The Best Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeño Peppers Recipe
Refrigerator pickled jalapeño peppers only minutes to make but are so delicious that they will become a staple condiment in your home! These refrigerator pickled jalapeños keep in the fridge for up to a year, with no canning involved. Spicy pickled jalapeños are perfect for putting on nachos, tacos, sandwiches, salads and more!
Have you noticed a trend here?? This is post 3 of a 4 part series where I’m talking all about hotdogs and specifically leading up to how to make a West Virginia Style Hot Dog.
- The Best Hotdog Coleslaw Recipe
- Easy Hotdog Chili Sauce Recipe
- The Best Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeño Peppers (this recipe)
- How to make a West Virginia Hot Dog
What are Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños?
I’ve always kept a jar of pickled jalapeño peppers in our fridge, you never know when you’ll need a spicy pickled topper for a West Virginia Style Hot Dog or for a plate of Easy Keto Nachos with Pork Rinds.
The pickled jalapeños that most of you are familiar with that you’ve had a on a plate of nachos, are shelf stable and found in the canned goods section of your grocery store. They are made the same way that I’ll be teaching you except we won’t need the extra tedious canning step, since we’re going to keep our in the refrigerator instead of in our pantry.
Like many of you, I started out purchasing mine from the store too but then it just seemed silly to purchase something that I can make myself at home with the beautiful jalapeño peppers that we grow every year in our garden.
If you don’t have a garden don’t worry! You can use fresh jalapeño peppers from your local farmers market or grocery store too!
Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeno Ingredients
To make refrigerator pickled jalapeños you only need a few simple ingredients:
Ingredients
- fresh jalapeño peppers
- organic distilled white vinegar
- Water, filtered
- sugar
- canning & pickling salt*
You’ll also need a few supplies:
- 2 Weck Jars 3/4 liter #743 with lids or other airtight canning jars or containers
- rubber gloves
- small sauce pan
- canning funnel
- ladle
I want to be sure to REMIND you that it is very IMPORTANT that anytime you are handling hot peppers of any variety, always wear disposable gloves. Not only can the oils stay on your hands after washing and transfer to really painful places (ie rubbing your eyes or going to the bathroom) they can also cause hot pepper burns.
I had a horrible experience about 15 years ago cutting up Hungarian wax peppers and spent 10+ hours in agonizing pain from hot pepper burns on both hands. I learned my lesson the hard way, I don’t want you to make my same mistake!
How to make Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos
To make refrigerator pickled jalapeños, the process is identical to making my Quick & Easy No-Cook Refrigerator Pickles only we’re using jalapeño peppers instead of cucumbers.
To make your pickling liquid, combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a small saucepan or pot over medium heat. There is no reason to boil the brine, you only need to heat it enough to melt/combine the ingredients together. Once your brine is made, set it aside while you are preparing your peppers.
You can make pickled jalapeños using whole peppers, jalapeño slices or even chopped jalapeños. If you prefer a milder spice, you will want to remove all of the white inner pith of the pepper along with the seeds. For a traditional hot, spicy pickled jalapeños, leave them intact.
Pack your jars tightly with prepared peppers and cover with your brine. You want the peppers to be fully submerged and covered with the brine. Seal each jar with an airtight lid and keep in the refrigerator for 2+ weeks total time before using to allow the pickling magic to happen.
Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeno Pepper FAQs
How long do Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeno Peppers Last?
Pickled jalapeños will keep up to a year in the refrigerator.
Can I use this refrigerator pickle recipe to pickle other types of Hot Peppers??
Yes! I use this recipe to pickle a wide variety of both hot, mild and sweet peppers!
Can I water bath Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños to make them shelf stable?
Yes! Of course you’ll need to start with clean and sterilized canning jars/lids. Pack your jars with prepared peppers then fill with HOT BRINE. Apply 2 part lids and water bath for 10 minutes.
Can I add other spices or ingredients to my Pickled Peppers?
Yes, add any spice you crave into your pickled jalapeños! Sliced onion, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, cumin seeds, this recipe can be customized to suit your taste!
I like use this pickle brine recipe on it’s own to pickle peeled garlic cloves too!
I you like this Refrigerator Pickled jalapeño Peppers Recipe, try these other Refrigerator Pickle Recipes:
- Quick & Easy No-Cook Refrigerator Pickles
- Easy Refrigerator Pickled Beets
- Pickled Roasted Red Peppers
- Pickled Maitake Mushrooms {aka Sheep’s Head or Hen of the Woods}
- Homemade Pickled Red Onions
The Best Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeño Peppers Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Weck Jars 3/4 liter #743 with lids or quart canning jars
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh jalapeño peppers washed and cut, as desired
- 1 cup organic distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup Water, filtered
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons canning & pickling salt*
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan combine water, vinegar, salt and sugar. Heat until the salt and sugar are melted. The brine can be used hot, warm or chilled*. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Throughly wash your jars & lids. Even though we are not canning these pickles it's important to make sure there is no bacteria on the jars or lids.
- IMPORTANT: Always wear rubber gloves when processing hot peppers.
- Prepare fresh picked jalapeños by washing and cut into desired shape (slices, halves, chopped, etc). For spicer peppers leave the white pith and seeds, for milder peppers remove them, leaving only the green pepper flesh. Set aside
- Tightly pack your prepared peppers into the jars.
- Pour brine over top and seal with an air tight lid.
- Store your Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeno Peppers in the Refrigerator. Depending on the size of your pieces and your desired depth of flavor, you can start using your pickles in roughly 2-3 weeks and they will keep in the fridge for up to 1 year!