T HESE PICKLED JALAPEÑO PEPPERS ARE UTILITARIAN canning at its best. Pickling without the addition of herbs or a spice mix means that they remain a fiery blank slate, perfect for adding to salsas, taco filling, chili, or scattering atop plates of nachos. I like to put these up in either half- or quarter-pint jars, as I struggle to move through an entire pint in a timely manner, but if your household is more into consuming spicy food, feel free to use the pints. And, if jalapeño peppers aren’t your bag, do know that this technique can be used for any small, hot pepper.
2 cups/480 ml distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons pickling salt
1 pound/455 g jalapeño peppers, sliced in half lengthwise
Prepare a boiling water bath and 5 half-pint/250 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine the vinegar, 2 cups/400 ml water, and salt in a pot over high heat and bring the brine to a boil.
Meanwhile, pack the peppers into the sterilized jars. Slowly pour the hot brine over the peppers in each jar, leaving ½ inch/12 mm headspace. Gently tap the jars on a towel-lined countertop to help loosen any bubbles before using a wooden chopstick to dislodge any remaining bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.
Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes (see page 11).
Let these pickles cure for at least 1 week before eating.
Note: Working with hot peppers can be dangerous business. I make a practice of keeping some chemical-resistant gloves around the kitchen to protect my hands from the burn of the oils. If you do end up with burning fingers, I recommend rinsing the area right away with a diluted bleach solution, as it helps alleviate the burn.
