Hot Pickle Mix

Photo: flickr user greensudbury

Ingredients

6 pounds zucchini cut ½" chunks

2 1/2 cups peeled pickling onions (abt 1 lb)

2 cups carrots in ½" slices - (abt 4 large)

2 cups celery in ½" slices

2 cups sweet yellow peppers in ½" dice - (abt 2 med)

2 cups sweet red peppers in ½" dice - (abt 2 med)

1 cup sweet green peppers in ½" dice - (abt 1 med)

1 1/2 cups Ball 100%% Natural Canning & Pickling Salt

4 quarts water plus

2 cups water divided

10 jalapeno peppers

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 cloves garlic

10 cups vinegar, 5%% acidity

Preparation

Prepare Ball brand or Kerr brand jars and closures according to manufacturer's instructions.

Combine zucchini, onions, carrots, celery, sweet yellow, red and green peppers in a large container. Dissolve salt in 4 quarts of water. Pour salt water mixture over vegetables and let stand 1 hour.

Cut 3 to 4 slits in each jalapeno pepper; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients; simmer 15 minutes. Remove garlic. Drain vegetables; rinse and drain thoroughly.

Pack vegetables, except jalapeno peppers, into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Add 1 jalapeno pepper to each jar.

Carefully ladle hot liquid over vegetables, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic spatula. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly just until a point of resistance is met - fingertip tight.

Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. At elevations higher than 1,000 feet, boil 2 additional minutes for each additional 1,000 feet elevation.

This recipe yields about 10 pints.

Caution: When cutting or seeding hot peppers, wear rubber gloves to prevent hands from being burned.

Yield: 10 pints