Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Rings are perfect on all the things. An easy beginning canning recipe and shelf stable for up to two years!
When fresh jalapenos are pickled, they lose a little bit of their heat and become a lot easier to love. They make delicious additions to nachos, tacos or chili, and are great served along meats and cheeses. The spicy brine can even be used to add zip to salad dressings, sauces or marinades.
You can buy Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Rings at any grocery store for a few dollars but if you have ever wanted to try your hand at water bath canning, this small batch recipe is a great place to start!
About Jalapeno Peppers
Fresh Jalapeno Peppers are small, firm peppers that begin as dark green in color but may turn red or other vibrant colors as they ripen. They are a mildly spicy staple of Mexican cooking that are readily available in most grocery stores and farmers markets. Most jalapeños grow to about 2 to 3 inches long.
Be sure to wear gloves when you cut jalapeños. Capsaicin is found inside of chili peppers and is a chemical irritant and neurotoxin that is hard to wash off. Capsaicin produces a sensation of burning in any tissue with which it comes into contact, including eyes, mouth and nose.
Why Should you Make your own Pickles?
Canning and preserving are things that most of us know as something that our grandparents did. It was a valuable life skill back in the day and it is getting popular again as a lot of us are taking time to rediscover our roots. The best part is that it is not that hard to do!
There are many ways to preserve things and make them shelf stable but I think that the easiest one to learn is water bath canning. A small batch, one or two jar recipe is a great place to start when you are just starting out. Nothing too intimidating, and great results with very little work!
What You Will Need – Special Equipment
In order to do any sort of water bath canning you need a few things:
- Mason Jars
- Jar Rings
- Canning Lids
- Water Bath Canner
- Tongs
Water Bath Canning Tips
– A water bath canner is just a big pot with a rack at the bottom for the jars to sit on.
– There should be enough water in the pot for full jars to be covered by an inch of water.
– Keeping the lid on the pot will make the water come to a boil faster.
– Wash the jars with soap and water then put them into the canning pot while heating the water to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes to sterilize then then remove to a kitchen towel using canning tongs.
Want to learn more about water bath canning?
There is a GREAT article all about water bath canning at the Fresh Preserving site if you want direction from experts. They have all sorts of fantastic information!
What You’ll Need to Make Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Rings
- fresh jalapeno peppers
- fresh garlic cloves
- white vinegar
- water
- black peppercorns
- honey
How to Make Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Rings
Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Rings add a delicious tangy spiciness to everything you add them to. They are a great thing to have in your pantry or refrigerator.
This is an easy water bath canning recipe to make at home, even if you are just learning. The vinegar adds the acid needed to make it a safe recipe and the process makes the peppers shelf stable.
Preparing the Jars
Wash the jars with soap and water. Place the jars into the water bath canning pot and fill with enough water to cover the jars by about an inch.
Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Putting the lid on the pot will make the water boil faster.
Boil the jars for 10 minutes to sterilize. Carefully remove from the water bath canner to a kitchen towel using canning tongs. Place the jars on a towel or a rack to cool. Setting hot jars onto a cool surface could cause them to crack.
While the jars are sterilizing, wash the jalapenos and, wearing gloves, remove the stems and cut the jalapenos into 1/4 inch coins. Peel the garlic cloves. Set garlic and jalapeno slices aside.
In a large pot over high heat, stir together vinegar, water, peppercorns and honey and bring to a boil.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, stir in the jalapeno slices and garlic. Remove the pot from the heat.
Turn the heat back to high on the water bath canner to return to a boil.
Divide the jalapenos and garlic cloves between the reserved sterilized jars, packing them down slightly into the jar.
Ladle the brine into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Headspace is the distance between the top of the fluid and the top of the jar.
When you process the jars in a water bath canner, the liquid inside will expand and the air will move out. Headspace gives it room to do that.
Wipe the rims of each jar with a damp paper towel and put on the seal. Apply the ring fingertip tight. This means you don’t want to put the ring on the jar too tightly. Just tight enough to hold it on. Using the canning tongs, gently transfer each jar to the water bath canner.
The jars should be covered by at least an inch of water.
When you put the jars into the water bath canner, chances are that the water will stop boiling. Let it come back up to a boil and then process (boil) for 5 minutes.
Using canning tongs, remove the jars from the water bath canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack. Leave to cool for 4 hours minimum.
If any of the seals are not sealed, reprocess (do the boiling part all over again) or refrigerate and use within about a month. Store the sealed jars of Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Rings in a cool, dark place. Enjoy!
Other Easy Water Bath Canning Ideas You May Like
Hot Italian Giardiniera – a delicious way to preserve veggies and a great little snack too!
Pineapple Cowboy Candy – sweet, savory and spicy, as a snack, a condiment, or an appetizer, these are delicious and addicting!
Old English Style Pickled Onions – a favorite in British Pubs, Old English Style Pickled Onions are delicious and make a great addition to any meat & cheese tray!
Pickled Asparagus – Easy and delicious, Pickled asparagus makes a great addition to a cheese plate, a Bloody Mary, or even just a pickle on the side!
Small Batch Pickled Brussels Sprouts – A zesty addition to a salad, appetizer platter, or charcuterie board, these are unexpected and delicious!
Pickled Jalapeno Nacho Rings
Equipment
- 1 Water Bath Canning Pot
- 5 Pint Sized Canning Jars
Ingredients
- 3 pounds jalapeno peppers
- 10 medium garlic cloves
- 2 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Wash the wide mouth pint jars and rings with soap and water and set aside.
- Place the jars into a large water bath canner over high heat and fill the pot with enough water to cover the jars by an inch. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil the jars to sterilize for 10 minutes then carefully remove from the water bath canner using canning tongs. Reduce heat to medium and keep covered.
- While the jars are sterilizing, wash the jalapenos and, wearing gloves, remove the stems and cut the jalapenos into 1/4 inch coins. Peel the garlic cloves. Set garlic and jalapeno slices aside.
- In a large pot over high heat, stir together vinegar, water, peppercorns and honey and bring to a boil.
- When the mixture hits a boil, stir in jalapeno slices and garlic and then remove the pot from the heat.
- Turn the heat back to high on the water bath canner to return to a boil.
- Divide the jalapenos and garlic cloves evenly between the reserved sterilized jars, packing them down slightly into the jar.
- Ladle the brine into the jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel and place the seal onto the jar. Apply the ring fingertip tight. Using the canning tongs, gently transfer each jar to the water bath canner.
- The jars should be covered by at least an inch of water. Return the water to a boil and process for 5 minutes.
- Using canning tongs, remove from the water bath canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack. Leave to cool for 4 hours minimum.
- Refrigerate after opening. Store unopened jars in a cool, dark place for up to two years. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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