This recipe for easy refrigerator Pickled Jalapeno peppers is a cinch. No canning or water bath involved, with just a few Mason Jars and simple ingredients you’ll have a stash of pickled jalapeno peppers for those tacos, nachos, quesadillas and more. They’re tart, tangy, sweet and just right heat. A recipe from the famous Denver restaurant, The Fort.
Pickled jalapeno peppers are more than just a condiment, they’re a necessity in any Mexican or Southwestern pantry. And pickling your own jalapeno peppers is easy and allows you to adjust the flavors to suit your taste.
This refrigerator pickled jalapeno recipe comes from a very famous Denver area restaurant, The Fort. A Colorado landmark full of western culture, history, charm and western food. Julia Child’s favorite dish to order there, was the Buffalo Tongue.
And if you’ve ever been to The Fort for a special occasion, you’ve been served a complimentary slice of their famous Chile Chocolate Cake with Bourbon Chocolate Frosting.
The reason these pickled jalapenos are pickled whole, instead of sliced, is because they’re used to make their very popular appetizer, Pickled Jalapenos Stuffed with Whipped Peanut Butter that’s been sweetened with Mango Chutney.
I’ve had peanut butter stuffed jalapenos at the restaurant and quickly noticed that the flavor of the peppers was absolutely perfect in my books. So, this became my go-to recipe for making refrigerator pickled jalapenos.
Let’s take a look:
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar brings a sweeter flavor to this recipe. White Vinegar will also work well here.
- Jalapeno Peppers: 12-16 medium to large peppers.
- Onion: I like sweet onions here. A yellow or white onion will also work well here.
- Carrot: Carrots are a traditional ingredient in Mexican pickling recipes.
- Pickling Spice: If you have a Mexican grocer near, by all means purchase your pickling spice from them. A regular pickling spice from your local grocer will work just fine.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar.
- Salt: Kosher salt brings a more pure salt flavor to any dish. You can also use sea salt.
- Garlic: Whole garlic cloves, peeled.
- Sesame Oil: I’m not sure why the restaurant chose Sesame oil for this recipe, but I’m glad they did. It adds a unique nutty, toasty edge to the flavor.
How To: Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos, The Process
How to pickle jalapenos without canning … it’s easy.
- Step 1: Rinse whole jalapeno peppers. In a 4 – 6 quart stainless steel or enameled pot, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, sesame oil and pickling spice, jalapenos, onion, carrot, and garlic. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for seven minutes. Half way through the cooking process, give it a good stir to make sure sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Step 2: Remove from the heat. While still hot, use a slotted spoon to transfer one garlic clove to each of the four jars. Then divide the onions and carrots equally between the jars.
- Step 3: Divide the jalapeno peppers between the jars. I use my finger tips to grab hold of the tip of the stem of the peppers, then drop them into the Mason jars.
- Step 4: Use a Pyrex measuring cup with a pour spout to pour the pickling liquid in the jars. If you have extra liquid left over, use a spoon to fish out the pickling spice and add it to jars.
- Step 5: Cover tightly with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one week before using.
Questions You Might Have
Keep pickled jalapenos in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to two months.
Jalapeno peppers are a medium heat jalapeno. They range from 2,500 to 8,000 on the Scoville Heat Scale. Once the peppers are pickled, and as you’re slicing them, you can remove the seeds and veins with spoon or knife. That’s where the heat lies and removing them will make for a milder flavor experience.
Tips for Success
- Once they’re ready to eat, when removing pickled jalapenos from the brine, use a fork or tongs. This will keep the jalepeno peppers and the brine as sterile as possible.
- Kosher salt or sea salt is commonly used for pickling recipes. Iodized salt isn’t recommended because additives may affect the brine.
- Glass containers are recommended for storage. Metallic containers are not recommended.
How To Use Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos
The first thing that comes to mind and probably the most well known is to use them to make Nachos. Nachos wouldn’t be nachos without them.
Use pickled jalapenos as a topping for Tacos. Any taco recipe will benefit from a slice or two of pickled jalapeno peppers.
How about adding a few slices to a bowl of Chili. Cowboy Chili is a great recipe to welcome those little green peppers. And don’t forget about beans. Cowboy Beans are delicious with a little slice of heat.
