After the success with the Crock Pickles, I decided to try pickling banana peppers. Note the slit in the end of the peppers to let the pickling solution inside the peppers.

Crock Hot Peppers
After liking the Crock Pickles so much I got some banana peppers from Gardengate.

8-10c organic raw cider vinegar
10tsp sea salt
2-3T local honey
2-3kg organic banana peppers, slit on the end
4 garden fresh grape leaves (optional)
1-2 organic red hot pepper (optional)

Take a clean 4L crock and put the grape leaves in the bottom to help keep the peppers crisp. Cut off the old part of the banana pepper stem and slit the end of the banana pepper. Fill the crock completely full of peppers. The peppers will compress down during pickling. Add the pickling solutions to the crock and weigh down the peppers with a plate and stone. I use granite river rocks that I find in the ditches around here. The stone shown here is a too big and I will go find a smaller one. I boil the stone in water before using.

This is the banana peppers with the plate and stone on top. It is important to always have the peppers below the level of the pickling solution.

Frugal Tip: After you finish eating the banana pepper, do not throw out the pickling juice. Reuse the pickling juice for the vinegar portion of homemade salad dressing. Pickling juice can also improve the flavor and texture of home canned vegetables.