Chapter 10 Canning Banana Pepper Rings

Banana Peppers are Easy to Grow



The peppers are doing well this year. Check out the Banana Pepper growing in the picture. One of the reasons the peppers look so healthy and sizable is that I cultivate the soil between the rows, pull the weeds and water regularly; when we do not get rain. I use a hand cultivator that has the appearance of a claw. I have purposely let the peppers grow long this year; it's easy to pick them too soon. Why not let them reach their full potential?

Since we are going on vacation next Saturday for a week, Nancy wanted to get some Banana Peppers canned. She made 1/2 of the recipe since I did not want to pick those peppers that were half their expected size. We can process more peppers after we return.

Banana Peppers Grow to Six Inches

You can get an idea of the size of the peppers by seeing them laid out on my hand. It is exciting to see the good length because that means we get more slices in the jar.




The Banana Peppers can be Yellow and Orange

Notice in the picture to your right there are a few orange peppers mixed in with the yellow. The orange peppers grew on the same plant, but because I allow them to grow for a longer period of time they are ripening into an orange color. I will research the variation in color to see if my theory is correct.

Canning Recipe for Banana Pepper Rings

Source: http://CleanEatingClub.com

Ingredients:

8 pint jars, lids and seals
8 whole garlic cloves (optional)
2 1/2 to 3 lbs of banana peppers (estimate)
4 tsp. salt ( you will use 1/2 tsp. per jar
4 tsp. alum (optional-1/2 ts. per jar)
7 cups white vinegar (estimate)
7 cups water (estimate)

Directions:

Prepare jars (wash in hot soapy water)
Wash whole banana peppers to remove any dirt
Remove tops from peppers and cut peppers into rings (your choice of thickness)
De-seed the peppers for mild taste
In a large pot, combine 7 cups of water and 7 cups of white vinegar
Heat on high until boiling
At the same time, in a small pot, place jar lids and boil them.
Once the jars and lids are boiling, turn on low heat.
Add 1 clove of garlic to each empty jar, than pack banana pepper rings tightly
Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp alum to the peppers
Pour hot vinegar-water mixture over the peppers
Immediately out on lid
Immediately put on lid and ring to seal.
Repeat with remaining peppers and jars.
Once the jars start to cool, they will seal.



Nancy's Canned Banana Rings

Aren't Nancy's jars of Peppers beautiful? We will have another ample supply of Banana Peppers to can when we return home from our fishing Vacation. I plan to water the garden this Friday night to tide us over for a week. Hopefully we will get at least one day of rain while we are gone. I used to have the neighbor water the garden but they just don't have the same touch I do. Watering is a bit of an art, don't you think? So I decided to forgo asking neighbors to water. I am counting on Mother Nature to help me out. What do you do about watering your garden when you are on vacation? Until next time, See you in the Garden.