Pickled jalapeños are a wonderful sandwich topper. They're also a great way to add spice to various snack foods such as homemade nachos. While you can purchase them jarred at the store, pickled jalapeños are incredible easy to prepare at home, and with this simple recipe they come together in no time!
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Things You'll Need
1 cup distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 cup water
3 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons kosher salt or 1 tablespoon pickling salt
Optional: 1 large garlic clove, smashed
15 large or 20 medium jalapeño peppers (or a mix)
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
This recipe will work with either green or red jalapeños (it's fun to use a mix of colors for more festive looking results). You can also swap out the jalapeños for other options such as serrano or banana peppers. Use what you like and/or what's available to you. Three tablespoons of sugar will offer a subtle sweetness, while 4 tablespoons will give slightly more pronounced results.
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Step 2: Prepare the Brine
In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, black peppercorns, salt and garlic to a boil, stirring once or twice to help the sugar dissolve. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Step 3: Slice the Jalapeños
While the brine is heating up, cut the jalapeños into 1/4 inch slices, discarding the stems.
Tip
Always use kitchen-safe gloves while working with hot peppers. The oils can burn your fingers or worse (your eyes), if your fingers accidentally touch them.
Step 4: Add the Jalapeños to the Brine
Add the jalapeños to the brine and bring the heat back up to a boil. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the mixture to rest for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Cool and Store
Transfer the pickled jalapeños to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
