Pickled Sweet Peppers

These pickled peppers use a two-stage process that sets them apart from quick refrigerator pickles. An overnight salt brine draws moisture out of the peppers first, firming them up so they stay crisp and snappy after canning. Then a hot brine of apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic, and horseradish gives them a tangy, slightly sweet kick with a bit of heat lurking underneath.

Cutting two small slits in each pepper before brining is important. It lets the salt water penetrate evenly and prevents air pockets that can cause floating in the jars.

The horseradish is the unexpected ingredient here. It adds a sharp, sinus-clearing bite that balances the sweetness of the peppers and the vinegar’s tang. You simmer it in the brine and remove the garlic before packing, but the flavor stays behind.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a mix of red, green, and yellow peppers for the most colorful jars.
• Wear rubber gloves if you’re working with any hot peppers in the mix. Capsaicin sticks to skin and burns for hours.
• Leave exactly ¼ inch of headspace in each jar. Too much and the seal may fail; too little and the liquid can bubble out during processing.
• Process at a full rolling boil for the entire 10 minutes. Start timing only after the water returns to a boil.

Variations

• Spicy pickled peppers: Mix in banana peppers or jalapeños for jars with more heat.
• Italian style: Add a bay leaf and a few whole peppercorns to each jar before sealing.