# Home Canned Italian Sweet Peppers Recipe, Please?



## kaneohegirlinaz

My husband and his older brother go on about these sweet peppers that their grandmother would "put up in her basement" and then would bring a jar up and make them peppers and eggs. 

As I may have mentioned, I'm not Italian, and unfortunately did not get to meet my in-laws. 

When I present him with the store bought variety, I get, "they're okay I guess". 

So with that said I am now hunting for this elusive recipe. 

I've asked my sister-in-law (the one who cooks, the rest of them don't know how to boil water), and she said the same, her husband wants her to make "those peppers" too. 

Right now in our area the red peppers are abundant, not to mention cheap, and I really want to take advantage of this opportunity.

I have never canned before, but having read the books and internet, I'm confident (I think) in my novice abilities, it's just that darned recipe!! 

Could anyone help me?


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## panini

Kaneohe,

   I'm just want to jump in let you know you might be setting yourself up for failure. I have my Grandmas recipes for all her

jarred veges.   Back 5 yrs. ago I tried and tried to put up peppers like hers.  I guess you can really never recreate something

you remember from the past. To many variables. Back then the veges were right from the garden, she made all our vinegars, someone always had some bootlegged olive oil.

We loved her stuffed sweet cherry peppers so much, she put them up in gallons and she still couldn't keep up. They were the size of a large golf ball, she stuffed them with bread,sausage,raisins and chopped hot pepper.

   I think I would go on line and find a good import. Buy a half dozen jars. Sweat the labels off, make you own label on the PC.

ps don't lose the site, they might like them.


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## kaneohegirlinaz

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif

Panini, you're probably right

The one time I did try it I just couldn't get it

I had his Aunt's Peppers and Eggs but not his grandma or Mom, and Auntie past not too long after we got married

...and stuffed cherry peppers? please don't even mention that one to my husband...

Many Mahalos!!


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## highlander01

Are you talking about a regular bell pepper or the long italian cooking peppers ... I can't remember the exact name ... cubanele or something like that?

Plus you have to remember your competing with a memory and I'm willing to bet the memory of what they tasted like will win more times than the actual taste ... plus with most people no body cooks better than mama ..... except grandma or in your husbands case nonna!!!!!


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## kaneohegirlinaz

I have yet to see a cubanelle (sp) but I want to trying them

You told my husband this afternoon what you guys had mentioned and you should have seen his face!

There's an Italian Import shop in Tucson I thin kthat we'll go check out, but I still want to see if maybe I can duplicate this recipe if anybody can help me out with a recipe that will work with regulation Sweet Red Bell Peppers


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## kaneohegirlinaz

oh yeah, I forgot to say, the farmers market had Red Bell Peppers galore, so I bought a dozen and washed then up this afternoon and rough chopped them for the freezer today, and he's says to me, "can you make me Peppers and Eggs tomorrow?", Ah, No! Remember we talked about this?  It's not the same dude...

Somebody help me!!!??


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## highlander01

kaneohegirlinaz said:


> I have yet to see a cubanelle (sp) but I want to trying them
> 
> You told my husband this afternoon what you guys had mentioned and you should have seen his face!
> 
> There's an Italian Import shop in Tucson I thin kthat we'll go check out, but I still want to see if maybe I can duplicate this recipe if anybody can help me out with a recipe that will work with regulation Sweet Red Bell Peppers


Ummmm in my defense and I seriously plead the 5th or the 1st, 2nd or what have you, I promise I didn't tell your hubby a thing!!!!!!!

It wasn't the "Don't forget the cannoli" type of look was it? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif

On a serious note is this pickled bell peppers that your looking for here are they spicy or roasted or anything ... crunchy, soft, salty canned in pickling solution or oil maybe?


