How to Make Pickled Jalapenos

There are few better ingredients to have on hand than pickled jalapenos, which are virtually required in nachos and tacos and able to add zip to black bean soup or a spicy stir fry. Follow these simple steps and you will always have homemade pickled jalapenos ready for your recipes.

Directions

1. Prepare the jars and lids you will be using to can your jalapenos by washing all jars and lids thoroughly with soap and water. Rinse well.

2. Fill a large nonreactive (such as enamel) canning or water bath canning pot with enough water to cover the jars by at least one inch and bring to a simmer.

3. Using a pair of canning tongs, gently lower the jars into your canning pot using a jar holder to keep them from hitting the sides of the pot and cracking. Allow the jars to fill with hot water.

4. Add warm (not boiling) water to a small saucepan. Place the lids in the water. Have an additional kettle of water on to boil.

5. Prepare the brine by combining vinegar, water, salt, garlic and sugar in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to keep your brine at a simmer.

6. Slice the jalapenos into 1/4-inch rings. Add the rings to the brine and bring back to a boil.

7. Using canning tongs, carefully remove the jars from the canning pot and place them on a towel to avoid cracking them on a hard surface. Carefully pour the water back into the canning pot.

8. Turn the heat under the canning pot to high. Use a ladle to pour the jalapenos into the jars through a canning funnel, leaving 1/2-inch headspace at the top. Run a clean chopstick (but a metal or plastic utensil is prefered since wood can harbor bacteria) around the inside of the jar to dislodge any trapped air.

9. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel. Place the lids on, and screw on the rings until just finger-tight.

10. To seal the jars, use canning tongs and gently transfer the jars to your canning pot, taking care to keep them vertical. When all the jars are in the pot, there should be at least 1-inch water covering them. If you need more, add water from the kettle until the jars are sufficiently covered.

11. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, and process for 5 minutes.

12. To remove and cool the jars, use canning tongs to gently remove the jars from the canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack, keeping them vertical. Note: Do not place hot jars directly on cool counter surfaces.

13. Leave the jars to cool, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours. If any of the jars do not seal when cool, reprocess using the method above, or refrigerate and use immediately.

14. Label and store your pickled jalapenos by adding a label to the lid or the side of your jar, noting the date it was canned. Remove the rings for other use and store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

Refrigerate after opening.