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In search of the perfect pepperoncini.

Started by Dave Shepard, August 29, 2014, 07:17:47 PM

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Dave Shepard

I've been searching for the perfect pepperoncini lately. It seems that the only kind I can find are the ones that are a little too large, and too tough to qualify for a proper pepperoncini. Anyone here grow and pickle their own? I like them to be sort of transparent, and should be quite soft. I can usually tell what they are like just looking at them in the jar. Too yellow and firm looking, and they aren't going to taste right. I can eat enough of them in one sitting to be not really a good idea. :D
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mesquite buckeye

Arnold's are really good if you can find them where you live. ;D

Warm, but tasty. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :snowball:
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

pabst79

My favorite are Mezzetta brand imported greek peperoncini, I buy a jar then eat the contents, I would love to find a recipe to make them at home, I tried a few years back with cherry peppers, but didnt turn out as expected... :o
Not sure which came first, but I have chickens and eggs.

giant splinter

Ill second the Mazzetta brand ... they also have "tamed" jalapeno slices <----- these are great also.
roll with it

BradMarks

I agree with Dave on searching the right quality for his pepperoncini. Mezzetta does make good ones - if you get the right jar. I try to find the two with the softest looking peppers, buy 'em, then leave one in the pantry to age longer, one in the fridge. On another note, we grew some "hybrid" (cross pollination-from our own seed) peppers this year, picked them before they attained too much heat, sliced, brined and canned, and they come pretty darn close (I'm biased - their better!) to the ones you get on your sandwich at those major deli chains.

pabst79

Brad, any chance you would share your canning recipe? ??? ??? :laugh:
Josh
Not sure which came first, but I have chickens and eggs.

BradMarks

Pabst: Choose your peppers to use - we like a bit of heat for this (we make hot sauce with the real hot ones). Slice in circles, not strips. Crushed cloves of garlic-a clove or two per pint, sliced sweet onoins (red or white). Brine consists of vinegar (we use cider), water (3cider:1water), salt (1 tbsp/cup vinegar)  and a little bit of white sugar (1-2 tbsp for the batch, not cup) to counterbalance a tad the acidity of the vinegar. These ratios can all be varied to one's taste. The 3-1 ratio could be a little too much vinegar for some. Bring all ingredients to boil for a few minutes, hot pack the jars, then water bath for 10 minutes. The peppers will seem soft after boiling, but they firm up during the curing process. It's been 4 wks or so, and they are umm good. A simple recipe that is not set on exact ratios/amounts. Next batch will probably vary since verry little is measured!

Dave Shepard

I got a jar of the Mezzetta peppers last month. They were good, but that jar was so small. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

5quarter

I too make my own. I make both sweet and hot pepperoncini. I always let them ripen to a light orange to dark red and slice them in rings. I use a recipe similar to Brads, but without the onion. Go easy on the garlic or you can really ruin the flavor. When using on sandwiches, I usually rinse them; when used in cooking, right out of the jar. I'm not a fan of store bought  peperoncinis. too vinegary.
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

Dave Shepard

I think I may have found the perfect pepperoncini! I got a jar of Pastene peppers last night. I had been scrutinizing them seriously last winter, but never tried them. They are soft, tasty, and none of the nasty hard, over-ripe peppers. I think the longest pepper in there was not even 2". Now, I just need to find them in a five-gallon economy sized bucket. food6
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

BradMarks

Went online to their website. They look to have lots of tasty stuff. And the pricing seemed excellent, wish we had them here without the shipping charges.

Dave Shepard

According to their website, one of the grocery stores in town carries their products. Unfortunately, not the pepperoncini. However, there was another brand there that looked just as good by visual inspection, so I got a jar. Got them home, and they were as good as the Pastene, and maybe a little less salty. They were Sclafani brand. These two are by far better than any of the others out there. The first factor in flavor that I can see is size. If the pepper is 2-3" long, then it's too old for a good pepperoncini.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

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