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cooking Cold Pickling...To boil, or not boil?

I use pepperjoe's simple recipe for pickling jalapenos which is basically pouring the cold vinegar/water into the jar of sliced peppers. I also see recipes where the liquid is boiled and simmered first, then poured hot into the jar of peppers. Why do this? Does this speed up the pickling process? I like the fresh snap that the peppers retain using pepperjoe's method, so I'm also wondering if the hot liquid wouldn't soften up the peppers too much, like the canned jalapenos en escabeche that can be bought in supermarkets(Embasa brand). Too mushy for me.
 
It primarily has to do with food safety. You should always boil your container and lid before using them for brining or pickling, to ensure you kill off any nasties that may be on their surfaces. Boiling the brining or pickling liquid is done for the same purpose - to kill off any nasties so that no one gets sick (or worse) from eating your items.
 
i am no expert here but refrigeration only slows down the nasty's growth, it does not kill them. boiling on the other hand kills them until the next open air exposure.

i agree with the mushy peppers when hot canned, blech. do you care to share the recipe for cold pickling? how long does it take to get a full pickle flavor?
 
This recipe is from pepperjoe's site. I add whole Mexican oregano to mine, and refrigerate immediately when I make a batch. Since the peppers are sliced, it only takes about a week before they are ready. I think the longest I've had a jar in the fridge was about 4-6 weeks. If there is any danger of food poisoning from this, I'm unaware of it.


http://www.pepperjoe.com/hot-pepper-varieties/The-Mighty-Jalapeno-Pepper.html
 
"geeme" hit on a good point about sterilizing the jar,lid, ring....etc. That has to be done........just like tying a shoelace......its important!

Although if you're using a 50/50 brine the ph is low enough to preserve the peppers..without heating the solution.
I've done Jalapeno's that way for years, It doesen't take too long for the brining process to take effect.

But I have to admit with either jalapenos,or when making giardiniera I process the jars in a "water bath"...the easiest canning method.
The jalapenos are combined with onions, carrots dill, and red pepper flakes. The giadiniera has serrano's or better, celery and onions.

The jars can sit up to a year unopened. Once opened, either by me or elsebody....I recommend dumping have the brine out and filling up
the jar with a Good oil. It can then sit out on the counter for a week or two or in the fridge for a couple of month's or so.......if it lasts! that long.

Adding oil to the initial canning process is a no-no....... :tear: The heating process will speed up the bacteria growth.....vinegar or not...
 
I used a 2:1 vinegar to water ratio.

I just put some hard boiled eggs in the last jar of brine I made after the peppers were gone. Any idea how long it takes for eggs to pickle?
 
[background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]i am no expert here but refrigeration only slows down the nasty's growth, it does not kill them. boiling on the other hand kills them until the next open air exposure.[/background]

I'm no expert either, but I'm pretty sure that the pure vinegar prevents anything from growing. Too acidic for the nasties.
 
if in doubt, follow an established recipe from an extension service or the Ball canning site-

www.freshpreserving.com


edit- that should read "extension service affiliated with universities or the Ball canning site."
 
Personally I would only cold pickle like this if I were using the finished product in my own home. I have cut up jalapenos and added them to a vinegar and water solution to eat within a short period of time. I do have a jar of pepper scraps with vinegar that I spoon onto my greens when I eat them. I doubt this is a very safe practice but it is a practice I picked up from my parents, I trust it but the FDA doesn't.
 
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