It’s been one month since our first Annual Pickle Party but the pickling party has not stopped in my house! I have been a pickling and canning fiend this year, stocking up on all the local goodness for this winter. And, I’m also planning to give these as gifts for this holiday season because I think edible gifts are superior gifts.
I have loved habaneros and scotch bonnet peppers since my time living in Cameroon, as they are a staple in Cameroonian cuisine.
They lend a bright, fruity flavor while also packing quite the punch of spice. For our friends who don’t have a high spice tolerance, they likely wouldn’t have ever experienced this flavor in fear of spice…until now! The habanada peppers have officially entered the chat (and can be found at North Mountain Produce and Friendly Neighbor Gardens).
Habanada peppers carry the unique habanero flavor without any of the spice. They are amazing raw, cooked and, of course, pickled!
This recipe takes habanadas and treats them like pepperoncinis. Viola the Habanadancini! Store them in your fridge or give them a quick water bath to store them all winter long. I’m thrilled to have these in my pantry, and I hope you will be, too!
By Halee Jones
Ingredients
6 pints of Habanada Peppers*
5 cups Distilled White Vinegar (5% acidity)
5 cups Water
3 Tbs Kosher Salt
1 Tbs Sugar
Bay Leaves (optional)
Garlic Cloves* (optional)
Black Peppercorns (optional)
*These ingredients can be found at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, check What’s Fresh to see what’s in season
Method
Prepare jars - sterilize and clean. Wash and dry peppers. I got 4 pints and 7 jelly jars out of this recipe.
Slice peppers or pierce whole peppers a few times.
Add the peppers into jars. Give them enough space so they have enough space to “breath” and aren’t smushed.
For additional flavor, add - ½ bay leaf, a few peppercorns and ½ a garlic clove to each jar. This step is completely optional and the peppers will still be delicious without it. I did some with and without this step.
Prepare the brine - heat the vinegar, water, salt and sugar until dissolved.
Pour the brine over the peppers. Remove all air bubbles. If you left your peppers whole, they will need extra attention to get all the air bubbles out and the brine inside of the peppers. Leave about a ½ inch of headspace in the jar.
Wipe the rims and jar lids and seal until finger tight.
You can stop here and leave your peppers in the fridge to enjoy for about a month. Or you can move on to canning.
To can - put jars in your canner or large pot. Fill the pot with water until 1 inch of water is covering them. Bring your pot to a boil, cover and let boil strongly for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, let them sit for 5 minutes, and then remove the cans from the water.
Let the cans cool undisturbed for one day. Check all of the seals, label your jars and store them in a dark place. If you have any jars that didn’t seal, put them in the fridge and eat them within a month.
Enjoy!
