Pickled Jalapeno Rings Like the Nacho Stand

These pickled jalapeno rings taste like the ones piled on stadium nachos: sharp, hot and still crunchy. If your garden handed you more peppers than you can eat fresh, this recipe turns 2 pounds of jalapenos into about 4 pints of toppings that sit on the shelf for up to a year.

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It is a straightforward water bath canning recipe with six ingredients and about an hour of work. The waiting is the hard part.

What goes into pickled jalapeno rings

• 2 lb fresh jalapenos
• 3 3/4 cups white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp canning or pickling salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled

Pick firm, glossy peppers with no soft spots. Wrinkled or bruised jalapenos go limp in the jar, and no brine will bring that crunch back.

Check the vinegar label for 5% acidity too. Some homemade or specialty vinegars are weaker, and you cannot tell by tasting.

How to make pickled jalapeno rings

• Wear gloves and slice the jalapenos into 1/4 inch rings, discarding the stems. Wash 4 pint jars and keep them hot.

• Bring the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a boil in a saucepan.
• Put 1 garlic clove in each jar and pack the pepper rings in firmly, leaving 1/2 inch at the top.

• Pour the boiling brine over the peppers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe the rims and add lids and bands.

• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adding time if you are above 1,000 feet altitude. Cool for 24 hours and check the seals.
• Store sealed jars up to 1 year and wait 2 weeks before opening. Refrigerate after opening and use within 2 months.

To check a seal, press the center of the lid once the jars are fully cool. It should not move or pop back. Any jar that flexes goes straight into the fridge and gets eaten first.

Fresh jalapeño rings also make a good topping for our jalapeño popper chicken bake .

Tips for crunchy rings and a few easy changes

Why the vinegar amount stays exactly as written

Peppers are a low acid vegetable. The only thing that makes these jars safe to keep in the pantry is the acid from the vinegar, so the ratio of 3 3/4 cups of 5% vinegar to 3/4 cup of water is fixed. If the brine tastes too sharp for you, do not swap in more water. Adjust the sugar a little instead, or rinse the rings briefly before you pile them on a plate.

How to keep the rings from going soft

Soggy jarred jalapenos usually come from three things: tired peppers, uneven slices or extra time in the canner. Slice every ring to 1/4 inch so they all cook through at the same rate. Pack them firmly, since the rings shrink a little once the hot brine hits them and loose jars end up half full of liquid.

Keep the water bath to the stated 10 minutes, adding only the extra time your altitude requires if you live above 1,000 feet. Start the timer once the water returns to a full rolling boil.

Wear gloves for all the slicing and packing. Jalapeno oils stay on bare skin for hours and find their way to your eyes.

Mixing in other peppers

You can trade some of the jalapenos for other hot peppers as long as the total weight stays at 2 lb and the brine stays exactly as written. A hotter pepper makes a much hotter jar, so taste with caution.

Storing the jars and using them up

Keep sealed jars somewhere cool and dark for up to a year, and give them the full 2 weeks before opening so the brine has time to soak into the peppers. Once a jar is open, it lives in the refrigerator and should be used within 2 months.

There is nothing to reheat here. Serve the rings straight from the fridge or let them sit out a few minutes while the nachos come out of the oven. They also work on tacos, burgers, hot dogs, pizza and grilled cheese, and a few chopped rings give tuna or egg salad some heat with a bit of tang.

Do not pour the brine down the drain when the jar is empty. A splash wakes up salad dressings, marinades and a pot of beans.

More ways to use your peppers: if you like sweet heat, cook up our cranberry jalapeno pepper jelly or a batch of green jalapeno pepper jelly while the canner is out. Chopped rings are a good addition to our creamy tuna pasta salad , and fresh peppers go into the mini jalapeno popper egg rolls .

Pickled jalapeno questions

Can I skip the water bath and just refrigerate the jars?

Yes. Fill the jars with the hot brine, let them cool, and keep them in the refrigerator from day one. Treat them like an opened jar and use them within 2 months, because they are not shelf stable without processing.

Why did my peppers turn olive green?

That is normal. Hot brine and the heat of the water bath dull the bright green color of fresh jalapenos. The jarred rings you buy at the store go through the same change.

Can I use regular table salt?

Canning or pickling salt is the better choice. Table salt often contains anti-caking agents that can make the brine cloudy, and iodized salt may darken the peppers.

Can I open a jar before the 2 weeks are up?

You can, but the rings will taste mostly of hot vinegar and the garlic will barely come through. Waiting the full 2 weeks gives the brine time to soak all the way into the peppers.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us