Dissolve salt in unchlorinated water. Pour your salt water over the peppers to cover. Leave at least 1 inch of headspace from the opening of the jar. The brine needs to cover all the peppers, so if you need more brine, make more at the same ratio of 3 tablespoons sea salt per quart of water.

Use a knife or chopstick to poke through as many air bubbles as possible and place a weight on top of the peppers to ensure they are completely submerged in the brine. (If you don’t have a weight, you can use a sterilized plastic bag filled with water.) Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean towel and close the jar.

Set in a dark place (a pantry is perfect) for 5–7 days, burping the ferment a couple of times daily by loosening and tightening the lid. After 5 days, try your ferment and choose to continue fermenting longer (up to a month) for a deeper, mellower flavor and softer texture, or refrigerate to stop the fermentation.

Your fermented peppers should smell peppery and pleasantly sour. They should taste tart, savory, and spicy. Never eat a ferment with mold growing on it. Fermented peppers will keep in the refrigerator for several months.