How to Preserve Hot Peppers in Olive Oil

Choose the pepper

For preservation, always choose the freshest pepper. You can tell the freshness of pepper by its shine and firmness. Old peppers don't have the glossy shine and are limp. If you grow peppers in your kitchen garden, then pick the peppers the same day when you are making the olive oil preserve.

Additionally, selecting a variety of peppers with different levels of heat can create a more complex and interesting flavor profile in your preserves.

Prepare the jars

This is a very important step which most people tend to overlook. You must wash and sanitize your jars. If your dishwasher has a sanitize cycle, then use it. Otherwise, put the jars and lids in boiling water. Take out the lids after 5 minutes and the jars after 10 minutes. Put them aside to dry.

Ensuring the jars are completely dry before filling them helps prevent any unwanted bacteria growth, which is crucial for safe preservation.

Prep the hot peppers

Before handling peppers, make sure that you are wearing gloves. You certainly don't want to be handling peppers and accidentally touch your face!

Take the peppers and give them a good rinse in cold water. Dry them with a towel. Then take the peppers and slice them in half. At this point, you can remove the core and seeds. If you love the heat, then leave the seeds in.

Removing the seeds can also affect the texture of the final product, making it smoother and less crunchy, which some may prefer.

Charring the peppers

The main concern while charring the peppers is to char only the outside skin and not the flesh. Grill or broil the peppers and keep a close eye on them all the time. Keep turning the peppers at regular intervals and it would be ready within 15 minutes.

Charring not only enhances the flavor but also adds a smoky aroma that can elevate the taste of the preserved peppers.

Steam the peppers

Take the charred peppers in a paper bag and steam them for 20 minutes. After removing them from the steam, the skin would be easy to remove just by rubbing them with hands.

Note: People who love pepper skin should avoid charring and steaming the peppers. They can jump directly to the next step.

Steaming the peppers helps to soften them, making them more pliable and easier to pack into jars.

Add the spices

Now add the garlic cloves to the sanitized jar. You can also add some other herbs or aromatics like oregano to enhance the taste.

Other spices, such as thyme or rosemary, can also complement the peppers, adding depth to the flavor profile.

Peppers in jar

Now pop your hot peppers into the jars. Make sure that you leave 1 inch headspace at the top of the jar. Then add the kosher salt as per your taste. Remember, salt only enhances the taste, it is not a preservative.

Arranging the peppers neatly in the jar not only looks appealing but also helps maximize the space efficiently, ensuring that more peppers fit in each jar.

Prep the preservative

In a pot, combine water, vinegar, salt, and olive oil and then bring them to boil. Then let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

Using a well-balanced ratio of vinegar and olive oil is key, as vinegar acts as a natural preservative, adding tanginess to the peppers.

Add the preservative to the jars

Use the ladle or big spoon to transfer the preservative from the pot to the jar. Do not fill the jar completely. Leave an inch of headspace. Put the lid on the jar and seal it.

Ensuring a proper seal is essential for long-term storage, as it prevents air from entering and spoiling the contents.

Water bath

Put the jars in canner and then process it in boiling water bath.

• If you are using half pint or pints jar, then process it for 15 minutes if you are at an altitude of 6,000 feet or less or for 20 minutes if you are at an altitude of more than 6,000 feet.
• If you are using quarts jar, then process it for 20 minutes if you are at an altitude of 6,000 feet or less or for 25 minutes if you are at an altitude of more than 6,000 feet.

The water bath method helps to create a vacuum seal, which is crucial for preventing bacterial growth and ensuring the peppers remain safe to eat over time.

Storing the jars

After the water bath, lift out the jar and let them cool. Then store it in the refrigerator and wait for at least 5 to 6 weeks before opening it.

Allowing the peppers to marinate for several weeks lets the flavors meld and mature, resulting in a more delicious and complex taste when you finally open the jar.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Preserve Hot Peppers in Olive Oil, we recommend you visit our Food & drink category.