Canned Roasted Peppers

Canned Roasted Peppers are a versatile condiment, ingredient, and topping. The ways to use Roasted Red Peppers are endless, and making your own is both easy and fun! If you grow your own, and have an abundance of peppers that you prefer not to freeze, try canning them for longterm pantry storage!

Fun?  Yes, fun!  There are very few recipes that require you to burn food.  Canned Roasted Peppers require just that! And, with the help of a very hot oven, a gas stovetop, or an outdoor grill and a little patience, you can have homemade roasted peppers any time you please!

We love roasted red peppers and actually prepare quite a few recipes using roasted peppers as a main ingredient, like this Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Pasta! For the past few years, I’ve been so excited about growing my own peppers. Just yesterday, I took a closer look at the little bushes growing in my raised garden beds. The red chili peppers are just little wee things right now, but the jalapenos are about an inch long. My fingers are crossed that the red and green bell peppers will do well too, but it’s still a tad bit early for bell peppers for me yet. I usually get to a big harvest in mid-August.

ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Many recipes can benefit from the smokiness and concentrated bell pepper flavour.  And, Dear Reader, nothing is easier than roasting red peppers.  If you like peppers as much as we do, then I do encourage you to make your own. Roasted Red Peppers require you to char them, which is most commonly done by means of an open flame. but, you can get the same result with the help of a very hot oven and a little patience.

Let’s talk about roasted red peppers.  I’m not a fan of bell peppers in any colour unless they are well cooked.  I find that in their raw state, they taste like soil.  Also, I’m one of those people who experience heartburn or indigestion after eating bell peppers, which I have learned is the result of eating the skin on the pepper.

Roasting peppers certainly takes care of this problem, because the roasting process, which cooks the peppers at a very high temperature, blisters the skin and you remove it quite easily.  The flesh of the pepper loses that soil-y taste (for me, anyway!) and becomes sweeter and smokey.  I absolutely love it!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post. 

• Red Bell Peppers – You can make as many or as little of these jarred Canned Roasted Peppers as you choose. Generally, you will need at least 4 regularly sized bell peppers for every pint-sized jar. Use the ripest, reddest, most unblemished peppers you can source!
• Water

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED RED PEPPERS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR OVEN ROASTING

The instructions that follow are for oven roasting. Begin by preheating your oven to 500 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Set aside. Wash and dry the peppers well. Remove the core and cut them into quarters. Once the red peppers are prepared, lay them on the baking sheet, skin side up.  Place in the oven on the middle rack.  Allow to broil until skin is blistered and has blackened.

Remove from oven and transfer immediately to a large Ziploc bag.  Seal and set aside for 30 minutes. Remove the peppers and gently peel away the blackened skin before moving on to canning for preservation.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLAME ROASTING

For a flame/gas stovetop or an outdoor grill, you do not need to cut the peppers into quarters. Even though you are removing and discarding the skin, I still like to wash and dry my peppers to ensure that there is absolutely no room for contamination. I don’t want to put in the work of canning just to see them spoil.

Over very high flame, place the whole peppers directly on to the grill and allow the skin to blacken. Turn the peppers so that all sides are charred. Once done, transfer the peppers to a large Ziploc bag and seal for 30 minutes. If you are canning a very large batch, you can also transfer the charred peppers to a large baking sheet and cover them with a clean, damp kitchen towel.

PRESSURE CANNING ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Once cooled, massage the peppers with your thumb and index fingers to remove the skin. The charred skin should slide off quite easily. Not every single bit of char need to be removed! Just get most of it off. Remove the stem an scoop out the seeds. You can quarter the peppers, slice them or dice them, but I like to leave them whole once I have removed the stem and seeds. Flatten the peppers and slide them into a clean pint-sized mason jars. You can fit 4-5 regular sized peppers in the jar. Set the jars aside and prepare your pressure canner.

While the pressure canner is heating up, bring to a full boil a kettle of water. Once the water is boiled, pour it into the jars with the peppers leaving one inch of headspace. Debubble the jars and top them up with more boiled water if needed. Wipe the rim of the jars and place the seal and ring on, tightening just finger tight. Transfer the jars to your prepared pressure canner and tighten the lid.

Allow the canner to steam vent for ten minutes. Next, process for 35 minutes using a 10 pound (69 kPa) weighted gauge. Be sure to adjust pressure for your altitude if over 1000 feet. Time the processing from the time the canner has reached full pressure. Once done, turn off the heat and allow canner to de-compress naturally.. (Ten pounds if recommended for those of you who are 0-2000 feet above sealevel.

Carefully remove each jar from the canner using the jar lifter. Do not tilt the jars or try to wipe them dry. Place jars onto a wire cooling rack that has been covered with a clean kitchen towel. Leave the jars to cool for a minimum of 12 hours. Once cooled, wipe the jars of any residue that might have been transferred to the outside of the jar during the boiling process. Label the jars and store in a dark, cool cabinet.

WHAT TO DO WITH SO MANY ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Now, unless you’re a hot-blooded Italian, like my friend Nadia, you might be asking why you might need so many Canned Roasted Peppers.  So let me take a moment to explain the benefits of having prepared roasted peppers on hand. You will note the many options you’ll have for cooking and preparing meals with tastier results.

Roasted Red Peppers are flavourful, bright and colourful. They proudly boast a low calorie count of only 25 calories for half a cup!  They can be added to pasta sauce, used to top a pizza, chopped and mixed into tuna or egg salad, folded into scrambled eggs,  or reheated and served on top of grilled chicken or steak.

Need any more ideas?  How about tossing some in a skillet with wilted spinach and garlic for a great side; add a few to your soup recipe, or your rice and quinoa dishes.  These are great when used to top sandwiches also!

Lord Byron’s Kitchen has a few recipes that you can make with your newly Roasted Red Peppers.  One of my personal favourites is this Hot Four Cheese Roasted Red Pepper Dip, or my Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Pesto.

I mentioned soup a few paragraphs back.  One of our favourite soups is my Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.  There is so much flavour in this particular soup recipe.  It’s also one of the most popular soup recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!