It’s been a long time since I’ve made any pickled jalapenos. I got inspired to make a batch after my son Josh started making pickles. He has made some of the best pickles I’ve ever tasted and one day I’m going to have him share his recipe. I used to plant a little garden every summer and found jalapenos one of the easiest plants to grow. We would have so many jalapenos, it was hard to know what to do with them all. I would roast some to put in the freezer and others I would pickle. I have always loved this recipe from Chile Pepper magazine which is a refrigerated pickling process rather than canning. It’s simple and easy to make. Over time (about 2 weeks) the jalapenos are infused with the most amazing taste. They give your favorite sandwich, salad or nachos an extra bite of spicy tang.
You’ll need 1 pound of jalapenos, a pint of vinegar, garlic, kosher salt, peppercorns and some olive oil. Being somewhat of a pack rat I’ve kept every Chile Pepper magazine. This recipe is from the February/1997 issue.
The seeds and membrane are what makes these jalapenos hot. If you like them hot leave the seeds intact, if you’d rather tame them down a bit, scoop them out. I divided the jalapenos and made a jar of each.
You may want to wear gloves when working with hot chiles, the heat may not hit you right away but a couple hours later you may feel the burn. Slice your jalapenos thin or thick, however you like them.
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat pour in the vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.
Bring the vinegar to a boil.
I boiled and sterilized 2 pint jars with lids. Sprinkle a few peppercorns in the bottom of each jar.
Pack the jalapenos slices in the jar. Add a clove of garlic to each jar.
Pour the hot vinegar mix over the jalapenos to cover.
Seal with a lid and let cool. Then place both jars in the fridge and let them do their magic. In about 2 weeks they will be infused with the vinegar and spice.
Pickled Jalapenos (adapted from Chile Pepper Magazine Feb/1997)
1 pound fresh Jalapenos
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Peppercorn Blend (or all Black Peppercorns)
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 pint (16 fluid oz) Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Remove stems and slice jalapenos. For milder jalapenos, scoop the seeds and membrane out before slicing. Bring vinegar, salt and olive oil to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Divide and sprinkle peppercorns in 2 sterilized pint jars. Pack jars with jalapeno slices and add 1 clove garlic to each jar.
Pour vinegar over jalapenos, seal with a lid and let cool. Refrigerate for approximately 2 weeks for maximum taste.
Top your favorite sandwich, salad or nachos.
Makes 2 pints
An Inspired Cook 