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What Are the Best Tips for Canning Banana Peppers?

Jennifer Leigh
Jennifer Leigh

The banana pepper is a relatively sweet variety of pepper known for its slender yellow shape, similar to that of a banana. During summer months in certain climates, banana pepper growth can be prolific, leaving gardeners wondering what to do with the excess. It is important to choose the vegetables carefully and prepare them properly before canning to ensure that they remain safe from harmful bacteria and mold. Pickling is the process of adding spices and acidity when canning banana peppers so that they remain safe for up to six months, though peppers can also be packed in oil before being canned. Canning banana peppers is possible with some tools such as mason jars and lids, a canning bath and safety equipment.

It is important individuals choose fresh peppers for canning banana peppers that do not have dark spots on their skin and do not appear wilted or droopy. The peppers should be washed and either left whole or cut into chunks or strips. For whole peppers, a small slit should be cut to ensure that vinegar gets inside the pepper. Pickling involves a mixture of non-iodized pickling salt, vinegar and spices. Vegetable or olive oil can be added to the mixture when canning banana peppers if a more oily texture is desired in the outcome, but it should not be more than one-fifth of the amount of vinegar.

Banana peppers.
Banana peppers.

The mason jars and lids should be placed in a large pan filled with water and heated until boiling for at least ten minutes. This will sterilize the jars before the peppers and liquid are placed inside them. Jars and lids should be removed from the boiling water with tongs and allowed to cool before the peppers are placed into the jars. Pickling liquid, which will go into the jars after the peppers, needs to be boiled and poured over the peppers with a small amount of room left at the top before the lids are screwed on.

Vinegar is used in the pickling process.
Vinegar is used in the pickling process.

When canning banana peppers is done properly, the top of the lid will not make a noise when it is pushed down lightly with a finger. This means that the jars have sealed and as long as nothing was contaminated during the process, the banana peppers should be safe to eat. The jars should be left for four weeks before opening to ensure the best flavor from the liquid inside the jars.

Discussion Comments

Talentryto

@raynbow- You can also leave your banana peppers whole but slice them down one side to remove the seeds. This makes it easier to get all of them out while still leaving your peppers in one piece.

Heavanet

@raynbow- There are different ways that you can slice banana peppers and still get good results when canning them. Since they are relatively small in the first place, you should be able to fit plenty into each canning jar regardless of how you slice them.

One of the most popular ways to slice banana peppers before pickling and canning them is into rings. It is very easy to cut them this way, and you will be able to fit quite a few into your jars. The other benefit of cutting banana peppers into rings is that they will be ready to use when you open the jars, whether you like them in salads, on pizza, in pasta dishes, or right out of the jar and into your mouth.

Another way that you can slice banana peppers for canning is to simply cut them in half. Though you may have to slice them when you are ready to eat or serve them, they look really nice in the jars after you can them.

Finally, you can also leave banana peppers whole when you can them. This is the easiest way to prepare them for canning. All you will have to do is cut off the stems and remove the seeds, then place the banana peppers in the pickling mixture in the jars for canning.

Raynbow

Does anyone have some tips for the best ways to slice banana peppers before canning them? I would like to fit as many as possible into my jars.

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    • Banana peppers.
      By: Greg Younger
      Banana peppers.
    • Vinegar is used in the pickling process.
      By: hsagencia
      Vinegar is used in the pickling process.