Pepper Vinegar

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Pepper Vinegar

Yes, you can sterilize canning jars, fill the jars with peppers and top with boiling vinegar, then seal with canning tops for a shelf-stable stash of pepper vinegar. But for a small, personal batch of pepper sauce for your table, all that work isn’t necessary. The acidity of the vinegar preserves the peppers and the peppers turn the vinegar into the perfect spike for greens, beans, and other dishes.

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Makes 1 cup

• 1 cup small, fresh hot peppers
• 1 cup white vinegar

Cut the stems from the peppers and stuff them into a bottle or jar (preferably one with a cork or shaker top) until tightly packed. Using a funnel, pour the vinegar over the peppers. Close the top and refrigerate. Let stand for a week before using. 

When the vinegar level becomes low, add more vinegar to cover the peppers. This refill process can be repeated two or three times before you’ll need to make a new batch.