Do yanno what’s a great little thing to have on hand? Just to perk up a little Mexican food or just about anything you’d like a little spicier? Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos. And not only are the pickled jalapenos great, if you’re into a little heat, but the brine is also fantastic dribbled in or over dishes. The beauty of pickled jalapenos is that if you’re serving a mix of people, maybe some normal along with a few “chili-heads” you can choose a milder heat level. Then the heat lovers can doctor up with the jalapenos and/or a little of the brine.
Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos
So having a jar of Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos is like two condiments in one. The Jalapenos are great of course and I use them in all kinds of things, but the brine is like it’s own special vinegar-based hot sauce and I love to dribble it over all kinds of things. Hello Creamy White Chicken Chili, I’m talking about you, for one! Dribble a little of that pickled jalapeno juice right in that Chili. Can I get an OMG?
So the pickled jalapenos are great, but the spicy brine is a condiment in its own right. Bonus: that means no waste! (Bloody Marys…why didn’t I think of adding that brine in my Overnight Bloody Marys? Next time!)
And of course, I used the pickled jalapenos on my McMullan’s Irish Nachos, just the other day. Once you have a jar of Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos on hand, you’re pretty much only limited by your imagination! Just a hint: no, you’re not just limited to Mexican foods. Or Tex Mex. Or Southwestern. Try a little in any cuisine that you might not have quite the “proper” pepper for.
about refrigerator pickled jalapenos
Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos are so easy to make, you’ll probably have a “doi” moment and think about all those jars you’ve paid dearly for over the years.
They’re seriously easy. Boil up a brine of vinegar, water, and a touch of sugar & salt, and while that’s going slice up the jalapenos. (You might want to use gloves for that task.) Then put the jalapenos in a clean jar, pour the brine over them and toss in the fridge where they just get better and better.
You can go plain, like these, or add garlic, bits of bell pepper, onion, red pepper flakes, black pepper or anything else you think would be good in these. Hey, they can be your very own “signature” item. You might even want to give them as gifts and people will clamor for them.
Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos
save money & time on refrigerator pickled jalapenos
I usually think of recipes like this during the late summer when people are canning their own veggies, but I’m also prone to buying those packages of jalapenos at Aldi. They seem to be available pretty much year-round, even in Minnesota. I think there’s usually about a dozen jalapenos to a package and even I don’t always go through them all. Sometimes I roast and freeze, other times, I pickle.
Pickling just about any veggie that you don’t think you’ll get to in time is a great way to preserve them and buy a bit more time. And it’s seriously like a 10-minute project to make a jar or two of pickled vegetables. Some good candidates besides jalapenos? Cucumbers, of course, brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, daikon, green beans. The list is nearly endless!
If you’re a big vinegar user, the time to look for it on sale with coupons is right now, before Easter. Sometimes the higher end vinegar is on sale, too, so stock up for the year! I often find vinegar on sale, unadvertised, so it never hurts to take a peek down the aisle this time of year.
Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos
Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos
Simple refrigerator pickled jalapenos; great to have on hand!
- Yield: 1 jar 1x
Ingredients
- 10 – 12 jalapenos, sliced into 3/8” thick rings
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Add jalapenos to a very clean jar (or jars depending on how large the jars are). In the meantime, bring the vinegar and water to a boil (ventilate the room or stand back from it), turn off the heat and dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour over the jalapenos.
Let sit for several minutes, then with a clean spoon, push down any floaters. Refrigerate.
Notes
You may wish to wear gloves when slicing jalapenos.
Feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking, adding any additional ingredients.
If you want a new batch, start the brine out with what’s left of the old. The brine will get hotter and hotter with each new batch and you’ll end up with some serious pickled jalapenos.
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I’ll be bringing Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos to Fiesta Friday #215, hosted this week by Laurena @ Life Diet Health and Alex @ Turks Who Eat. We’d all love it if you stop by & see a collection of recipes and posts by the fantastic food bloggers who’ve joined in.
canning and preserving pickled jalapenos:
This recipe is for refrigerator pickled jalapenos and has not been tested or approved for processing for canning. If you’re interested in actual canning rather than refrigerator pickles, you can’t go wrong with the website National Center for Food Preservation. I have them bookmarked and consult them very often. Another reliable site is Fresh Preserving by Ball/Kerr the producers of canning jars.
So how about you? Are you a fan of pickled jalapenos? Or a fan of spicy foods? Or maybe you have your own recipe. I’d love to hear about it if you do. And of course, if you try my recipe, it would be fun if you’d stop by and let me know what you think. 🙂
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