Pickled Banana Peppers
If your garden is anything like mine, you probably reach a point in the summer when the banana peppers just will not stop producing. You pick a basketful, think you finally caught up, and then you walk back outside a few days later to find even more peppers waiting for you. This was so exciting because pickled banana peppers was on my list of things I wanted to add to the pantry.
One of my favorite things about growing a bountiful garden is finding ways to preserve what we grow. All those hours spent planting, watering, weeding, feeding, picking, and keeping an eye on everything finally pay off when you line the pantry with jars of homemade food. To me, canning is the reward for all the work that goes into the garden.
These pickled banana peppers are so easy to make, too. The peppers are sliced into rings, packed into jars, and covered with a simple vinegar brine made with white vinegar, water, turmeric, and canning salt. A little pickle crisp helps keep the peppers nice and crisp instead of leaving you with soft, limp peppers.
Best of all, when you make your own pickled banana peppers, you know exactly what went into them. There are no artificial food dyes, preservatives, or unnecessary food additives hiding in the jar. You are using fresh peppers from your garden and a handful of simple ingredients to make something your family can enjoy long after the growing season is over.
Why You’ll Love These Pickled Banana Peppers
First, this recipe is a great way to use a big banana pepper harvest. If your plants are producing faster than your family can eat them fresh, pickling gives you a way to preserve that harvest instead of letting those peppers go to waste.
The ingredients are simple. You need fresh banana peppers, white vinegar, water, turmeric, canning salt, and pickle crisp. That is it.
Another reason I love making these at home is that I can skip the long list of ingredients found in some store-bought foods. There are no artificial colors or unnecessary food additives in these homemade peppers. You know exactly what you are putting into every jar.
Most importantly, you get to enjoy your garden all year long. It is so satisfying to open a jar in the middle of winter and know those peppers came straight from your garden.
Growing Banana Peppers in the Garden
Banana peppers can really have an impressive harvest. Once the plants get established and start producing, you can end up with far more peppers than you expected.
During the growing season, I love using fresh banana peppers in sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pasta dishes, and anything else that could use a little extra flavor. However, fresh peppers do not last forever.
Instead of trying to use every pepper immediately, you can preserve them while they are fresh and plentiful. All that garden work continues to pay off months after the growing season ends.
If you have ever grown a garden, you know how exciting it is to see the first vegetables appear. At first, you are thrilled with every pepper you pick. Before long, however, the harvest can become a little overwhelming.
A bountiful harvest gives you the opportunity to stock your pantry. Canning lets you turn that abundance into food your family can enjoy throughout the year.
Why Canning Is the Reward for Growing a Garden
For me, gardening and canning go hand in hand.
You start with a tiny seed or little plant. Then you spend weeks watering, weeding, watching the weather, and waiting for those first peppers to ripen. Eventually, you are carrying baskets of vegetables into the kitchen and planning time to can them.
Instead of buying a jar of peppers at the grocery store, you have your own homemade supply sitting right in your pantry.
Plus, preserving your own food gives you control over the ingredients. I love knowing that these pickled banana peppers contain simple ingredients and no artificial food dyes, preservatives, or unnecessary additives.
It also means you can enjoy your garden when the snow is on the ground and the garden is nothing more than a happy memory.
Ingredients for Pickled Banana Peppers
Fresh Banana Peppers
You will need 2 pounds of fresh banana peppers. Wash the peppers well before preparing them, especially if they came straight from the garden.
Slice the peppers into rings. You can make the rings thinner or thicker depending on how you like your peppers but try to keep the slices relatively uniform so they pack nicely into the jars.
White Vinegar
The vinegar is an important because it creates the acidic brine used for pickling.
Water
Water helps balance the vinegar while still keeping the brine acidic enough for this tested canning recipe.
Turmeric
Turmeric gives the brine that beautiful golden color. It also adds a little flavor without requiring a long list of ingredients.
Canning Salt
Use canning salt rather than regular table salt. The recipe adds a measured amount directly to each jar.
Pickle Crisp
Pickle crisp helps the banana peppers stay crisp after processing. Nobody wants to open a jar of homemade peppers and find mushy rings inside!
How to Make Pickled Banana Peppers
Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars once they are inside, then bring the water to a boil.
Wash your canning jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water.
Combine 2½ cups white vinegar, 1½ cups water, and 1 teaspoon turmeric in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
While the brine is heating, wash the banana peppers and slice them into rings.
Pack the sliced banana peppers into your jars. Try to pack them fairly snugly without crushing them.
Carefully pour the hot vinegar brine into each jar. Leave ½ inch of headspace at the top of every jar.
Run a bubble popper around the inside edge of the jar.
Check the headspace again and if necessary, add more brine so the jar has the correct ½ inch headspace.
Add ¼ teaspoon canning salt and ⅛ teaspoon pickle crisp to each jar.
Wipe the rim of every jar with a clean, dry paper towel. A clean rim is important because any food or brine left on the rim can interfere with the lid sealing properly.