We also like to add a couple slices to Mexican Scrambled Eggs.
Now that you have your stash of Pickles Jalapeno Peppers, experiment, have fun. They’re interchangeable when using fresh sliced jalapeno peppers. You can also use the brine liquid to flavor dishes. Try drizzling a little in your next bowl of Pinto Beans with Chorizo.
Pickling whole jalapeño peppers is a simple and rewarding process with super flavorful results. Whether you’re a seasoned pickling enthusiast or a novice in the kitchen, this easy recipe offers a fantastic way to preserve jalapeño peppers.
With just a few ingredients and minimal effort, you can create a delicious condiment that adds a spicy kick to your favorite dishes or stands alone as a tangy snack. Pickle a batch of jalapeños today and enjoy the heat, tang, and crunch that they bring to your cooking adventures.
More Things You Might Like To Pickle
And friends don’t let friends eat Mexican Food without Pickled Red Onions. This is a simple recipe and a recipe from a popular Denver Mexican Restaurant.
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Easy Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos
Ingredients
- 4 12-ounce Sterilized Canning Jars with lids
- 12-16 medium large Fresh jalapenos
- 3 ½ Cup Cider vinegar
- 1 ¾ Cup Water
- ½ Cup Granulated white sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoon Toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon Pickling spice
- ¾ Cup Yellow onion Coarsely chopped
- ¾ Cup Carrot Coarse chopped, about 2 large carrots
- 4 cloves Garlic peeled, whole
Instructions
- Rinse the jalapenos. In a 4 – 6 quart stainless steel or enameled pot, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, sesame oil and pickling spice, jalapenos, onion, carrot, and garlic.
- Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for seven minutes. Half way through the cooking process, give it a good stir to make sure sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Remove from the heat. While still hot, use a slotted spoon to transfer one garlic clove to each of the four jars. Then divide the onions and carrots equally between the jars. Divide the jalapeno peppers between the jars. I use my finger tips to grab hold of the tip of the stem of the peppers. Use a Pyrex measuring cup with a pour spout to pour the pickling liquid in the jars. If you have extra liquid, use a spoon to fish out the pickling spice and add it to jars.
- Cover tightly with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one week before using.
Notes
- When removing pickled jalapenos from the brine, use a fork or tongs. This will keep the jalepeno peppers and the brine as sterile as possible.
- Kosher salt or sea salt is commonly used for pickling recipes. Iodized salt isn’t recommended because additives may affect the brine.
- Glass containers are recommended for storage. Metallic containers are not recommended.
- ¼ Cup Peanut Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Major Grays Mango Chutney
Nutrition
Easy Refrigerator Pickled Jalapenos ….It’s What’s For An Appetizer!
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
That is completely twisted and insane.
No wonder I want to try it!
That’s exactly why I had to try it….that and everyone that’s had them at the Fort raves about them.
What a unique combination! I love it. I am keeping this for summertime when I have an abundance of peppers in my garden and don’t know what to do with them!
Pickling them was so easy, I’ll never buy them from the store again.
Wow, jalapenos with peanut butter, now that is a combination I would have never found in a million years. I get they are amazing, and then using the canned ones too! Must be an explosion of flavor in every bite! Caliente!
You stuffed them with peanut butter?? How amazing is that? They look fabulous!
This is such an interesting recipe! I would have never thought to combine pickled jalapenos with peanut butter. The Fort sounds like quite a fixture in Denver, it’s so rare these days to find restaurants that have been around for decades, it means it’s that good.
Jalapenos and peanut butter!! I haven’t tried that. Very intriguing!
This is so fantastically crazy…I must try it!
I hate to admit it but we have never been to The Fort. I think we really do need to get out more. Until then, I think I may have to give these a try. By the way, I love Cheetos but my faves are the baked ones, yum!
Karen, We need to get out more too. We’re homebodies.
This sounds so different that I simply have to give it a try. Who would have ever thought :-). I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…MAry
Thanks Mary! They’re very unique in a delicious sort of way.
Nobody brings Cheetos as an appetizer to a real foodies house, when there’s really good appetizers and wine happening. Nobody. I wouldn’t invite that guy back.
The peanut butter jalapenos and the marinara/melted cheese dish were off the charts.
