Jalapeño Pickles Holler And Warm Up In Winter
I’m sick to death of those washed out, tired ol’ jalapeño peppers you get at the burrito take-out or on the side of your Mexican food. I think they have a machine that removes the flavor and then mixes them with the cheapest vinegar and salt. Doesn’t this trusty chilie deserve better? I like the way the sugar and the spices in the brine to balance the heat in these jalapeño pickles.
Sweet Pickled Jalapeños
Jackie Gordon
Gluten-Free, Vegetarian & Vegan, Condiments & Canning
I love the contrast of sweet and spicy. Jalapeños are highly inconsistent chilies. Sometimes they are mild and other times they pack some heat. I made sticky rice stuffed jalapeños for a potluck that were delicious, but like a game of “mouth Russian roulette.” Some were quite hot and some were fine so I had to warn people before they ate them. I find that pickling them evens out the heat levels.
Ingredients
- 1 pound jalapeño peppers, stemmed and sliced into rounds about 1/8” thick
- 4 ounces red onion, sliced thin
- 2 ounces carrot, sliced into rounds
- 2 ounces yellow or red pepper, sliced thin
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- 3 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups white sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
Directions
- In a medium-size bowl, mix together the jalapeño peppers, red onions, carrots, yellow peppers, and garlic.
- Make brine by combining the vinegar, sugar, salt and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes.
- Drain and pack the jalapeño mixture into sterilized jars. Pour over hot brine through a strainer, then divide the loose spices evenly between the jars.
- Place flat lids on each jar. Screw on bands to seal, but don’t over tighten them.
- Arrange jars right side up in a canner and add water so it’s at least one inch above the jars. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for ten minutes.
- Cool jars on rack. Store in cool place for at least one week before eating.
Total time:
Yield: 3 pints
Notes
If you don’t have enough brine, top off the jars with a little more vinegar. If you have too much brine, save it for making salad dressing.