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    Home » Appetizers/Sides

    Extra Hot Pickled Jalapenos

    September 18, 2020 By Patrick 10 Comments

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    A few weeks ago I made a batch of Pickled Jalapenos and my palate was craving more heat from the usual fireballs. 

    I'm not sure if it was a particularly mild batch of Jalapenos, or if it's my heat tolerance evolving, but either way I wanted to experiment with amping them up a notch or two. 

    In the comments of the original Pickled Jalapenos post you'll find similar heat seekers who were having success adding Serranos and Habaneros to the pickling jars.   Taking a cue from these pickled brethren, here's what my experiment looked like:

    If you ever find yourself craving more heat in your Pickled Jalapenos, just add 3-4 Habanero chiles for every pound of Jalapenos. But consider yourself warned as this will add some real zip! mexicanplease.com

    I went straight for the jugular as Habaneros are significantly hotter than both Serranos and Jalapenos.  Comparing Habaneros to Serranos.

    Here's where Habaneros land on the Scoville scale:

    habaneros in the scoville table

    That's some heat!

    If you're new to Habaneros you'll frequently find them next to the Jalapenos in the produce section.  They turn orange when they ripen and that's usually how they're sold.  More info on Habaneros.

    Habanero chili pepper closeup

    And yes they bring the heat so consider yourself warned! 

    It's always best to use caution when handling hot chiles.  For jalapenos I normally just wash my hands afterwards, but for Habaneros or extensive chile handling I will reach for some gloves and that's what I did with this batch.  More info on handling hot chiles. 

    We'll make a double batch of the usual Pickled Jalapenos and then test out different amounts of Habaneros in each jar.  You may already be familiar with the process of quick pickling, but if not I'll briefly go over it here. 

    Note:  these pics are of a huge double batch, so I'm not going to list exact measurements as that will just create confusion.  The recipe box below will show measurements for a normal-sized batch and that's what I would recommend starting with. 

    Start by sweating the onion and garlic in a glug of oil over medium heat. 

    Sweating onion and garlic for Pickled Jalapenos

    Once the onion has softened you can add the spices:

    Cumin
    Mexican Oregano
    Freshly cracked black pepper
    Salt

    Briefly cook the spices and then add the remaining ingredients:

    Jalapenos
    White vinegar
    Water

    Adding sliced jalapenos to the sauce pan

    Bring this mixture up to a simmer. 

    By then the jalapenos will be turning army green and that's a good sign to start filling your jars. 

    4 pint sized jars of Pickled Jalapenos along with chopped Habaneros

    I used 4 pint-sized jars for this batch with varying amounts of Habanero in each jar.

    The jar on the left is the control jar with no Habaneros, and then it goes up from there. 

    If you ever find yourself craving more heat in your Pickled Jalapenos, just add 3-4 Habanero chiles for every pound of Jalapenos. But consider yourself warned as this will add some real zip! mexicanplease.com

    Once these cooled down a bit I capped them and put them in the fridge. 

    They typically need to rest overnight to get full pickle, so I didn't do any taste testing until the following day.

    Single jar of Pickled Jalapenos cooling down

    And the results?

    Overall I was thrilled that you can impact the Jalapenos so much by just adding some tiny, innocuous-looking orange chiles 🙂

    But just because the Habaneros look innocent doesn't mean they are!   I was completely overwhelmed by the batch that had 6 Habaneros in it -- they had a searing heat that I think would overwhelm any dish you put them on. 

    The batch with 4 Habaneros was right on the threshold of too hot for me, but I know there will be some heat seekers out there who prefer a little more heat than I do and this would be a good number to keep in mind. 

    The jar with 2 Habaneros was the perfect result for my palate.  Same flavor as my beloved Pickled Jalapenos but with a fiery spring in its step that will quickly wake you up!

    Habaneros have some fruity undertones and I could get a hint of that in the final flavor, but overall their main contribution is HEAT. 

    Pickled Jalapenos and Carrots in a small bowl

    I think adding 2 Habaneros to a pint-sized jar of Pickled Jalapenos is a great way to amp up your next batch if it sounds appealing. 

    Please keep in mind that the original Pickled Jalapenos recipe is for a pound of jalapenos and this will give you enough for 2 pint-sized jars.  That's why you'll see 4 Habaneros in the recipe box below, i.e. 2 Habaneros for each pint-sized jar.  

    When using the recipe box below, feel free to do your own test batch where you add 2 Habaneros to one of the jars but keep the other one just Jalapenos.  If trying that I would just add in the Habaneros after the fact instead of simmering them with the Jalapenos. 

    Okay, let me know if you have any questions about these fireballs.  They're a great way to jump-start your kitchen and it will get you familiar with the awesome benefits of quick pickling 🙂

    Buen Provecho. 

    Want the latest recipe?  Click your favorite from these options and follow me:  Instagram,  Facebook,  Pinterest,  TikTok,  YouTube.

