Canning issue soft pepperocini.

[Woodland Woman]

I canned some pepperocini about a month ago for salad peppers. I was planning on canning more today but I got to looking at the last jars and the peppers look soft and some mushy. How can I can them to be firm for salads? Or do I just need to bypass the canning process and " pickle" them in the fridge?

 

[Kim_NC]

I add calcium chloride to mine for crispness. It's just a salt...CaCl2. I order it online here:
http://shop2.chemassociates.com/shopsite/Chemassoc2/ggcs.html - look about halfway down the page.

Ball used to sell it as "Pickle Crisp".

The recipe I use for whole peppers and pepper rings is posted here:
http://www.millriverfarm.com/recipe.cfm?id=408&catname=Canning, Freezing, Preserving

 

[Woodland Woman]

Thanks, I wonder if there are any stores that sell calcium chloride. Shipping seems a little high.

 

[Kim_NC]

Don't know of any stores that carry it. I order 2 of the 450g size at one time. It's more cost effective for shipping. That's enough to do all of the pickles and peppers I can (a lot) for a year r more.

bulkfoods.com carries it. The cost of the product is higher, not sure about their shipping.

 

[Woodland Woman]

If I needed a lot it might be worth it but pepperocini would be the only thing. I'll try looking at some stores first.

 

[journey11]

I don't have the recipe for it, but we had this same conversation over on TEG awhile back and determined that authenic pickled pepperocini's ought to be brined in a crock. I think the heat from waterbathing them is what makes them smushy. You could also toss in a couple grape leaves, like you do for pickles, to help keep them crisp. Works, although I don't know the science behind it.

 

[Woodland Woman]

Do you think I could just put them in a jar with vinegar in the fridge? How long would they last that way?

 

[freemotion]

Fermenting with salt will get the vinegary taste in them. I haven't fermented pepperocini, but I have fermented diced mixed hot peppers and plenty of salsa (among many other ferments) and I ferment 2-3 days at room temp (70's) and then into the fridge indefinitely. The classic sour taste takes a little while to really develop, and the flavor gets better and better.