I’ll only invite him back if he brings a bigger bag next time. 😉
Yum, jalapenos stuffed with peanut butter sounds delicious, but I’m a wimp when it comes to heat. Can’t get passed medium as hard as I try. My son went to CU in Boulder for 4 years and I think we missed The Fort on our visits. It looks like an interesting place.
I do like the heat and flavor of jalapenos if they are seeded and veins removed. But, pickling seemed to make these hotter.
I’ve never heard of these stuffed jalapenos. I can sure understand how you could get the wrong proportions if you are a nibbler (I am). I couldn’t help but think all the way through reading this that Elvis would have loved these. He loved peanut butter and who doesn’t love a stuffed jalapeno? It just seems natural to me.
Cheetos in a crystal bowl – now THAT’s a party. The restaurant sounds like a fun place to take visitors. Thanks Lea Ann for taking us along.
Sam
I do believe Elvis might have liked these too Sam! Thanks for stopping by and the comment.
I was there! And let me tell you, those peanut butter jalapenos were absolutely incredible! As a matter of fact, everything was great, even the cheetos were good. And the wine Bob served was perfect!
Thanks Teri…Both wines were amazing. I really liked those jalapenos too. And so easy to make. I couldn’t stop eating those Cheetos, I’m glad he didn’t bring a bigger bag. Can’t wait for the next Wine Time.
First those crazy jalapenos -I would never have put the two flavors together, but I know you well enough to believe you when you say they are good. I will be trying your pickling recipe and I’ll stuff some to try this. Also, I want to go to The Fort and try a few of those adventurous offerings! Do they offer a sampler plate? Seriously funny seeing Cheetos in a crystal bowl (I’m with you on the crunchy choice).
They do have a sampler plate. I’m not sure what all is on it, and I think it’s called Mountain Man Sampler. Everyone seems to love those jalapenos. The pickling was a snap. Easy..easy..easy and what I love is that I have 4 jars in the fridge. Love those crunchy Cheetos. It’s a rare treat for me. 🙂
I suggested to my hubby the other night that we pickle some of our jalapenos from the garden this summer. He reminded me that the more we pickle, the less we can roast stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon 🙂 I’m not a big fan of peanut butter, but I’d give these a try, and agree… these aren’t for nibbling, they’re for eating whole!
Well you must save some out for the cream cheese and bacon gig. But you really should try the pickling thing. So easy.
We have never been to The Fort. Thanks for the introduction, Lea Ann.
How impressive that you pickled your own jalapenos. I have never tried pickling. I know that my husband and son would love this appetizer. They love spicy and peanut butter.
It’s at the 470/285 interchange. Lovely setting amongst the Red Rock formations. The food gets mixed reviews, I’ve always been pleased when I go.
I am very impressed that you pickled your own peppers. The combination of peanut butter sounds very interesting and will have to try them. Is it just me or does pickling make them hotter.
ChileB, the pickling was a breeze! I’d do it again, and will do it again when I run out. I couldn’t agree more. Even with the seeds and veins removed, I was surprised with the heat. Wonder why it makes them hotter?
I would have never thought of peppers and peanut butter together…intriguing.
Me either Russ! Everyone seemed to think it was delicious…me included.
The pickled jalapeno recipe seems like a bread and butter style brine? Many readers will look at this and “say what?” but since one of my favorite sandwiches is peanut butter, mayo, and dill pickle I’d dive right in to these babies.
Larry, I’m not much of a “pickler” but I assume you’re right..bread and butter style brine, and probably why I liked them so much. Peanut butter, mayo and dill pickle?????????? Blog it! 🙂
OMG. How do I get on your party invite list?!?!? Peanut butter poppers AND Cheetos? That’s my idea of happy hour. Seriously, those pickled jalapenos sound divine and I confess to a weakness for Cheetos.
Please post a link to the photo of you wearing the buffalo hat at The Fort. I just know you did it–please tell me I’m not the only one…
ok TOO funny Susan. I do-not, let me repeat do not..have a photo of me wearing one of those hats at The Fort. I did see them on the web site however. I love Cheetos. That was another argument/discussion for the evening…which is better, crunchy or puffy. 🙂 I’m a crunchy girl.