    If you ever find yourself craving more heat in your Pickled Jalapenos, just add 3-4 Habanero chiles for every pound of Jalapenos. But consider yourself warned as this will add some real zip! mexicanplease.com

    Extra Hot Pickled Jalapenos

    If you ever find yourself craving more heat in your Pickled Jalapenos, just add 3-4 Habanero chiles for every pound of Jalapenos.  But consider yourself warned as this will add some real zip!  Note: instructions not meant for long term canning or preserving.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 (2 pints)
    Calories: 40kcal
    Author: Mexican Please

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. Jalapeno peppers (approx. 10 larger jalapenos)
    • 4 Habanero peppers
    • 2 carrots
    • 1 small onion
    • 4-6 cloves garlic
    • 1.5 cups white vinegar
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 tablespoon Kosher or sea salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (or powdered)
    • 8-10 black peppercorns
    • olive oil

    Instructions

    • Give the jalapenos a rinse and cut them into 1/4 inch slices.  Peel the carrots and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
    • Give the habaneros a rinse and cut into thin slices. Warning: always use caution when handling hot chile peppers, especially habaneros. I used gloves when making this batch. More info on handling hot chiles.
    • Peel and quarter the onion, chopping into thin slices.  Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Heat a glug of oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes until softened.
    • Add the spices to the pan and cook briefly:  1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 8-10 black peppercorns.  I usually give the spices a quick crush in the molcajete but this is optional.  And feel free to use powdered spices if you don't have seeds or peppercorns on hand (1/2 teaspoon powdered cumin and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper would be good equivalents.) 
    • Add the jalapenos, habaneros, and carrots to the pan.  Briefly saute and then add 1.5 cups white vinegar, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt.  Simmer until the jalapenos are just turning army green in color.
    • Fill two pint-sized Mason jars with the veggies and fill to the brim with the vinegar mixture.  Try to get an equal distribution of habaneros in each jar. You could also use a single quart-sized Mason jar if available.  You can give them a taste test now for a preview, but they won't have full flavor until they rest overnight in the brine.
    • I usually let the jars cool on the counter for a bit, then cap them and store in the fridge where they will keep for weeks at a time.

    Notes

    Please use caution when handling hot chiles!!  Here are some tips on handling hot chile peppers. 
    Kosher, sea or pickling salts are the most common salts used for pickling vegetables. Iodized salt isn't recommended as sometimes additives will affect the brine.
    Glass containers seem to be the best choice for storage of this vinegar based brine.  Metallic containers not recommended. 
    It's also best practice to use a non-reactive pan for simmering the vinegar mixture.  If you use a cast iron pan the acidity will eat away at the pan's seasoning.  
    I didn't add carrots to this test batch because I was concerned about having enough space in the jars, but with a small amount of Habaneros you'll have plenty of space for some fiery carrots so I've included them in the recipe. 
    Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

    Still got jalapenos on the brain?  Try a batch of these fiery Chiles Toreados.

    After cooking for about 12 minutes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Scott

      May 30, 2022 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      Your original pickled jalapenos were tasty, but no heat. I use those like pickle slices on burgers and sandwiches. Tired the pickled serranos, hotter, but not much flavor(at least to my palate). Never been a serrano fan. But they're fine if you chop them up and mix with a sandwich spread. Then I saw the link to these. Made these a dozen times or more now. Started with 1 habanero per 16 oz jar, currently 2 1/2 per jar and holding. More than that and the heat starts overwhelming the flavor for me. I've tried adding them with the jalapenos and boiling in the brine, but I get better results adding them at the end, when jarring. Gave a jar to my boss, he said he and his son made nachos with them while watching sports, then instead of making more nachos, they just ate the rest of the jar. I thank you, my boss thanks you, my brother thanks you, etc. Even my pizzas thank you. Good stuff!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 01, 2022 at 6:25 pm

        Ahh good to hear this Scott, so helpful hearing your adjustments. Cheers.

        Reply
    2. Hangin Out With Stan

      October 09, 2020 at 4:47 am

      I did the same for my salsa. Jalapenos did not give me the "kick" I wanted. The salsa was excellent but, not enough punch to it. So the next year along with the jalapeno plants I also planted two habanero plants. They produced so abundantly I also made 4 pints of habanero jelly. It and my habanero/jalapeno salsa was excellent. I haven't made salsa since then because I haven't been able to get my tomatoes, cilantro, onions and peppers to cooperate and all ripen at or at least near the same time. But I make habanero jelly each year and it is delicious. A little goes a long way though.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        October 09, 2020 at 1:09 pm

        Hey thanks for your note Stan, good to know and I'm really looking forward to growing Habaneros at some point 🙂 Cheers.

        Reply
    3. Ron

      October 05, 2020 at 6:45 am

      It’s a conundrum! Vinegar kills the heat; but you have to use it. I grow five colors of jalapeños and can them. I call them rainbow jalapeños. I also grow Carolina Reapers for hot sauce. To keep the heat in the jalapeños I slit one reaper and include it in each pint of jalapeños. They end up being standard heat for jalapeños. The reaper in the batch is easily recognizable and can be discarded or used for cooking up a pot of chile.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        October 05, 2020 at 4:50 pm

        Hey Ron thanks much for your note, good to know that about the Carolina Reaper. By the way I am still munching on these a couple weeks later but the only ones left are the max habanero jars and I think my heat tolerance is evolving rapidly 🙂

        Reply
    4. Jack

      September 23, 2020 at 4:16 am

      5 stars
      Your recipe is awesome. I followed it. After that, I did better than I expected. Before, I rarely made this dish but now I love to make it. Thank you very much for your great sharing. Hope you will have more good articles.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 25, 2020 at 11:29 am

        Thanks Jack!

        Reply
    5. Billy Christian

      September 19, 2020 at 7:02 am

      Hey! I love hot stuff! I’m glad I clicked on this link,and I am going to enjoy your recipes immensely! Thanks for sharing your experience in Mexico!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 21, 2020 at 10:09 pm

        Thanks Billy, I hope they treat you well!

        Reply

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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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