Marinated Peppers – Water Bath
from National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP)
Ingredients
To process 4 pounds of peppers you must use exactly:
This creates a strict 3:1 ratio of total acid to oil (3 cups of acid to 1 cup of oil)
Instructions
  1. Wash, slice, and pack your raw hot peppers tightly into hot, clean jars.
  2. In a separate saucepan, combine the vinegar, bottled lemon juice, oil, and if you choose, onions, garlic, and seasonings. Bring this entire mixture to a full boil.
  3. Ladle the boiled mixture into the half-pint or pint jars leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Stir the pot frequently. Because oil and vinegar naturally separate, stirring ensures that each jar gets an equal distribution of oil and acid rather than one jar getting all oil and another getting all vinegar.
  4. Wipe rims meticulously: Oil residue on the jar rims will prevent the lids from sealing properly. Clean the rims thoroughly with a paper towel dipped in straight white vinegar before applying the lids.
  5. Process them in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (adjust for altitudes above 1,000 feet).
Recipe Notes

Critical Safety Rules:

Never add more oil: Adding extra oil insulates low-acid bacterial spores from the acid and heat, making the environment unsafe.

Never add water: Unlike standard pickles, this specific recipe contains zero water. The peppers are acidified entirely by the vinegar and lemon juice.