Pickling for the first time

[b0nneth3ad]

I just picked a bunch of jalapeños from my small balcony garden and wanted to try pickling them. I used a simple vinegar recipe but they turned out soft and not very hot. Did I mess something up?

I also want to dry some peppers to make chili powder. Can I use my oven for that or do I need a special dryer? Any easy tips for keeping them fresh for a long time would be super helpful. Thanks!

 

[Alan]

Softness might come from overcooking or not using firm, fresh pods. For drying, oven on low with good airflow works great. Have you tried freezing whole peppers to keep them fresh longer?

 

[MutantRyeff]

I just picked a bunch of jalapeños from my small balcony garden and wanted to try pickling them. I used a simple vinegar recipe but they turned out soft and not very hot. Did I mess something up?

I also want to dry some peppers to make chili powder. Can I use my oven for that or do I need a special dryer? Any easy tips for keeping them fresh for a long time would be super helpful. Thanks!

A little bit of alum will help maintain some crunchiness, but there might not be much crunch with jalapenos. The two peppers I pickle that maintain crunch are Sport and Sugar Rush Stripey.

 

[PizzaBoyfriend]

I also want to dry some peppers to make chili powder. Can I use my oven for that or do I need a special dryer?

yeah, oven works well for drying peppers if you don't have a food dehydrator. I often do that and it works