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+ servings

Pickled Chili Peppers

Marla Hingley
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 1 lb

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb red or green jalapeno peppers washed and dried
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 Tbsp kosher coarse salt
  • 2 cloves garlic + more if desired to add to each jar
  • 1 Tbsp peppercorns
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • Fresh oregano leaves optional
  • Fresh thyme sprigs optional

Instructions
 

  • In a Dutch oven (enameled pot) combine water, vinegar, salt, garlic, peppercorns, cumin and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
  • For sliced jalapeños – wearing latex gloves, cut off stem, slice into ¼” rings (do not seed) and add into brine, simmering for 5 minutes. Ladle jalapeño rings into small jars, add fresh garlic cloves if desired and top with the brine leaving ½” head space. Seal and process in a water bath for 15 minutes. For more detailed canning procedures see below.
  • For whole jalapenos – with stems intact, poke a few small holes (use skewer or cake tester) in the jalapenos to allow brine to infiltrate and to keep them from collapsing when canned. Blanch in boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove from water and squish out excess water with tongs, then pack immediately into sterilized jars along with some fresh garlic cloves if desired. Fill half the jar with brine, pressing down on peppers so brine is pulled inside the peppers. Add more brine and repeat pressing down. Fill until an inch from the top of the jar. Add some spices and a few sprigs of the herbs from the brine mixture along with 1 Tbsp of olive oil into each jar. Seal and process in water bath for 15 minutes.

Notes

-Make sure you use kosher or pickling salt. Table salt contains iodine which can discolor the peppers, and cloud the brine.
-Use whole, not ground spices which can cloud the brine.
-For a slightly different flavor, use apple cider or wine vinegar in place of white vinegar.
-Do not use copper, brass or iron pans to boil brine in. The vinegar will react with the metals in the pan creating a off taste to the brine, and can discolor the peppers.
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