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## chefbillyb

Aloha, Sista they take the Wahini out of Hawaii and she loss. Italian Pepper and eggs are Brok da moth, Ono Sista..........I grew up in Connecticut, with a lot of Italian friends, Italian Restaurants and so on. I would walk in to my local Italian restaurant and the Chef would yell " Billy you want a Egg and pepper grinder" of course, if he is offering, I'm eating. They always used green peppers, Red Bells will be sweeter. The Peppers were sauteed nice and soft to the bite, like a stuffed pepper that cooked in the over for hours. They scrambled the eggs in Olive oil with the soft sauteed peppers, then seasoned with salt and pepper, in this case it was served in a Grinder roll ( Hoagie Roll). They sell all kinds of pickled red peppers, some Roasted, some other ways, find the one he thinks comes the closest to his childhood memory....................We are doing a Kalua Pig next week, we had 4 pigs born on Mothers day, they are about 120 lbs should dress out to about 80lbs.............getting my taste buds ready for our trip to Hawaii at Christmas, need my Hawaiian food fix...........Aloha ChefBillyB


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## kaneohegirlinaz

Aloha Kakahiaka !!

ChefBillyB, Braddah!! Where you was? You make me hungry!! We wen' make (Ono Brand from the plastic container) Kalua pig and cabbage last night!!! Made rice, of course from my faithful rice cooker, Panasonic, natch! Little bit Aloha Shoyu... Brah, check out my guava chicken and fried rice on the galleries...Was ONO-LISCIOUS!!

Brah, take picture yeah? I like see!! You make me like go home!

Anyway, back to Italian food...

Yeah, that's what he's talking about, but his family makes them with some sort of red peppers, but not the "fried peppers", that's Ono too.

(no can get the kine bread over here)

Highlander01, I honestly couldn't tell you how they are made other than they are roasted and peeled and in a jar and taste good. And PLEASE no body tell him about a Peppers and Eggs hoagies, that'swhat they call in Phillie (did I mention that's where he's from?). And his look was more along the lines of having to do with his puppy... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crying.gif

So I felt so bad for him yesterday, I made him his second favorite lunch, Fried Taylor's Pork Roll on a hard roll with Provolone. I think it taste like Spam, but that just gets a big fight goin' on!! HA! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif


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## kaneohegirlinaz

I found this recipe for Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers on Simply Recipes website. 

The OP said that this is a recipe adapted from Eugina Bone's book Well-Preserved and Michigan State. 

I'm not understanding what it means though...

2 cups *white vinegar 5% *...

what is that?

I did a search and all I came up with was that some vinegars acidity levels range from 4% to 8% for table vinegar and then up to 18% for pickling vinegar. 

So which vinegar do I want to use?

The recipe also calls for 1 cup of bottled lemon juice ...

I know I don't want an end product that is like a pickle, sour or tart. 

I was thinking maybe Rice Vinegar?

I bought 6 pounds of fresh, beautiful red bell peppers yesterday, so I don't want to doddle.


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## chefbillyb

kaneohegirlinaz said:


> I found this recipe for Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers on Simply Recipes website.
> 
> The OP said that this is a recipe adapted from Eugina Bone's book Well-Preserved and Michigan State.
> 
> I'm not understanding what it means though...
> 
> 2 cups *white vinegar 5% *...
> 
> what is that?
> 
> I did a search and all I came up with was that some vinegars acidity levels range from 4% to 8% for table vinegar and then up to 18% for pickling vinegar.
> 
> So which vinegar do I want to use?
> 
> The recipe also calls for 1 cup of bottled lemon juice ...
> 
> I know I don't want an end product that is like a pickle, sour or tart.
> 
> I was thinking maybe Rice Vinegar?
> 
> I bought 6 pounds of fresh, beautiful red bell peppers yesterday, so I don't want to doddle.


I looked up White Vinegar in my Order Guide, it says it 5%..............I would think Rice Vinegar would be to low in acidity..................


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## kaneohegirlinaz

Mahalo ChefBillyB

'ya know, I was pulling out some of the ingredients for this recipe and the label on the rice vinegar caught my eye, 4.2%

funny, it's partially in Japanese, but the company is in ILLINOIS!!


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## oldschool1982

Highlander01 said:


> Are you talking about a regular bell pepper or the long italian cooking peppers ... I can't remember the exact name ... cubanele or something like that?


