Jalapeño Rings

Jalapeños are one of my favorite things to grow in my garden.  Over the years, I've made a variety of different jalapeño items as I've come to have a bunch to use.  Some highlights include hot pepper jelly, hot sauce, and pickled jalapeño rings.  I've given my hot sauce away as Christmas gifts for several years, and have friends and family who look forward to each time I make it.  Well, this year, they are getting jalapeño rings-- assuming I don't eat them all first!

Homemade jalapeno rings are SO much better than the ones in the store, and they are so easy to make!  I leave my peppers on the plant until they turn red.  Did you know that jalapeños turn red if you allow them to mature on the plant?  I like the tiny bit of added sweetness that comes with the reddening of the flesh.  I also think that they look more appealing when red than green, but that is my personal preference.  If you don't grow your own jalapenos, you can use farmers market or store bought ones.

I haven't been canning them, I've just been sticking them in the fridge when they cool.  So easy!  They should keep for 3-4 months this way, but I doubt they will last that long.  I am going to try canning a batch soon to see if they taste the same.  As they get cooked when canned, I imagine they will be a bit softer.  I kind of like the crunch I've been getting from the refrigerator method.

I happen to have the quart sized ball jars, so this recipe is for one jar.  The recipe is very forgiving, so you can adjust it to your needs and taste.  I highly recommend using food gloves on your hand that touches the jalapeño.  There is nothing worse than getting the capsaisin in your eye or nose!  Been there, done that!

To fill a quart size jar, you will need:

• 25-30 Jalapeños- about 1 pound
• 2 cups vinegar- white, apple cider, or a mixture of both.  I do 10 oz. ACV, 6 oz. white
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar or honey (you can leave this out)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon peppercorn
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander
• 2+ cloves of garlic- I love garlic, so I used about 8.  Leave it out if you're not a garlic fan

Sterilize your clean canning jar.  Heat the vinegar and the sugar on the stove until steaming-- you'll smell it!  Turn it off before it boils.  While the vinegar is heating, rinse jalapeños in a 3 part water, 1 part white vinegar solution.  This isn't totally necessary, especially if using home grown peppers, but I like the idea of getting them pretty clean before having them sit in a jar.  

Put salt, peppercorn, coriander, and garlic in the jar.

Slice the peppers into about 1/8th inch rings and add to jar.  Discard the stem or any bad spots.  Some peppers are hotter than others.  The seeds and pith have the most heat, so I try to leave them in. I like my pepper rings hot, so I dump any seeds that fall out into the jar.  If you want to tone the heat down, remove some seeds from the rings.

Pour hot vinegar mixture over the sliced jalapeños, making sure they are completely covered.  Close the jar and let it sit out until it cools to room temperature.  Once cool, place it in the fridge!  They need about 3 days to get really good, but I usually sample on the 2nd day.  I rotate the jar once a day to mix the seasonings up.  

After three days, or as long as you can make it, you can start eating your delicious jalapeño rings!


I love to put them on sandwiches, on scrambled eggs, in salsa, guacamole, and anything else I want to spice up.  I love eating the garlic from the jar too.  It picks up some of the heat from the peppers.  Just amazing!