Pickled Bell Peppers (Yellow & Red)

Directions

• Before We Start

  Torching Method: A gas stove burner works great – just place the whole pepper directly on the grate over high flame and rotate with tongs. A blowtorch gives you more control. No open flame? Use your oven’s broiler on high, placing peppers on a sheet pan as close to the element as possible.
  Keto-Friendly Option: Swap the sugar for allulose 1:1.5. The peppers will taste nearly identical with a fraction of the carbs.
  Scaling the Brine: This recipe uses 350g of pickling liquid. You can make a larger batch of brine and store it in the fridge for future pickling projects.

• Make the Pickling Liquid

  For the pickling liquid:
  184 g | ¾ cup white balsamic vinegar
  74 g | ⅓ cup sugar or allulose
  74 g | ⅓ cup water
  18 g | 1¼ tbsp salt
  
  In a large bowl, combine the white balsamic vinegar, sugar (or allulose), water, and salt. Whisk vigorously for 3-4 minutes until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Set aside. You can reserve this in the fridge for a long time and just use when you need to pickle something.
  
  Alternatively, make a double or triple batch of the brine and store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 months.

• Torch the Skins

  Place whole peppers directly over a gas burner on high heat. Using tongs, rotate the peppers every 30-45 seconds until approximately 70% of the skin is blackened and blistered. This should take 4-6 minutes per pepper.
  
  If using a broiler: Place peppers on a sheet pan and position as close to the heating element as possible. Rotate every 2 minutes until evenly charred.

• Steam

  While the peppers are still hot, immediately transfer them to a bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid to trap the steam. Let them steam for 6 minutes. This loosens the skins and makes peeling effortless.

• Peel

  Remove the peppers from the bowl. The skins should slip off easily – use your fingers or a paper towel to gently rub away the charred skin. Don’t worry about getting every last bit; small flecks of char add flavor.
  
  Tip: Avoid rinsing the peppers under water. This washes away flavor. A few stubborn bits of skin are fine.

• Cut

  Slice each pepper into peddles avoiding the middle until all the flesh is removed. Discard the stem and seeds. Cut the flesh into strips about ½ inch (1.5 cm) wide.
  
  You should end up with approximately 240g of usable pepper flesh in total.

• Jar and Combine

  Add the sliced peppers to your jar. Pour the pickling liquid over the peppers, making sure they are completely submerged. You’ll need approximately 350g of pickling liquid to cover.
  
  Seal the jar and refrigerate. The peppers are ready to eat after 2 hours but taste even better after 24 hours.