You're think of what we called a "Melrose Pepper". They were fairly thin walled peppers that were longer and more slender than the typical "bell". The flavor, when canned was also far superior. Darker green and sweeter than the cubanelle yet the Cubanelle does make a suitable substitute. There was a "Hot" version of the Melrose pepper that was unbelieveable. Up until just recently, I had some of the dried crushed remains from these peppers my Great Aunt grew in her garden some 60 years ago. No kidding.......They remained hotter than anything like it you could buy today....right up to the end.

Anyhow......here's the recipe I grew up with...........

Peppers, cleaned and seeded. Slice into random strips....................5lbs.

Olive oil, pure................................................................................1cup

garlic, fresh chopped......................................................................1/4 cup

Salt...............................................................................................1Tbsp

Crushed red pepper.........................................................................2Tbsp

Lemon juice....................................................................................1Tbsp per quart jar if preserving

Heat oil over medium high flame in high sided skillet. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and toast lightly.

Add peppers, stir well to coat with garlic, pepper and oil and cover immediately. Continue to cook over med-high flame for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent from scorching. (note: a bit of carmalization is okay but do not burn)

Remove from heat, place in jars, remove all air and add lemon juice to top of jar and follow proper canning methods.

Please note that all of the measurments and directions were never written down and not as accurate as what I have provided. This is just a guestimate of what I do to this day and it may need some tweeking. Everything should be done to taste and with proper methods of preserving that you are comfortable with.

I grew up with these peppers canned alone, with tomatoes and onions and even eggplant added to the mix. All I can remember is those wonderful sandwiches of canned ham, peppers and home-made bread.!!!!!


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## kaneohegirlinaz

Thanks oldschool1982. My husband is sitting here with me tonight, so I described this recipe to him in a non-cooking-person way and the thing is that he said that there was no tartness to his Nonna's peppers. All of the recipes that I'm finding call for acid, is there a reason to that? Do I have put in the lemon or vinegar?


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## kaneohegirlinaz

Now I have more questions about home canning…

I was reading this gardeners web site that water bath canning of vegetables is not safe and not recommended by the USFDA. 

It was saying that you should pressure cook then jars. 

I can’t remember anyones grandma doing that. 

Here I’m all ready to start “putting up” the peppers that I bought the other day, and now I’m doubting myself. 

Anybody out there do their own canning??


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## kaneohegirlinaz

Okay, so that was a total waste of my day! 

I charred 12 red sweet bell peppers on the gas grill outside at 100⁰… 

put them in a paper sack to steam for a while … peeled off the skin from one dozen peppers … made up the "sauce", for lack of a better description … got the mason jars ready … oops, wait a minute, I don't have a canning kit! 

No prob-lem-o … google to the rescue … I made up a rack for the bottom of my 12 quart stock pot out of tin foil snakes … took fat rubber bands and put those around the end of tongs to create jarring tongs … brought the 12 quarts to a boil … filled TWO pint sized jars with the twelve peppers and "sauce" (really? That's all I get out of 4 pounds of peppers?) … cleaned the rims and placed the tops and rings on the jars and gently dropped them down into now the bubbling cauldron … 

15 minutes later I shut off the heat and let the jars stand for several minutes in the hot water, as called for in most of the recipes that I found … carefully, I removed my 2 beauties to let them cool all the way before tightening the rings down. Well, one of them did not "pop" down the top, so that guy goes in the 'frig for immediate consumption. The other jar has so many air bubbles it, I'm not sure if it can be "put up on the shelf". 

At this point, in walks my husband with the look of utter joy is the only thing that comes to mind. "Put them up? What are you kidding me? Those two puppies will be gone in a couple of days!" Okay, so I spent all that time and effort for …? 

That look of utter joy on my wonderful husband's face, that's what. Now ask me if I'll do this again?

BIG air bubbles in this one... This is how I spent my day...


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## oldschool1982

kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Thanks oldschool1982. My husband is sitting here with me tonight, so I described this recipe to him in a non-cooking-person way and the thing is that he said that there was no tartness to his Nonna's peppers. All of the recipes that I'm finding call for acid, is there a reason to that? Do I have put in the lemon or vinegar?


