Canning Crunchy Banana Pepper Rings

After 2 batches, I found the way I prefer to can banana pepper rings so they have a nice crunch to them (the first batch I tried were way too mushy!).  After reading up on what others have done, I decided to try the open kettle food processing method instead of a hot water bath.  I warn you, the open kettle food processing method is not the way the USDA recommends canning.  However, all my jars sealed and I know we will eat these up pretty quickly, but if you are not sure, stick with a hot water bath method of sealing your jars (keep jars in the hot water bath after putting lids on for about 10 minutes).  I also used Ball's Pickle Crisp Granules in each jar, so they stay crunchier after the water bath as well.  And now, for the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 5- 1 pint canning jars, lids, and rings
• 15-20 Banana peppers sliced into rings (I had closer to 20)
• 1 clove garlic for each pint jar
• 1/8 teaspoon Ball's Pickle Crisp Granules per pint jar

For the Brine:

• 5 cups white distilled vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 4 teaspoons canning/pickling salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Directions:

1. Wash and slice your banana peppers into rings, taking out any seeds during the process.
2. After all the slicing is done, ensure your jars are sterilized.  I stick each jar in hot, boiling water.  Also, keep the lids in hot, right at boiling point water until you are ready to put them on top of the filled, hot jar. 
3. At this point I start working on the brine.  In a pot, bring your brine ingredients to a boil (the vinegar, water, canning/picking salt, sugar, and turmeric).  Once it starts boiling, boil for 5 minutes.
4. While the brine is boiling, get your hot jars ready by putting in a clove of garlic in each jar.  Pack in the banana peppers tightly!  Right before the last little bit of peppers, add the 1/8 teaspoon of pickle crisp granules.
5. When your brine is ready, fill until you have 1/2 inch of head space.  Tap the jar on the counter or use a long handle or spatula to get the bubbles out and re-fill the jar until you are back to 1/2 inch of head space.
6. Quickly wipe the jar rim before placing the lid on it.  After placing the hot lid, put ring on and let it sit upside down.  I let mine stay this way overnight, then checked to see if was sealed the next day (the lid was concave, it did not spring and pop back up when touched or pushed down).

 

I may or may not have learned some of the following dos and don'ts from experience.

• Do wear oven mitts when dealing with any of the hot items, even if you are using another tool to pick the object up!
• Don't think that just because the pepper rings fit in the jar that it is packed, actually pack those rings down!
• Do cut your peppers into rings before boiling the brine.

Remember, the USDA does not recommend this method of canning.  If you are unsure, please go ahead and do a hot water bath.