The Best Pickled Peppers You Will Ever Eat (well, I Hope So)

Over the past few years I have been trying to can pickles, dill pickles to be exact. I had some limited success the first couple years but then about 2 years ago I stumbled upon an awesome dill pickle recipe. Actually, it wasn't so much the entire recipe that I needed, it was the brine that I needed. With that simple brine recipe and a garden full of Jalapeno and Habanero peppers I asked myself "What the heck am I going to do with these?" And so, I decided on using the same simple brine I used for my pickles to pickle my peppers. These peppers are awesome! I have had many many compliments on my peppers and I am sure you will love them too. Don't get confused by those slices you buy in the store, these are nothing like those - these are so much better! Eat them with nachos, burgers, pizza, or right out of the jar! Oh, and this BTW, is my first Instructable! Did I also mention these can be eaten in as little as 3 days (probably sooner but I haven't tried).

Step 1: Ingredients (and Things You Need)

Peppers - I like a mix of Jalepeno's and Habanero's
Garlic
Dill weed (I grew it in my garden)
Cilantro (I grew some of this too but this time its from the store)
Canning Salt
Vinegar
Water
Small jar
Knife
Pot for boiling the brine
(you might also want some rubber gloves)

Step 2: Boil the Brine

The brine is a very simple mix of water, vinegar, and canning salt.

In a large pot  bring to a rolling boil:
4 1/2 cups water
4 cups white vinegar
6 tablespoons of canning salt

This will make much more brine than you will need for 1 jar.  You can easily cut this in 1/2 if needed.  You can also use this same brine for pickles and man are they good!  The only thing I change for pickles is cucumbers instead of peppers and no cilantro.

Step 3: Cilantro, Dill, and Garlic

Everything is better with garlic!

Rinse your cilantro and drop a bunch of the leaves into a small jar.
Chop up some garlic, 3 cloves ought to work well, drop those into the jar.
Add dill flowers/weed to your jar.  (you can buy dill weed and dill seed at the grocery store and use that instead)

Step 4: Time for the Peppers

I normally don't wear no sissy gloves but the last time I made these I had a contact that I had to remove.  I washed my hands several times, but it didn't matter - I got that hot pepper oil in and around my eye.  It was not pretty!

I like to use a tomato knife which is has a serrated edge.  This allows me to make nice thin slices.

Slice up those Jalapeno's and Habanero's and pack them into the jar too.

Step 5: Fill the Jar

Now that you have all that good stuff shoved into the jar its time to take that boiling brine and pour it over the top.

Fill the jar to about 1/2" from the top, put the lid on it and let it cool on the counter.

If you want to store these on a shelf you may want to process them in a boiling bath.  I don't do this, instead I put them right into the refrigerator when they are cooled down.  These have lasted me 6+ months and I have not had any problems eating them but I don't work for the FDA either.

I have opened these after 3 days and they are awesome!

Hope you enjoy!