 Canning requires it so the food does not spoil. The acid is needed to help preserve the food by killing bacteria or keeping it from forming. There are several more technical explanations but given the hour in the morning, I kept it simple. This is the reason for the addition of the lemon juice in the recipe.

As a side note, We normally don't can or preserve things that require the addition of extra lemon juice or acid. Basically because I believe it messes with the flavor. Most of those items are prepared and eaten in proper time.


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## kaneohegirlinaz

Right oldschool1982, I was thinking along the same line. So what I did was combined your recipe along with the one that I found online and then put in just a touch less lemon juice. I have the two beauties in the 'frig to marry their flavors awhile. I think that tomorrow we'll go find some nice crusty rolls and have peppers, sausage and egg sammies for lunch.

Mangiamo!!


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## panini

Kaneohe,

.The family owned 3 deli's in NYC. We did not put up our peppers for the Hogie or Wedge. A pepper and egg wedge was made with and Italian hogie roll.

BTW I started making this at 12. We were across the street from the hospital and did a hundred a day. You take 2 green peppers, one red pepper, and two white.onions.

Saute these in a good amount of regular olive oil. not eeov. Season with S&P and red pepper flakes.Cook until the green peppers still have a little snap. Put this mixture in a colander and set aside.

This mixture can be kept for a while covered tightly.

  Using a small amount of the reserved oil, scramble the cold eggs until you see rabbit poop looking eggs. add the peppers and scrambled soft. This has to be put right

on the bread and wrapped tight with parchment. The sandwich will steam. Tomato sauce is optional. This Hoagie is not crusty.

Why don't I just come by and suprize him. I have plenty of SW tickets piled up.

Pan

Did you say Philly? Ask him if he was ever on my corner. 30th and Norris Ave.


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## kaneohegirlinaz

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/rollsmile.gif

Pan, hubby tells me, "let's go find Amoroso rolls..." are you kiddin' me? Where are we again?

There was this sandwich shop across the street from where I worked in Honolulu that had them flown in ...

Crusty French rolls is the best I can find, and it's not like they're right next door either

JEEEZZZZZZZZZZ

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

30th and norris sure sounds familiar... but I can hear some soft "kitty cat snores" coming from the den, are the phillies on today??


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## panini

Amorosa Rolls!!!!!!!!!

Back then Amaroso started the 3 across slice and the solid slice lenght-wise to bake out. This way the different places

could say they use different rolls.

I had a buddy who started Ecce Panis, their stuff was good when he was there.

I don't know if your hubby is as old as I am, but you could always play your numbers at any Amorosa delivery truck.

You know, the original pick 3, pro, college game. The bread was their front for years. I can recall a cop chasing the bread truck

and all the numbers were being thrown out of the truck like a ticker tape parade.LOL

Kaneohe,

   The peppers we used for eggs, pizza, sausage we did not put up. We sauteed, drained, and just kept them in the ice box in a jar.

We always had renderings from something around, bacon, panchetta, etc. Pour a tsp on top tho keep the air out. I have a feeling they might not last that long.

I have to bake a big order of Abbruzzi bread. It's put together like a Stromboli but much larger with assorted meats, cheeses and peppers. No

BS, let me send you one. Back up there we used to slice them like biscotti. I'll PM you when I have to make them, we'll surprise him.

Panini


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## kaneohegirlinaz

oh.. abbruzzi bread, ya' know I might be a little Hay-why-an gal, but I do love you gumbas!!

I'll ask him about the bread truck... (I think we're old enough, but don't tell anyone)

talking about "renderings",as I may have made mention, I'm part Portuguese and my vovo would save her bacon drippings to cook, well whatever, and my husband's sister was here and we were talking about that and she just about split a seam!  "You do what?"  Yeah, that's how I prepared your eggs this morning honey...


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## kaneohegirlinaz

went and found the freshest bread our market had, kaiser rolls, they'll do



"that's really close, but not quite it"

ARGH!!!

