One major concern is if you allowed the brine to enter the inside of the pepprs, as they are mostly hollow. Fermentation and lactic acid is a totally different process from a salt and vinegar brine. Think of fermentation as making cabbage based kraut and not using any added acids. I would expect the peppers would be ok, if kept in the fridge. In the future, if you want to pickle and can that pickle, a 75% vinegar with 25% water would be advisable, and the added pickling salt can be to your taste preferences. Allowing the brine to fully enter the insides is also important, as is the amount of processing time, as 10 minutes is too short. The jars must be submerged to have at least 2 inches of boiling water covering them.

I waited for an informative answer before posting this time.

An alternative...

If you are going to refrigerate your hot pods anyways, then why not just refrigerator pickle them? Wash the pods and then cut them into slices or slice in two lengthwise. Pack them in a 50/50 5% vinegar and sugar mix. To make the mix gently heat the vinegar until the sugar dissolves. Add the sliced pods and refrigerate.

Add whatever spices you want. Garlic cloves, cocktail onions, Mexican Oregano is good, whole peppercorns, etc.

The sugar mellows the acidic vinegar taste and keeps the pod color vibrant. It is sticky syrupy though.

I have a jar in fridge that is at least 3 years old & pods are still great.

jt

are you sure about the 75%water/25%vinegar?
I just read a thread where the poster thought she had used 75 percent water/25%vinegar... Linda Lou and Carol said it wasn't safe. Then the poster discovered she had reversed the percentages when posting: she had actually used 75 vinegar/25water which is safe.

If you actually used 75% water, I don't think refrigeration is going to make them safe. But, hopefully someone with more knowledge than I will chime in.

in the meantime, is this the recipe you plan to use in the future. (note: the last paragraph is the one that leads me to question the safety of your pickles.)

Marinated Refrigerated Peppers
Remember, all pickled pepper products stored at room temperature must be processed, to avoid the risk of botulism toxin development during storage. The boiling water bath processing step can be omitted if pickles are stored in the refrigerator. Use the following procedure.

Wash peppers. Small peppers may be left whole with two small slits in each pepper. Core and cut large peppers into strips.

Sterilize jars, lids and screwbands. Pack peppers tightly into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

For each 6 cups of brine, combine 5 cups vinegar, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon pickling salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer five minutes.

Pour vinegar solution over peppers, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust headspace so that brine covers all peppers. Wipe rims.

Place sterilized flats on jars. Do not put on screwbands. Allow jars to cool. Put on screwbands and wipe jars. Refrigerate six to eight weeks for the pickled flavor to fully develop. Keep refrigerated and use within six months. This pepper product allows the peppers to marinate in a high acid solution, at a cold temperature, and in the presence of air. These conditions are not favorable for botulism toxin formation. It does not ensure against other types of spoilage. (from Colorado State)

Hi,

Thanks for your replies, I did cut 2 slits in every chili to allow the brine mixture to get in to them so that should be ok.

It was definitley 25% vinnegar, 75% water for the liquids but like I say I think this recepie was more using the large amount of salt (12% of the solution was salt) to make lactic acid rather than vinnegar (acetic acid) to make them safe. I just don't know if the lactic acid is produced at fridge tempretures.

I don't plan on ever canning my chilis I only want to keep them in the fridge and will eat them within 6 months which is why I will use the Colarado State recepie above in future, although I like the sound of 50/50 vinnegar/sugar recepie, I think I will try a few jars like that!

I would like to see that recipe in its entirety. Salt slows down lactic acid bacteria and I use salt strictly for taste in my ferments and not for preserving.

And I don't know exactly what temperature it takes to stop fermentation. I know from personal experience that it continues at 41°F. At 75° I can ferment a pepper mash to below pH 4 in a week to ten days using kefir whey or sourdough hooch as a starter.

Here is the recepie in full...

I don't usually use pure vinegar. I use a pickling brine made up of 250 ml vinegar, 750 ml water, and 125 g pickling salt. Bring it to a boil and allow to cool.

Next I make a slit in my chiles to allow the brine into the peppers. At the bottom of each jar, I put a bay leaf or two, a few grams of mustard seed, and half a dozen peppercorns (you may leave any of this out if you like, but I enjoy the additional flavor it adds to the pickled chiles.) Next, pack the slit chiles into the jars. Be firm, but gentle because if you pack them too tightly they will bruise. Then pour overall with the warm brine, cap, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. For a "non-cooked" pepper you can keep them in the fridge without processing. They will still float a little, but it won't be too bad, and they certainly won't bob about at the top of the liquid.

Maybe the water/vinegar ratio is the wrong way round...