Pickled jalapeños are a hot, spicy way to make pickles and add zest to your meal. The jalapeño is a chili pepper that produces a hot burning sensation when you eat it. Named after Xalapa in Mexico, it has come to stand for the fiery temper of the country and its people. Over 160 square kilometers are devoted to growing the plant in Mexico and over 22 square kilometers in the United States. The jalapeño pepper can become so hot that people who harvest the jalapeño have to wear gloves to protect themselves from skin irritation. Pickers need to take care that their hands do not come in contact with their eyes in order to prevent burning and redness.

Pickling is a way to preserve foods in a mixture of salt and water or in vinegar. In some places, edible oil is mixed with the vinegar, and spices, like garlic and herbs, are added for taste. You can make pickles with cucumbers, gherkins, cauliflower and many fruits.

If you want your pickles hot, then pickled jalapeños are the thing for you. It’s not difficult to make pickled jalapeños for you to nibble on or add to dishes where you want a hot bite. You’ll need about a pound of fresh jalapeño peppers, two and a half cups of water, two and a half cups of vinegar, two tablespoons of salt, 2 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of whole coriander seeds, 3 cloves of garlic and 2 tablespoons of black pepper. You’ll also need a non-metallic pot and some glass jars with lids and caps in which to store the pickled jalapeños.

A standard procedure when you make pickles is to sterilize the jars by boiling them in the pan. Dip the lids for a few minutes in the boiling water. Then set the jars and lids aside. Pickling does not require complete sterilization of the food itself, but the containers you store the pickles in need to be sterilized.

With a large knife, stab each pepper several times and place them in the jars. Mix the vinegar, water, salt, and other ingredients in the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer. Pour the mixture into the jars over the peppers, close the jars tightly and let them cool. You can start eating them whole after a few hours. Keep the pickled jalapeños refrigerated for a week before you use them in a dish. You can either use them whole or chop them up.

With proper refrigeration when you make pickles, your pickled jalapeños will keep for up to two months.