Jalapeños en Vinagre

Have you ever wondered how to make Jalapeños en Vinagre (Pickled Jalapeños) at home? You wouldn’t believe how easy they are to make and SOO much better than store bought! This recipe makes delicious over the top pickled jalapeños in 10 minutes. This recipe is an absolute keeper!

These jalapeños are absolutely delicious! Actually, they’re so good, I’m kind of hooked on them!

They’re spicy, tangy and have perfect crispness to them.

They’re just excellent, truly! 

Pickled jalapeños in Spanish are also known by a variety of other names.  Chiles en Vinagre, Chiles en Escabeche or Jalapeños en Escabeche.

Top these on your favorite every day dishes or simply snack on a few every time you pass by your refrigerator.

These are just so addictive!

Pickling Whole, Sliced or Rajas?

When making these you have several options as to how you would like to pickle them.

You can slice them, keep them whole or cut them into strips (rajas).

This is really a personal preference.  Do keep in mind that if you do pickle them whole, less jalapeños will fit in a small mason jar.

If you would like to keep yours whole, make sure to poke a few holes with a fork or knife so that the spices and vinegar brine can seep into the jalapeños.

I prefer slicing or cutting mine into strips so that I can easily top them on a variety of dishes or snack on them easily.

Top Sliced Jalapeños on:

• tacos
• nachos
• tuna sandwich or sandwich de atún
• omelettes such as my steak and potato omelette
• burgers
• sandwiches
• pizza
• hot dogs or brats
• rice such as my Puerto Rican rice and beans recipe
• top on soups
• meat dishes

Really if you enjoy a little bit of spice and tangy flavor, top these on any of your favorites dishes!

How Spicy are Jalapeños?

The Scoville Scale is a measurement used to determine the heat and spiciness of chili peppers.

On the Scoville Scale, jalapeños measure anywhere between 2,500-8,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units) which when compared to the hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper, measuring at 2.2 million SHU, jalapeños are  obviously considered quite mild.

But of course most of us still find jalapeños spicy. However for me, jalapeños are comfortably spicy. Spicy and tasty enough to be enjoyed on most any dish!

Selecting Jalapeños for Jalapeños en Vinagre

Here is a little tip to keep in mind that will help.

As jalapeños age they tend to develop white streaks or stretch marks down the pepper. Usually these peppers are hotter and spicier.

Also, as the peppers ripen they turn red and although these are considered sweeter, they are also hotter.

Hence, if you enjoy hotter chilis then try to pick peppers that have white streaks lengthwise as well as a few red ones.

If you prefer a milder jalapeño, pick jalapenos that have a smoother surface and skin.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp of salt
• 8 jalapeños, rinsed and de-stemmed
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns

How to Make Jalapeños en Vinagre

Begin with rinsing and de-stemming jalapeños. Discard the stems.

Slice jalapeños as thin or thick as you like.

1. Add vinegar, water and spices to a saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a quick boil.
2. Add the jalapeño rings to the pot and give them a quick stir. Turn off heat.
3. With a slotted spoon, remove jalapeño rings and place inside a mason or medium to large jar.
4. Let vinegar brine cool slightly and top over jalapeno rings.

That’s all! Your homemade pickled jalapeños are done!

Allow the jar to cool slightly and store your jalapeños in your refrigerator.

Note: When cooking the jalapeños, do not let slices sit in brine for more than a few seconds in order to keep them crunchy and crisp.

If you prefer softer slices then keep them in brine for up to a minute before adding to a jar.

How Soon Can You Eat Jalapeños en Vinagre

Although you can have these rather immediate after cooking, they are much better after cooling.

To allow flavors to fully develop, wait a week before serving.

How Long Will Jalapeños an Vinagre Last

Your jalapeños en vinagre will last a 3 months or longer in the refrigerator.

Please note: These are not meant for long term storage. If you have would like to learn how to store and preserve  jalapenos long term, check out this post on Canning and Jarring Chili Peppers by Chili Pepper Madness.

Variations

You can add sliced carrots, raw or cooked onions, broccoli, cauliflower or other pepper strips.

You can also add additional spices when making the vinegar brine such as bay leaves, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander, chili flakes as well as other spices that you personally enjoy.

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