When the hot peppers begin to ripen in the garden, you have to work fast to use them. One way to preserve them so that you can benefit from the produce all year long is to pack them in olive oil. Be sure to set aside an afternoon for the task and wear rubber gloves so that you won't get the hot pepper juice in your eyes.
Instructions
1. Place the jars, rings and lids into a large soup pot filled with water. Bring the water to a boil and allow the water to continue to boil for at least ten minutes to sterilize the pieces.
2. Use tongs to take the jars and lids out of the water. Drain them on a clean rack until you are ready to pack the peppers into them.
3. Put on gloves so you don't get the hot pepper juice in your eyes later if you rub your eyes with your fingers.
4. Slice each pepper in half. Carve out the white tissue that holds the seeds. Discard the seeds, stems and the white tissue from inside the peppers.
5. Heat 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Pan fry the prepared hot peppers until they get limp and cooked through. Do not allow them to brown or burn.
6. Densely pack the hot peppers into the sterilized jars.
7. Heat 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil for each jar that you have filled with peppers. Use a candy thermometer to determine when the oil reaches 300 degrees F.
8. Pierce through the middle of the peppers in each jar with a sharp knife. Pour the oil into this hole. It will fill the jar nicely traveling through the hole to the bottom of the jar and then up the sides. When a jar is filled to within 1/4-inch of the top, stop pouring the oil.
9. Wipe the top of each jar with a clean paper towel before placing the lid on top. Screw on the ring. Label the jar with the type of pepper inside and the date that you packed the jar. Store it on a shelf in a dark pantry cabinet.
Tags: your eyes, each with, extra virgin, extra virgin olive, filled with