Well, peppers are still cheap

round two amybe?


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## chrisbelgium

KG, in my youth, we had to help canning baby white onions, gurkins etc. Also, preparing fruit to make jam and other veggies like haricots to sterilize.

What I can see from your picture, is that those jars aren't fit for a sterilizing process as you performed. In fact, you made your life unnecessarily difficult trying to sterilize...

Your jars are OK for putting paprikas in a vinegar solution like they did with baby onions and gerkins. That is many times easier to perform...

Here's an easy recipe that should work for you and the kind of jars you use. My suggestion is to make a batch of at least 10 jars or more. It's all not that much work and the jars will keep for at least 6 months. And do put your husband to work too! Canning stuff is -and has always been- a family job, a perfect occasion to talk to each other too, just like eating together is conversation. The following recipe is for around 2 small jars.

*Sweet and sour paprikas*

500 gram cleaned paprikas/ 100 gram sugar/ 2 teaspoons of salt/ 2 bay leaves/ 1 liter of plain everyday white household vinegar (you know, fit for cooking). Do use vinegar made from alcohol!

I would cut the paprikas from top to bottom in just 3-4 large slices, this will work easier to skin; cut just next to where you estimate the seeds hang on the top, straight to the bottom.

Put the paprika slices side by side on a baking tray, skin up. Then put them as close as possible to the grill or salamander in your oven to blacken the skin. Remove from the oven, put in a large plastic container with lid or in a glass container and cover with clingfilm. Let cool. 

Now you can easily remove the skins. Put them in a sieve to get rid of the juices, you do NOT want them, neither the juice that came out of the paprikas when they were in the oven. Do something else with that wonderful juice.

(Note; fresh veggies were (and still are) heavily salted first and stored away overnight to eleminate a big part of their moist. Then the salt is washed off. Putting them in the oven like in my method, will eleminate the juices more efficient that that. So, don't rush them out of the oven, but also, don't let them in too long either. When the skins are blackened a good bit, get them out.)

Fill your totally clean jars with a bay leaf, then add paprikas, not too tight and not too full (let's say around 20mm from the top). Put these filled jars uncovered in your oven, set at 100-110°Celsius, this will sanitize them a little, dry the paprikas a little more, but most important, bring them to a temperature where you can pour boiling liquid in them without any danger of bursting the glass. Use kitchen tongs to get the jars out of the oven when needed, they will be very hot! 

Boil the vinegar together with the sugar and salt until salt and sugar are dissolved. I know, your kitchen will smell of vinegar for a while.

Take the jars out of your oven and pour boiling hot vinegar in them untill they are filled up to 5-10 mm from the top. The paprikas need to be submerged.

Put the lids on and let cool. Store them for a few weeks (6 weeks is perfect) and enjoy!

Sorry for the metric measurements, I'm sure a good soul will help you out.


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## kaneohegirlinaz

Heh, thanks, Chris


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## kaneohegirlinaz

I had put two jars of peppers into the 'fridge because it seemed as though the seals were not that great.

We opened one of them a few weeks back to add to our Holiday "PUPU PLATE" one night with the fam at our house, and my husband says,

"Where did you get these peppers? Was it from my family (back East in Phillie)?"

And I told him that these where the peppers that we "put up" back a few months ago.

Well...

He claims that these were _*THE ONES*_, just like his Grandmother made!

OH MY GOSH, are you kidding me?

I got it!!

Now let's see if I saved that recipe, HA!!!


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## nyladybug

Hey!  I am an Irish cook living with a wonderful Italian man whose family hordes their recipes like the "dog in the manger".  Yes they like me but not enough to share a recipe.  Can you put the recipe that you used for your two jars in here please!!!  Thanks!


