If that taste appeals to you then yes, IF PROCESSED, you can shelf store them. Unprocessed? No, IMO safety issues will develop.

Dave

Alcohol doesn't have the same acidity nor the same type of acid as 5% vinegar. It is not to be used in the same way to "pickle" foods.

Understood.

I was just asking in reference to these I've found: (scroll to very bottom of page)
http://www.fiery-foods.com/index.php?view=article&catid=106%3Ain-the-kitchen-with-chile-peppers&id=2249%3Ahow-to-pickle-peppers&option=com_content&Itemid=148

Also infusions. I've seen lemoncello recipes that call for standing for months.

Lots of unsafe recipes and instructions out there on the web. :(

Dave

Right. This one is actually from a book I was given over the holidays as a present, with recipes in it (same as the ones in that link.)

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chile-Pepper-Book-Preserving/dp/0881929204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262895473&sr=8-1

So.....Just so I'm clear on this.....

There is a danger of something like botulism bacteria or mold growing in a product submerged in 75% alcohol??

pollock
:)

That is what I am wondering.

My desire is to put 4-5 bhut joloka peppers (with some holes punched in skin to let liquid inside) into a quart jar and fill with Everclear (190 proof) and cover with tight lid so alcohol does not evaporate over the months of storage.

But I wanted to check if it is safe or not.

I was referring to the lemoncello recipes that call for standing for months part of the post.

Personally I don't have any concerns about peppers in alcohol as I said above. They wouldn't appeal to me but my issue would be with the shelf storage without any processing part of the instructions. Even flavored liquors require minimal BWB processing.

But the history of preserving in alcohol does show that there are some drawbacks over time. They are lower pH and some do contain sugars that will allow for bacterial growth - thus the need for processing. ;)

But as Linda Lou said, it isn't approved by USDA so in the end, it's your choice.

Dave

Thanks for the perspectives.

I realize no one (who is wise) is going to say anything is safe unless it follows USDA approved method/recipe.

Are there any available USDA methods for alcohol mixtures and storage?

It doesn't appeal to me either, I don't drink, and this doesn't even sound good to me.....

I wouldn't even consider doing this.....but.....

I know damn well that back when I did drink, that worm in the bottoms of all those bottles was definitely dead!!!

The question just made me wonder since i've never heard of any kind of organism of any type that could survive in high concentrations of alcohol.....

Even the organisms that created the alcohol in the first place during the fermentation process die off when the concentration gets too high.....

pollock
:)

Oh my, no way this is definitely not for drinking. That would be super crazy, these are very hot peppers!

It is for cooking with, where most if not all of the alcohol will evaporate off during cooking process or where quantities added to non cooked foods are so small as to provide negligible alcohol content.

I have many of these peppers and aside from being very hot, they are very aromatic and tasteful.

I have dried them, pickled and frozen, but am looking for other ways to preserve, especially ways that help retain the flavor & aroma which drying and pickling do not or change.

So this is an experiment as I have heard that 'preserving' in alcohol minimizes the change and reduction in flavor.

The USDA doesn't have any guidelines or recommendations for using alcohol as a preservative.
Why don't you send off an email to the Univ. of Georgia and ask Elizabeth Andress ?
She will be more educated in the matter than I am. I just know she told me before about the acidity and type of acid they were.
I am using vodka to infuse vanilla beans, but the beans will be removed later on once the vanilla is strong enough.
I am concerned that leaving the peppers in there, they may mold. Not sure about the growth of botulism or other organisms in that alcohol, that is why I am recommending you contact the Univ. of Georgia.
My computer is sick and having a hard time using it or I would look up what I can. Have to get it repaired on Monday, I hope.

Alcohol is used for preserving meat all the time, at least in science labs where you want to keep a specimen for years. It sucks the water out of the item, and if it evaporates off, you add more. I'm interested in using alcohol as a preservative in a mash food I make for backyard wildlife -- not enough to get anything tipsy, but enough to slow bacteria from growing. What about experience with rum cakes and such, do they stay fresh longer?

Alcohol preserves much much better than vinegar. You can put peppers into alcohol without processing and that will work just fine. The problem is that alcohol is more expensive. Otherwise it would be used all the time.

You can put peppers into vinegar without processing just fine also. just do not add water. you can leave the vinegar peppers on the shelf. no problems. same with alcohol.

I never process my peppers. Everyone in the pepper forums never process peppers in vinegar. Alcohol is a super preserver way better than vinegar.

Now I am talking about peppers with nothing added like garlic. Garlic has some preservation problems. Other spices might have a problem. Peppers work just fine.

for example garlic does not ferment like a pickle. If you need natural pickling fermentation then avoid garlic.

peppers in alcohol are not pickled but they are preserved. the word pickled comes from natural fermentation in which a form of vinegar is made in the fermenation process.

hospitals use alcohol to kill off all germs in cleaning. do not worry. those peppers will be preserved in alcohol.

I never process the peppers since the heat softens the peppers. You do not want to process peppers unless you have to. soft peppers are lower quality. thus I always use 100% vinegar with no water added. Alcohol is the perfect preserver except it cost more money. It is way better at preserving than 100% vinegar.

If you want to make a hot sauce for cooking. You can put the peppers and alcohol in a blender and grind them up and bottle them with no processing and leave them on the shelf. no problem.

Has anyone tried a mixture of vinegar and alcohol? I put up some hot pepper sauce using 75% vinegar and 25% tequila. I did not process after adding the tequila as ethyl alcohol can react with vinegar, so I added it cold. I keep my sauce refrigerated.

TomNJ