Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños (No Canner Needed)

The short answer: slice jalapeños into rings and pack them into a jar with garlic, peppercorns and mustard seed. Bring vinegar, water, salt and a little sugar to a boil, pour it over the peppers, let it cool, put the lid on and refrigerate. They are ready to eat the next day, even better after three days, and keep about a month in the fridge.

You don’t need a canner to pickle jalapeños. You need a pot, a jar, and about fifteen minutes.

Lane picked these straight from our garden here on the farm, and we had a big, beautiful crop this year. This is a refrigerator pickle, so there is no water bath and no special equipment. The jar lives in the fridge.

Pick them before your first frost

Peppers are one of the first things a frost takes, so pick what is left on the plants before your first cold night, even if some are still green. Here in East Tennessee, zone 7B, our first frost usually comes in October. Go by your own first frost date. In the US you can look up your zone by zip code on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, and anywhere else you can search your town and “average first frost date.” It is on our fall garden checklist for exactly that reason.

What you need

• About 1 pound of fresh jalapeños for a quart jar, or two pint jars
• 1 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped or sliced
• About 1 teaspoon each of whole black peppercorns and mustard seed
• A few strips of red pepper for color, if you like
• Gloves

How to make refrigerator pickled jalapeños

1. Put your gloves on. Your eyes will thank you.
2. Slice the jalapeños into rings. Leave the seeds in if you like the heat, or scrape some out for a milder jar.
3. Pack the jar with the pepper rings, garlic, peppercorns and mustard seed. Tuck in a few strips of red pepper if you want color.
4. Make the brine. Bring the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve.
5. Pour it right over the top until the peppers are covered.
6. Let it cool, put the lid on, and into the fridge it goes.
7. Wait. They are ready tomorrow and even better in three days.

Make it yours

• Sharper and tangier: use 1½ cups vinegar and ½ cup water.
• Milder: scrape out more seeds and add more sweet red pepper.
• Garlic and dill: a classic. Add a few fronds of fresh dill.
• Cumin and coriander: toasted whole seeds make it earthier.
• No sugar: leave it out if you want pure vinegar and heat.

What to do with them

Pickled jalapeños are the thing you reach for when you want some heat without committing to hot sauce. Put them on nachos, tacos, pizza, burgers and sandwiches. Chop a few into deviled eggs, cream cheese or cornbread. And don’t pour out the brine when the peppers are gone. A splash wakes up a vinaigrette or a pot of beans.

If you have more peppers than jars, our BombDiggity Blaze Hot Pepper Sauce, cowboy candy and Slow Burn pepper blend will use up the rest.

Storage

Keep the jar in the fridge with the peppers under the brine, and use them within about a month. They stay crisp for the first couple of weeks and soften a little after that. These are not shelf stable. If you want jars that keep in the pantry, that takes a tested recipe and a boiling water bath.

Frequently asked questions

How long do refrigerator pickled jalapeños last?

About a month in the fridge, as long as the peppers stay under the brine. If a jar ever smells off or grows mold on top, throw it out.

How soon can you eat refrigerator pickled jalapeños?

The next day. They are good after one night and even better after three days, once the brine has had time to soak in.

Do you need a canner to pickle jalapeños?

Not for refrigerator pickles. A pot, a jar and about fifteen minutes is all it takes. You only need a water bath canner if you want jars that keep on the shelf.

How do you make pickled jalapeños less hot?

Scrape out some or all of the seeds and white ribs before you slice them, and add a few strips of sweet red pepper to the jar.

Should I wear gloves to slice jalapeños?

Yes. The oils stay on your hands for hours, and they will find your eyes.

The garden did its part. This is ours.

Putting up more from the garden? Our Canning and Preserving guide gathers all of our jams, pickles, salsas, ferments and herb recipes in one place.