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## kaneohegirlinaz

> Originally Posted by *oldschool1982*
> 
> Anyhow......here's the recipe I grew up with...........
> 
> Peppers, cleaned and seeded. Slice into random strips....................5lbs.
> 
> Olive oil, pure................................................................................1cup
> 
> garlic, fresh chopped......................................................................1/4 cup
> 
> Salt...............................................................................................1Tbsp
> 
> Crushed red pepper.........................................................................2Tbsp
> 
> Lemon juice....................................................................................1Tbsp per quart jar if preserving
> 
> Heat oil over medium high flame in high sided skillet. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and toast lightly.
> 
> Add peppers, stir well to coat with garlic, pepper and oil and cover immediately. Continue to cook over med-high flame for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent from scorching. (note: a bit of carmalization is okay but do not burn)
> 
> Remove from heat, place in jars, remove all air and add lemon juice to top of jar and follow proper canning methods.


nyladybug, this is pretty much how I did it

I made six more jars and have them stashed in the 'fridge


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## jds3032

Kaneohegirlinaz,

I was reading this thread cause I just started canning my own peppers. I was brought up on a farm and made all our own sausage, lonzino, bresaola, sopressata and canned everything. Your peppers sound fantastic but wanted to share with you my Great great grandmothers recipe with you to try if you like.

CANNED SWEET PEPPERS

TAKE GREEN, RED &YELLOW PEPPERS CUT IN HALF AND TAKE OUT SEEDS.

YOU CAN ALSO USE HOT PEPPERS ONLY SLICE INTO RINGS IF YOU LIKE

IN ONE PAN HAVE THE SYRUP READY, ANOTHER HAVE THE JARS, ANOTHER LIDS AND RINGS IN SLOW BOILING WATER. ALL NEED TO BE STERILE.

BRING TO BOIL POT OF SYRUP, ADD PEPPERS AND COOK 5 MINUTES.   DO NOT DRAIN WATER..CONTINUE THIS PROCESS FOR MORE PEPPERS. 

SYRUP:

3 CUPS SUGAR, 2 CUPS WATER, 2 CUPS CIDER VINEGAR - HAVE ON A SLOW BOIL

HAVE READY CLOVES OF GARLIC,  SALT AND VEG OIL.

WHEN READY AND WORKING QUICKLY, PACK EACH JAR (USING PINT- DOULBE IF QT) WITH:

1 CLOVE GARLIC, 1/2 TEASPOON SALT, PACK WITH PEPPERS, FILL WITH SYRUP, ADD 1/2 TABLESPPON OIL.  ANY AIR BUBBLES SHOULD BE LET

 OUT USING A KNIFE DOWN SIDE OF JAR.  WIPE ANY SYRUP OFF JAR  OPENING,  CLOSE WITH LID AND RING.   SET ASIDE TO SNAP CLOSED AND LET  COOL. LET SET FOR WEEK OR TWO BEFORE OPENING.  DO NOT PUSH ON JAR LIDS TO HELP CLOSE.

 I THINK PINT JARS REALLY WORK THE BEST WHEN PACKING PEPPERS.  YOUR CHOICE.

I just canned 24 pints and got another bushel of bannana and bells when I cleaned the garden off this past weekend so this Sunday will be more canning.


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## concetta

Now you are cooking   This is more or less, the recipe my Mom and family used.   My Mom was italian, I am a "mez a mez" or half and half  I can and freeze and have a large eat n store garden.  Right now, I still have lots of peppers, hot and sweet, left over from harvest and that is after pickling them, freezing them, stuffing and freezing them, drying them, making hot sauce and giving away a ton.  Since, we just had our first snow, the peppers I have left are going into the freezer, but I am going to "put up" my last few jars of marinated peppers using the recipe you have above. I have already canned some with white wine vinegar added, but these will be as above.

Don't be afraid of canning, and if you have room for a vegetable garden, go for it.  Although nothing will ever taste as good as you remember your Mom's or GrandMom's or Aunt Annie's, they will become your families wonderful memory.


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## kaneohegirlinaz

you know @Concetta myself I am not Italian, so I have now base to go by on canning peppers the way that my DH's nonni did hers. I've tried this twice now and I think that I'll just stick to roasting the peppers and eating them straight away. As for any extras that I have, I cut them into strips and freeze them for the winter when I can't get them and then just cook with them


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