Peppers

Hot or sweet, including chiles, jalapeno, and pimiento.

Procedure: Select firm yellow, green, or red peppers. Do not use soft or diseased peppers.

CAUTION If you choose hot peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes. If you do touch your eyes you may have vision problems for 15-20 minutes, however, the condition is not threatening and the problem will go away. Remember, hot peppers are the main ingredient of self-defense pepper spray.

Hot Pack - Small peppers may be left whole. Large peppers may be quartered. Remove cores and seeds. Slash two or four slits in each pepper, and either blanch in boiling water or blister skins using one of these two methods:

1. Oven or broiler method to blister skins ñ place peppers in a hot oven (400° F, 204° C) or broiler for 6-8 minutes until skins blister.
2. Range-top method to blister skins ñ Cover hot burner, either gas or electric, with heavy wire mesh. Place peppers on burner for several minutes until skins blister. After blistering skins, place peppers in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. (This will make peeling the peppers easier).

Cool several minutes; peel off skins. Flatten whole peppers. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each pint jar, if desired. Fill hot jars loosely with peppers and add fresh boiling water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust lids and process.

Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	Canner Pressure at "0" ft
			dial-gauge	weighted-gauge
Hot	1/2 Pints or Pints	35 min	11 lb	10 lb

For processing at above 1,000 ft, see Altitude Adjustments.