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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
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5 from 3 votes

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.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
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. 

Nutrition

Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 888mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3206IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg