Pickled Banana Peppers (Canning Recipe)

These are my favorite ways to pickle banana peppers because they are easy, crips, spicy, and ready in hours instead of days. I love canning because it extends the shelf life of some of my favorite foods and allows me to place them in long-term storage (aka my pantry) until they are needed.

The best way to can crisp banana peppers has never been this quick or delicious! Pickling banana peppers is a great way to wow your guests with your pizza topping selection or bring a bit of elevation to your next veggie board.

I chose to use regular banana peppers this time but this recipe also works with hot peppers such as hot banana peppers (also known as Hungarian wax peppers) or jalapeno peppers.

If you like to eat pickled or brined food items you will want to make my pickled beets, pickled onions, sous vide corned beef (not just for St. Patrick's Day!) Be sure to add banana peppers or even Bisquick sausage balls to your next cheese board for when you want to nosh. 

🫑 Ingredients needed:

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

• banana peppers - medium-sized, fresh, stem, and seeds removed
• canning salt - salt that does not have anti-clumping ingredients, such as kosher salt.
• celery seed
• mustard seed
• peppercorns, whole
• pinch turmeric (optional for color)
• white vinegar, 5% acidity - (apple cider vinegar can be substituted)
• water
• sugar

🥣 Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Canning Jars - Be sure they are canning jars. I use a 4 ounce Ball canning jar for this recipe. Feel free to use a quart jar or pint jars, whatever size fits your needs, however, keep in mind that a glass jar does not equal a canning jar.
• Lids.- These can not be reused from batch to batch. Get new lids.
• Rings - These are used to keep the lids tight to the jars are they process in the hot water bath.
• Wide-Mouth Funnel - Great for getting your product IN the jar…not on the counter
• Lid Wand - This is essential for safely getting the sterilized lids on the jars without burning your fingertips!
• Ladle - Needed to get your hot recipe, pickling liquid or juice in the jars. (A heat-safe mug can be used in a pinch)
• Clean Cloth - Wipe the rims clean with a damp clean cloth before applying the lid.
• Large Pot - A large pot that can accommodate canning jars PLUS 1-2 inches of water.
• Tongs or Jar Lifter - ESSENTIAL for getting the jars out of the simmering water.

🌶️ When to pick banana peppers?

Sweet banana peppers are ripe to pick when the long yellow, banana-shaped pepper is firm, has richly colored, shiny skin, and is heavy for its size. The banana pepper plants should look like they are struggling to hold the whole banana peppers up. They will continue to grow and ripen throughout the summer and soon your one or two banana pepper plants will produce an abundance of banana peppers. Avoid those that are limp, shriveled, or that have soft or bruised spots.*

🔪 Banana peppers pickling instructions

1. In each jar place ¼ of the dry brine ingredients, excluding the sugar. (each jar gets 1 teaspoon canning salt, ½ teaspoon celery seeds, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns, pinch of turmeric.
2. Add the banana pepper slices to the jar. (It is a good idea to give them a thorough wash beforehand, whether they came from your local grocery store or your garden)
3. Bring the water, vinegar and sugar to a rolling boil. This shouldn't take a long time
4. Pour pickling brine over peppers to within ½ inch of the top of the jar.
5. Wipe off the rim and put lid and ring on.
6. Store in the fridge for 1 week or longer to let peppers pickle. (if you can wait that long to dig in.)

📷 How To Pickle Banana Peppers, photo instructions

1. Place the pickling spices in the bottom of the canning jar.
   
2. Add the sliced banana pepper rings to the jar.
   
3. Jiggle, shake and bang the peppers in the jar to ensure they are laying flat and taking up the least amount of space. Stop adding peppers when the peppers reach the bottom of the rings on the jar.
4. In a medium saucepan bring the water, vinegar and sugar to a rolling boil.
5. Pour the brining liquid over the banana pepper rings.
6. Use a plastic or bamboo stick to remove any air bubbles from the jar using a poking motion.
7. Pour enough brine that the peppers are covered and there is ½ inch headspace.
8. Clean the rim and add a new lid and a clean ring.
9. Finger tighten.
10. Close the jars and allow them to return to room temperature.
11. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours before enjoying but for 7 days for best results.
12. OR continue with the canning banana pepper instructions below. 

🥫Water Bath Canning Banana Peppers

Here is how to can banana peppers:

1. Heat canning jars in boiling water.
2. Add pickling spices to each jar as instructed above.
3. Pack banana peppers as instructed above.
4. Bring water, sugar and vinegar to a boil.
5. Pour enough brine that the peppers are covered and there is ½ inch headspace.
6. Clean the rim and add a new lid and a clean ring.
7. Finger tighten.
8. Process in the hot water bath for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from water and cool completely on a heat-safe surface.

❄️ Storage tips if you have leftover potato casserole

You can store the pickled peppers in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If you use the canning method of storage they are shelf-stable for up to a year.

More popular recipes:

• Paska Bread - We make this traditional Ukrainian Easter bread recipe every Easter holiday and use any leftovers to make the most delicious french toast.
• Seasoned Ranch Cheese Crackers - BETTER than the seasoned ranch oyster cracker recipe
• Pulled Pork - Use your slow cooker or Crock-Pot to cook is an easy way to make delicious pulled pork without turning on your oven or stovetop.
• Pork and Sauerkraut - traditional oven-roasted pork and sauerkraut recipe that cooked to perfection without drying out. 
• Pineapple Dump Cake - uses a box of cake mix, canned pineapple, butter and a bit of brown sugar baked in one pan for an easy dessert that is a crowd-pleaser.

📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

👩‍🍳 Chef Tip

Adjust the processing time of the jars if you are above 6,000 feet of elevation from 15 minutes up to 20 minutes (according to USDA guidelines). 

📖 Recipe

Pickled Banana Peppers

Sarah Mock

This is the easiest pickled banana peppers recipe. These are the best pickled banana peppers because they are crips, spicy and ready in hours instead of days. Canning crisp banana peppers has never been this quick or this delicious!

4.62 from 75 votes

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Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 15 minutes mins

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 30 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark, toggle to button to the right to turn GREEN

Course Canning Recipes

Cuisine American

Makes 4 half pint jars

Per Serving 102 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 16-20 medium sized banana peppers (fresh, stem and seeds removed)
• ▢ 4 teaspoons canning salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• ▢ 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• ▢ 2 teaspoons peppercorns (whole)
• ▢ pinch turmeric (optional for color)
• ▢ 2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
• ▢ ¾ cup water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar

Instructions

 

How to prepare banana peppers for canning.

• Use food safe plastic gloves if you are sensitive to hot peppers.
• Wash banana peppers in cool water.
• Slice off the stem end of the banana pepper and discard the stem.
• To remove the seeds and membrane, insert a small, thin sharp knife in the stem end and with a twisting and scraping motion, scrape the membrane and seeds out of the banana pepper.
• Seeds and membranes can also be left in tact if you would like a more spicy pickled banana pepper.
• Using a sharp knife, slice the banana peppers into ¼" rings.

Preparing the pickled banana brine:

• In each jar place ¼ of the dry brine ingredients, excluding the sugar. (each jar gets 1 teaspoon canning salt, ½ teaspoon celery seeds, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns, pinch of turmeric.
• Combine the vinegar, sugar and water and stir until the sugar dissolves.

How To Pack Banana Peppers for Pickling

• Place the pickling spices in the bottom of the canning jar.
• Add the sliced banana pepper rings to the jar.
• Jiggle, shake and bang the peppers in the jar to ensure they are laying flat and taking up the least amount of space.
• Press the peppers down in the jar and repeat.
• Stop adding peppers when the peppers reach the bottom of the rings on the jar.
• Adding pickling brine to the banana pepper jars.
• Pour the brining liquid over the banana pepper rings.
• Use a plastic or bamboo stick to remove any air bubbles from the jar using a poking motion.
• Pour enough brine that the peppers are covered and there is ½" head space.
• Clean the rim and add a new lid and a clean ring.
• Finger tighten.

Sous Vide Pickled Banana Pepper Instructions

• Set up your sous vide water bath on a heat safe surface and preheat the water to 140F.
• Place the canning jars or bag in the water. (heat seal bag or use water displacement method)
• Cook for 2 hours.
• Remove from water bath and place on a heat safe surface.
• Cool completely and enjoy!

Canning Pickled Banana Pepper Instructions

• Heat canning jars in boiling water.
• Add pickling spices to each jar as instructed above.
• Pack banana peppers as instructed above.
• Bring water, sugar and vinegar to a boil.
• Pour enough brine that the peppers are covered and there is ½" head space.
• Clean the rim and add a new lid and a clean ring.
• Finger tighten.
• Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• Remove from water and cool completely on a heat safe surface.

Notes

*if using a sous vide bag, combine all the ingredients in the bag making sure there is enough room for the banana peppers.

Why is there turmeric in pickled banana peppers?

There is turmeric in this pickled banana peppers recipe to add a bit of natural yellow coloring and an unexpected layer of flavor that makes these pickled banana peppers extra special.

Nutrition

Serving: 1jarCalories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 4gFat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2150mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7g

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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published August 11, 2019.

👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.