One of the simplest, but at the same time delicious, preserves prepared for the winter is pickled whole peppers. Thanks to a small number of ingredients and a simple preparation process, this homemade preparation is not inferior in popularity to all the usual pickled cucumbers, canned tomatoes, squash caviar, adjika, and pickled mushrooms.
Features of preparing whole pickled peppers for the winter
The main features of the preparation of such preservation are:
- Simplicity - preparing and preserving this vegetable does not require much time or special expenses.
- A small number of ingredients and their availability - in order to pickle peppers, you need simple and accessible components for everyone.
- Long shelf life - canned whole sweet peppers, subject to storage conditions, do not lose their taste for 2-3 years.
List of ingredients
To prepare the preserve you will need the following ingredients:
- Bell pepper;
- sugar;
- salt;
- 9% vinegar or vinegar essence;
- vegetable oil;
- allspice;
- Bay leaf.
To add spice to future preservation, add hot pepper and garlic cloves. In many similar recipes, ripe red tomatoes are also used, from which they prepare a sauce for pouring over the fruit. To simplify the cooking process, you can use ready-made tomato sauce or paste.
How to choose and prepare vegetables correctly
To ensure that the fruits are evenly cooked during the process of blanching and sterilization, peppers of the same degree of ripeness (green, red or slightly reddened) and the same size are selected for preservation.
The harvested fruits are washed well with cold water, then the stalks and seeds are cut off with a sharp knife and removed. To completely remove seed residues, wash them again.
Preparing containers at home
Use glass jars with a capacity of 0.5 to 2.0 liters. Less commonly, 3-liter jars are used for such preservation. The necks of the jars must be intact, without chips or cracks.
The preparation of jars in which the preservation will subsequently be placed is carried out as follows:
- The container is washed with a warm soda solution, rinsed thoroughly and turned over to drain the water.
- Then clean jars, turned upside down, are placed in the neck of a boiling kettle for scalding for 2-3 minutes.
- If the container is of small capacity, then it is convenient to use a hot oven for these purposes.
Seaming lids also need to be processed - they are dipped in boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
How to prepare whole pickled bell peppers step by step
The process of preparing this preservation consists of the following steps:
- Preparing sweet peppers, washing spices (bay leaves, peppercorns).
- Washing, rinsing, scalding glass containers, after which the jars are covered with lids.
- Preparing the marinade - the simplest marinade recipe includes 1 liter of water, 1 tablespoon each of sugar and salt, 3 tablespoons of 9% vinegar.
- Blanching - pepper fruits are dipped into a boiling marinade for 4-5 minutes, after which they are tightly placed in jars. When the jar is filled, add hot brine to the top and cover with a rolling lid.
- Sterilization of filled jars - filled jars are placed in a container of hot water, which is gradually brought to a boil. The sterilization time depends on the container capacity (for example, a half-liter jar is sterilized for 10 minutes, a liter jar for 20 minutes).
- Hermetic capping (sealing) of cans - using a special sealing device, the cans are hermetically sealed with tin sealing lids. After seaming, it is recommended to turn the jars over, place them on the neck and cool to room temperature. At the same time, in order for the tanks with their contents to remain hot for as long as possible, they must be tightly wrapped (closed) with a warm blanket.
Using this simple marinating technology, you can prepare not only whole peppers with tails in the marinade, but also cut into medium-sized pieces.
Further storage of the finished product
The room in which the preserved food will be stored must be dry and cool (temperature: +4...+10 °C). If the number of jars of canned sweet peppers is very small, then they can be placed in the refrigerator.
