I recently asked my brother to purchase a “lug” of yellow Armenian Peppers so I could make one of our mom’s specialties- Toorshi/Armenian pickled peppers. These peppers are available during the summer months. The variety he found at the Fresno Farmer’s market the day he ordered them was Armenian peppers long..
Because I was planning to make the “toorshi” within 2 days of picking them up in Fresno, and didn’t have time to go to my local hardware store, I searched online for the best price for 24 jars and lids. I had only random sizes of BallⓇ jars and no lids on hand https://www.freshpreserving.com/ . I found the best price when I was shopping was www.target.com. They arrived within a couple of days and I was ready to proceed!
I had never made so many jars of toorshi at once!
Due to a softening issue I had with yellow peppers many years go, (I still blame on the brine being too hot) I have since only been making cold brine pickles- in 2 gallon jars and plastic tubs- perfect for the fridge, using my mom’s recipe, replacing the lukewarm brine with cool, and missing the popping sound as each jar seals. However…..this year I really wanted to recreate my mom’s recipe to the “T” as she would say, so I took out her recipe, and followed it precisely. The jars did not disappoint, and their popping was heard into the evening as we were watching Stanley Tucci searching for Italy.. The recipe says ready in 3-4 weeks, but being impatient, I opened a jar at a week and a half and they were spot on!
Cleaning 27 pounds of 8″ long yellow peppers
is an ardous job, but worth it! I listened to the Elton John and La La land stations on Pandora, washing and slicing the peppers one by one. My kitchen (along with every large capacity bowl I owned) was overflowing with yellow peppers!
After I washed and sterilized the lids and jars, I placed them in a 100 degree oven to dry and stay hot until ready to use.
Once the peppers were prepared, I made the brine, cooled to lukewarm, and poured into each sterilized jar.
Fill each jar with peppers to 1/2″ below the lid. Fill with lukewarm brine to just cover the peppers.
You will notice the peppers changing color within 15-20 minutes of adding brine and sealing. Then listen for the “pop”!
Toorshi
Recipe for 4 1 quart jars
[INGREDIENTS]
3 pounds of long yellow sweet peppers (Fresno Armenian peppers)
3-3.5 peppers (aprox 11.5 oz with seeds) per jar
1 jalapeno thinly sliced (with or without seeds for spiciness)
4 large sprigs of fresh dill
2 Garlic cloves quartered
2 ½ quarts water
1 ½ quarts white vinegar
¾ cup non iodized salt
4 (1 quart) sterilized jars and lids*
*Sterilize all jars, lids, and bands. Once sterilized, place all jars, lids, and rings in a warm oven until ready to use.
[RECIPE]
Wash peppers. Pat dry. Slice them in half. Remove seeds and stems if desired. (I leave the seeds but cut off the stems to make room. Pack the peppers vertically in the sterilized pickling jars, inserting a dill sprig. Add sliced jalapeno and garlic cloves. Repeat until the peppers are tightly packed in the jar.
Bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil until the salt is dissolved (20-30 minutes). Allow brine to cool to lukewarm – around 98 degrees. Pour the brine over the peppers and seal with sterilized lids. While cooling, the lids should pop and suction inward. Once this happens, you will know that the jars are sealed. Toorshi will be ready to eat in 3-4 weeks. If the lids do not seal within 24 hours, either reprocess (put packed jars in boiling water for about 20 minutes) or refrigerate.