Place a prepared lid on each jar. Then screw the band onto the jar and tighten it fingertip tight. You do not want to crank the bands down as hard as possible.
Carefully lower the filled jars into the boiling water bath.
Cover the canner and process the jars for 10 minutes.
Once the processing time is complete, carefully remove the jars from the water bath. Set them on a towel-lined cutting board or another protected surface where they will not be disturbed.
Let the jars sit undisturbed for 12 hours.
Finally, label and date your sealed jars before storing them.
If a jar did not seal, do not store it in the pantry, refrigerate and use it first.
Tips for Making Pickled Banana Peppers
Start with fresh peppers. Fresh, firm banana peppers will give you a better finished product than peppers that are already soft or past their prime.
Keep your slices fairly even. Uniform slices make the jars look nicer and help keep the texture consistent.
Do not skip the headspace. Measure ½ inch of headspace in every jar. Too little or too much headspace can affect the canning process.
Use pickle crisp as directed. The small amount added to each jar helps maintain a crisp texture.
Wipe the rims carefully. Before putting the lids on, make sure every jar rim is clean and dry.
Do not overtighten the bands. Finger-tip tight is all you need.
Give the jars time to seal. Leave them undisturbed for the full 12 hours after processing before checking the seals.
How to Use Pickled Banana Peppers
There are so many ways to use a jar of homemade pickled banana peppers.
Add them to sandwiches for a bright, tangy bite. They are also delicious chopped over burgers, pizza, salads, wraps, and grilled meats.
You can put a bowl of them on the table alongside lunch or dinner, too. Even a simple meal feels a little more special when you have a jar of homemade garden peppers ready to open.
I especially love having these in the pantry because they are ready whenever I need them. There is no washing, slicing, or chopping required when you are putting together a quick meal. Just open a jar and grab what you need.
How to Store Canned Banana Peppers
Once your jars have processed and cooled for 12 hours, check the seals. Any jar that has not sealed should be refrigerated and used first.
For properly sealed jars, remove the rings if desired and label each jar with the contents and date. Store the jars in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and temperature extremes.
Before using a jar, always check the seal and inspect the contents. If anything looks unusual or the jar shows signs of spoilage, discard it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to grow my own banana peppers?
No! Garden-grown banana peppers are wonderful for this recipe, but you can absolutely use fresh peppers from a farmers market or grocery store.
Can I leave the banana peppers whole?
This recipe is written for sliced banana peppers. Slicing them into rings makes them easy to pack into jars and convenient to use later.
Why do you add turmeric?
Turmeric gives the pickling brine its beautiful yellow color and adds flavor to the peppers.
Why use pickle crisp?
Pickle crisp helps the peppers retain a crisp texture during the canning process.
How much headspace should I leave?
Leave ½ inch of headspace in each jar.
How long do I process pickled banana peppers?
Process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
What do I do if one of my jars doesn’t seal?
Refrigerate the unsealed jar and use it first. Properly sealed jars can be labeled, dated, and stored in your pantry.
The Best Part of a Bountiful Garden
A big garden harvest can sometimes feel like a lot of work. Between picking vegetables, washing everything, figuring out what to eat right away, and finding ways to preserve the rest, summer can get pretty busy.
Still, I would not trade that abundance for anything.
Canning is the reward for all those hours in the garden. Every jar represents a little piece of the work you put into growing your own food. When you open that jar months later, you get to enjoy the results all over again.
These pickled banana peppers are a simple way to preserve, and it makes the effort worth it. You take two pounds of fresh peppers and turn them into jars of tangy, crisp peppers that can sit in your pantry waiting for sandwiches, burgers, pizza, salads, and whatever else you dream up.
Most importantly, you know exactly what is in those jars. Fresh garden peppers, vinegar, water, turmeric, canning salt, and pickle crisp. No artificial food dyes. No unnecessary food additives. Just homemade food made from a bountiful harvest.
So when those banana pepper plants start producing faster than you can eat them, grab your canning jars. Instead of wondering what you are going to do with another basket of peppers, turn that garden abundance into something you can enjoy all year long.
More Canning Recipes
Cowboy Candy
Homemade Dill Pickles
Pickled Green Beans
Pickled Banana Peppers
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Fresh banana peppers
- 2½ cups White vinegar
- 1½ cups Water
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Canning salt
- Pickle crisp
Instructions
- Fill the water bath canner and bring to a boil.
- Wash the jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water.
- Boil vinegar, water, and turmeric in a saucepan.
- Slice the banana peppers into rings.
- Pack the peppers into the jars.
- Pour the brine into the jars leaving 1/2 inch head space. Use the bubble popper to release any trapped air and adjust head space if necessary.
- Add 1/4 tsp of canning salt and 1/8 tsp of pickle crisp to each jar.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean dry paper towel.
- Place the lids on the jars and tighten the bands finger tip tight.
- Lower the jars into the water bath, cover, and process for 10 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the water bath to a towel lined cutting board.
- Allow the jars to rest for 12 hours before labeling, dating, and storing. If any jars did not seal, refrigerate and use first.
Nutrition
