewer.

5) Place the lid onto the rim and screw the band until it’s tight.

6) Fill a large pot with hot water and place the jars in the pot. Add enough water to cover the jars and bring the water to a boil.

7) Boil the jars for 10 minutes, remove them from the water and let them stand on the towels for a day or so. When the jars are cool, check for a slight indentation in the lid (indicates a vacuum seal).

8) Place the jars in a cool, dry place for a couple of weeks. That’s it! You’re done and can now devour them.

Being a science nerd, I want to point out that canning can be dangerous. Growth of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum in canned foods may cause botulism—a serious illness. Health Canada has some good tips and lots of reading on safe canning!

Here are a few quick tips:

• Use heavy-duty jars, like mason jars, that are made specifically for home canning: 
• Don’t re-use lids: a perfect fit can’t be guaranteed after a lid has been used once.
• High-acid foods (like fruit, pickles sauerkraut and jams) require a boiling water canner.
• Low-acid foods (like meat, soup and most vegetables) require a pressure canner. For these foods, only a pressure canner can reach the temperatures needed to kill the bacteria which cause botulism.

Happy canning!