Spicy Pickled Carott and Jalapeno

I use to go to the Mexican restaurant down the street just to get there free spicy carrot and jalapenos. Really ! Then one day while I was sitting there in my dark glasses and trench coat a thought came to me.  Make your own Spicy Carrot and Jalapenos because this sitting here in disguise is getting really embarrassing. I think someone just said Hi to me.

So here we go this is easy there is practically no work. A little aerobics with arm exercise chopping stuff but this keep those old nanny arms away. You chop, pack and give them bath

 

* This will yield you approximately 7 pint jars

Ingredients

5  pounds carrots
12 jalapenos
3 cloves of garlic per jar (Optional)
4 -6 whole peppercorns per jar
4 cups 5% vinegar
4 cups Apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of sugar
4 cups water

Instructions

Wash and prepare the veggies
Slice the carrots into rounds

Slice you jalapeno into rounds

* Wear Gloves when chopping the peppers!

Remember more seed more heat the heat is in the jalapeno seeds. 

 
Peel the garlic cloves you will want 3 cloves per jar


Add the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a large, non-reactive pan and bring to a boil. This is your brine. Keep it warm while you prepare the jar's with the ingredient's.




Heat up your canning jars in your water bath prior to filling and then pack jalapeno's, garlic, and carrots. 








 


Once the first two layers are done add you garlic, peppercorns and any pickling spices you would like. Top with remaining carrot's. Put as many slices of all the vegetables as you can fit. Press them in tightly they will loosen once the liquid is poured in.  Sprinkle some of the peppercorns into each jar about 4-6 in each jar.



Remember once you add your liquid and run your bubble tool to get rid of bubble's and settle the stuff you will have extra room. The tool looks like a knife and actually I used a regular knife for years! You take the tool/knife and run it around the inside of the jar you will see bubbles come up. Thus you have removed the air bubbles.




You really can never packed to tight.  I say this because once you put the liquid in it makes more space. It sounds weird but you will see how this works the more you preserve foods. Keep approximate 1/2" inch head space in the jar. Pour your brine into each jar be careful everything is hot. Fill till you have about 1/4" headspace covering the veggies.




Wipe the rims of your jar's and add the lid and twist. Taunt






Put them into the water bath for 15 minutes. Remember to wipe the jars prior to putting the lids on and giving them their bath. And when you store them take the rim off !


Did you know you can take some pretty cool pictures of stuff inside your mason jars. Go here to this link and see some  of the pictures I took. It is  pretty cool!