Bread and Butter Jalapenos

The last of my summer garden is now in jars labeled Bread and Butter Jalapenos 12/09. Our pepper garden is the only thing that grew really well this year. In fact it grew and grew and grew. I started dreading walking past it because I knew I would see more peppers that needed attention. Finally with the cold weather the peppers have packed up for the winter and I have little break. That is after canning 18 half pints of bread and butter jalapenos! The last of the peppers. My eyes were watering, my hands were burning (and I double gloved!), my clothing smelled like onion and garlic steam, my dish towels were stained from turmeric and there were sticky spots on the floor from goodness knows what! The job is done and I am glad.

My recipe which is a bit of this recipe and bit of that recipe with a twist.

6 lbs jalapeno peppers
4 large sweet onions, sliced
14 garlic cloves sliced thin

1/4 cup pickling salt

10-12 cups of ice cubes

5 cups vinegar

4 cups sugar

2 Tbs mustard seed

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp celery seed

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Toss the peppers, onions and garlic with the salt in a large enamel pot then toss the ice cubes on top and let set for 3 hours (oops, mine sat overnight!).  Drain the veggie mixture.  Mix sugar, vinegar and spices in a large non-reactive pot until sugar is dissolved.  Add the pepper mixture and boil for 4 minutes.  Ladle into prepared jars and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  This made 18 half pints (8oz jars). 

I think these will be a great addition to deviled eggs, chicken salad, potato salad, hot dogs, and just about anything else you can think of!