These canning directions concern plain jalapenos, blanched and packed in water.
There’s a separate recipe for Pickled Jalapenos.
Quantities of jalapenos needed
Numbers are approximate guidelines.
Allow ½ kg (1 pound) raw whole jalapenos per half-litre (1 US pint) jar.
The recipe
Jar size choices: quarter-litre (½ US pint) or half-litre (1 US pint)
Processing method: Pressure canning only
Yield: varies
Headspace: 3 cm (1 inch)
Processing pressure: 10 lbs (69 kPa) weighted gauge, 11 lbs (76 kpa) dial gauge (adjust pressure for your altitude when over 300 metres / 1000 feet)
Processing time: Either size jar 35 minutes
Canning jalapeno peppers
How to safely home pressure can plain jalapeno peppers using the tested USDA method.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Wash peppers.
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Cut into quarters, removing stems and seeds.
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Put in a large pot of boiling water and when the water returns to the boil, let boil for 3 minutes.
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Remove from pot with slotted spoon.
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Pack into ¼ litre (½ US pint) or ½ litre (1 US pint) jars.
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Leave 3 cm (1 inch) headspace.
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Add 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar to each ¼ litre (½ US pint) jar; 1 tablespoon vinegar to each ½ litre (1 US pint) jar.
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Top up each jar with clean boiling water (such as from a kettle, for instance), maintaining headspace of 3 cm (1 inch.)
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Debubble; adjust headspace.
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Wipe jar rims.
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Put lids on.
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Processing pressure: 10 lbs (69 kPa) weighted gauge, 11 lbs (76 kpa) dial gauge (adjust pressure for your altitude when over 300 metres / 1000 feet)
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Processing time: either size jar 35 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Do not do larger jars.
It is one thing as a cook to brave prepping one or two jalapenos with bare hands; it is a different thing altogether to prepare them in industrial quantities. Wear gloves, or your hands will go dry and burn for hours on end, even with mild Jalapeno peppers. (Sweet peppers are fine.)
The seeds are where the heat are; you can leave some in, if you wish.
Processing guidelines below are for weighted-gauge pressure canner. See also if applicable: Dial-gauge pressures.
| Jar Size | Time | 0 to 300 m (0 - 1000 feet) pressure | Above 300 m (1000 ft) pressure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ litre (½ US pint) | 35 mins | 10 lbs | 15 lb | |
| ½ litre (1 US pint) | 35 mins | 10 lbs | 15 lb |
Reference information
How to pressure can.
When pressure canning, you must adjust the pressure for your altitude.
More information about Salt-Free Canning in general.
Recipe source
This recipe comes from both the Ball Blue Book (37th edition, 2014, page 115) and the Bernardin Guide (2013, page 104).
Their preparation directions stemming and seeding, cutting into large pieces, a brief blanching, and, adding a bit of vinegar to the canning jars.
It is unclear what purpose the vinegar serves. (The Ball / Bernardin Complete Book does not call for it. [1]Kingry, Judi and Lauren Devine. Ball / Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving. Toronto: Robert Rose. 2015. Page 391. )
Nutrition
Serving size: 250 g, drained (about one half of a ½ litre / US pint jar, if 500 g went into the jar.)
Per 250 g: 78 calories, 10 mg sodium
Weight Watchers PointsPlus®: 250 g = 0 points (plain jalapenos are free on Weight Watchers).
* Nutrition info provided by https://caloriecount.about.com
* PointsPlus™ calculated by healthycanning.com. Not endorsed by Weight Watchers® International, Inc, which is the owner of the PointsPlus® registered trademark.
Pickle the jalapenos if you don’t want to pressure can them
You cannot water bath or steam can plain jalapenos packed in water. For water bath or steam canning, they must be pickled to be safe from nasties, and we provide such a recipe for Pickled Jalapenos.
References
| ↑1 | Kingry, Judi and Lauren Devine. Ball / Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving. Toronto: Robert Rose. 2015. Page 391. |
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Connie
Doesn’t the addition of vinegar add some acidity to the contents?
Healthy Canning
It would add a teeny bit, but not enough to make the product safe without pressure canning. We’ve never been able to get a straight answer from anyone at Ball or Bernardin why they do this — the USDA doesn’t.
Ericka
Can the jalapeños be left whole?
Healthy Canning
The directions in this recipe are to stem and seed the peppers. Here’s a recipe, though, that doesn’t call for seeding the peppers: Pickled Hot Peppers, and says that small ones can be left whole.
Kate
Can you use smaller jars? Like the 4oz or 1/4 pint?
Healthy Canning
I have tried, but getting a seal is not reliable. Just too much headspace required in relation to the size of the jar, it seemed. Safety wise there is no issue (use the processing times for the larger jars), it was just the issue of getting a seal.
Ann
I have heard of people canning by pouring boiling water over lets say jalepnos then inverting the jars, letting set, and considering them canned. I’ve been canning for many year. This doesn’t seem safe?
What is your opinion?
Healthy Canning
Some people are always looking for new ways to kill themselves. Don’t follow their example.