Quick pickled jalapenos recipe? Sign me up! These tangy spice bombs can be strangely addicting. And sometimes, buying a can from the store is not enough. Pickled jalapeños are delicious, and you can put it on pretty much anything. Add it on tacos, nachos, burgers, and even sandwiches!
What Peppers Are Best for Canning Pickled Jalapeños?
You can use both green and red jalapeño peppers. Note that red peppers are fully ripe and tend to be hotter than the green ones. You also want to make sure that they are firm and have no mold or bruises.
TIP: If you want to make the pickle a little less spicy, remove the seeds on the peppers. Make sure to put latex gloves on when you do this to avoid pepper burns.
Pickling Brine Recipe How to Make?
A good brine is halfway through an irresistible pickle. But what makes a “good brine”?
For the base, mix 3 ½ cups of the vinegar,1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon of salt. This is good for 1 pound of jalapeños. Peppers are naturally low acid food, so you want to use vinegar that contains 5% acidity.
Combine the base, sugar (or honey), few cloves of garlic, and bay leaf in a non-reactive pot. This is to ensure the brine doesn’t pick up any metallic flavor or turn a strange color. Put the stove on high heat until the brine goes on a rolling boil then remove the garlic and bay leaf. If you want more flavor, you can also add oregano and cumin seeds to the mixture.
Now you know what peppers to use and how to make the brine, let’s start pickling!
1. Put your latex gloves back on and cut up the peppers to rings around ¼ inch thick. Submerge the pepper rings in ice water for 24 hours.
2. Sterilize the canning jars. Use a jar holder or canning tongs and slowly sink them into your canning pot to prevent the jars from cracking. Leave them boiling for 10 minutes.
3. Make the brine then add the pepper rings to the pot. Stir the mixture well and remove from heat. Let the peppers sit in the brine for 15 minutes or until their color change to a duller shade of green.
4. Scoop the peppers into your sterilized jars. Use a canning funnel to avoid spills. Add a pinch of calcium chloride to each jar. This keeps the peppers’ crunch and increases the pickle’s shelf life.
5. Add the brine. Make sure to leave ½ inch of headspace to help with the sealing process.
6. Use either a wooden spoon or plastic knife to remove the air bubbles from the canned peppers. Press the spoon gently between the peppers and the sides of the jar to let the air escape.
7. Now, wipe the rims and put the caps on the jars. Make sure that they are finger tight. Do not over tighten your jars. It can cause them to crack during the sealing process.
8. Fill your canning pot with water and put on high heat. Once the water reaches a full rolling boil, gently transfer the jars to the pot. There should be at least 1-2 inches of water covering the jars. Ensure that they stay vertical and leave to process for 5 minutes.
9. Carefully remove the jars and leave to cool on a kitchen towel or cooling rack for at least 12 hours.
Pickled jalapenos can last up to 3 months or longer. Thanks to the vinegar and salt in the brine that acts as a preservative. Once opened, put the can of jalapenos in the fridge and it can last for several weeks. And there you have your canned jalapeños! You’re now ready for a Tex-Mex party. 😉
