Pickled Jalapenos
| January 9, 2012 | Posted by Cheeks under Appetizers, Main Course, Recipe |
Pickled jalapeno rings, the most important part of sports arena and movie theater nachos everywhere. Hell, all nachos, really, provided they aren’t too spicy. Like the one mexican pizza I once ate whose 100000 jalapeno rings were so spicy I still couldn’t eat it after picking them all off.
That’s the thing about jalapenos, though — you never really know how hot they will be. And when I have a whole crisper jar full of them (generous thanks to FIL’s chile-filled garden), you need to think creatively to use them all up. Sure, bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapenos are the first thing that comes to mind. And a batch of Jalapeno-Cheddar Corn Muffins was delicious alongside White Chicken Chili. But what else?
Pickled, duh!
This is based on David Lebovitz’s recipe, but with some modifications in the brine and preparation of the peppers. I also opted to can mine in half-pint jars for eating all winter long. I wrote my canning instructions below, but if you’re canning anything please, PLEASE read up on food safety issues on the USDA canning website. You don’t want botulism toxins in your cans, trust.
Pickled & Canned Jalapeno Rings
- 1 pound fresh jalapeno peppers, washed (see Note)
- Whole cloves garlic, peeled, one large or two small per jar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons coarse salt, such as kosher
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds (or 2 tsp ground coriander)
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
Wash all jalapenos thoroughly and slice off tops. Slice jalapenos into 1/4″ thick rounds. (NOTE: If you want less spicy peppers, put the rounds into a colander and rinse under your faucet’s sprayer to remove many of the seeds and membranes, where the spice lives.)
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Pack jalapenos into half-pint jars, pressing them in pretty tightly but leaving about 3/4″ headspace. Add garlic cloves.
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In a small saucepan, bring water, vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaves, coriander and peppercorns to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Pour brine into jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace. (Leftover brine can be used to quick pickle cucumbers or carrots.)
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Wipe rims of jars and seal. Place in a large pot and cover with water by at least 1″. Bring to a rolling boil and cook (“process”) for 10 minutes at a full boil. Remove jars from water and allow to cool thoroughly.
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Check the lids to make sure the flat part is concave (you will hear the lids “pop” down as they cool). Tighten rings and store in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
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