With food costs on the rise, pressure canning is making a comeback. Gardeners can benefit from learning the art of home canning, and canning peppers allows for an abundant harvest without food waste. Peppers have such a wide range of flavors and spice that it’s easy to find a variety that is right for you and your garden. With this helpful excerpt from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Complete Guide to Home Canning, you’ll learn the hot pack process for canning peppers. Use this and our othercanning resources to stock up after your harvest.
The following is an excerpt from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning covering how to can peppers.
How to Can Peppers
Hot or sweet, including chiles, jalapeño and pimiento.
Quantity: An average of 9 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 25 pounds and yields 20 to 30 pints — an average of 1 pound per pint.
Quality: Select firm yellow, green or red peppers. Do not use soft or diseased peppers.
Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.
Procedure: Select your favorite pepper(s). Small peppers may be left whole. Large peppers may be quartered. Remove cores and seeds. Slash two or four slits in each pepper, and either blanch in boiling water or blister using one of the following methods:
Oven or broiler method: Place peppers in a hot oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit) or broiler for 6 to 8 minutes until skins blister.
Range-top method: Cover hot burner, either gas or electric, with heavy wire mesh. Place peppers on burner for several minutes until skins blister.
Allow peppers to cool. Place in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. This will make peeling the peppers easier. After several minutes, peel each pepper. Flatten whole peppers. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each pint jar, if desired. Fill jars loosely with peppers and add fresh boiled water, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process following the recommendations in the Image Gallery.