Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers

As far as food-safety recommendations go, you should always cover the jars with at least one inch of water.

Jars do not have to be sterilized. That's an outdated recommendation. However, the lids should have boiling water poured over them, and left to stand in the hot water. This assures that the polymer sealant softens enough to affect a good seal.

Veggies such as peppers are best if you let them sit for at least two weeks, so that the veggies absorb the brine. But it won't hurt anything to taste them sooner.

One cautionary note: Peppers tend to go soft when pickled. So if you're expecting the crispness found in commercially canned ones you might be disappointed.

I would seriously urge you to pick up a copy of the Ball Blue Book before proceeding. It will provide you with all the basic info you need, plus proven recipes. Then, if you decide you want to proceed with canning, get a starter kit (it will contain a funnel, jar lifter, magnetic lid lifter, and, sometimes, a plastic "knife" for removing air bubbles) and a canning kettle. None of this is particularly expensive, and you're recoup the costs in just a few canner loads.

No difference at all between a canning kettle and any other big pot. Just so long as it's deep enough to cover the jars with at least an inch of water. And you want some sort of rack on the bottom, rather than having the jars stand directly on it. There are all sorts of ways of accomplishing that. Probably the simplest is to find either a round cake rack or grill rack that fits inside the pot you have. Or cut a round to fit from hardware cloth. Or.... well, you get the idea.

If you've got tools that will work there's no need buying a starter kit. But yes, Walmart should have it. Nowdays even supermarkets carry them.  I'm not familiar with Never, so can't even guess.

If you measure by weight, there is no difference between salts. If you measure by volume, there could be. Enough to matter with canning? Maybe.

Were it me, I'd stick with the canning salt until I had some experience under my belt. It's certainly cheap enough, just a couple of bucks for a 5-lb bag.

Meijer will definiately have them---unless, like me, you have the new design. Then it's problematical that they have anything, and if they do stock it it won't be where you expect to find it.

Whoever made the decision on the new store design really needs to be taken out behind the barn. And it doesn't help that they transfered the most inept managers in the system to run it.

If you slit them they should absorb the brine and sink. Initially there's an air pocket in each one.

This will explain, too, why the brine level in the jars will seemingly go down. Don't worry about it.

Glad it worked out for you.

For jelly you'll need a strainer. Jelly is made from clarified liquid, is why, whereas jam has pulp and/or solids.

They make special conical ones just for that purpose, but they're not really necessary unless you really get into jelly-making in a big way.

I don't know anyone who cans Brussels sprouts; they seem to freeze better. However, unless you pickle them, you'll need a pressure canner to put them by safely. That's both a major expense and a different learning curve.

Were it me, I get some experience under my belt with high-acid and sugar-preserving (i.e., things you can use a boiling water bath for) first, then move on to pressure canning low-acid foods.