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Refrigerator pickled jalapeños

Name: Refrigerator pickled jalapeños
Yield: 6 cups of brine
Ingredients: Small fresh jalapeños, enough to pack your prepared jars; 5 cups white vinegar, 5% acidity; 1 cup water; 1 tablespoon pickling salt

Whole jalapeños in a high-vinegar refrigerator marinade, following Colorado State Extension’s long-maturing pepper method.

By PickleRadio editorialUpdated 18 September 2026

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Whole green pickled jalapeños in a clear jar of vinegar marinade.

In this guide5 sections

Allow time for this pepper jar

Yield: 6 cups of brine; the number of filled jars depends on pepper size and packing. Flavour develops over 6–8 weeks in the refrigerator.

This is the Colorado State Extension refrigerated-pepper method, applied to small jalapeños. Plan it for later meals. If you need a topping for tonight, quick pickled red onions have a much shorter wait.

Whole peppers suit people who want to decide the serving size at the table. After marinating, slice a portion for a quesadilla or chop it into a bean bowl. Put a small amount on the side first, especially when several people are sharing dinner.

Keep the liquid quantities below unchanged. This version contains no oil, garlic or added vegetables. It is a refrigerated preparation, not a shelf-stable canning recipe.

Set up before measuring

Use pint canning jars and two-piece lids. The empty-jar step below follows NCHFP’s sterilisation instructions. Check your elevation before setting the timer; the adjustment is easy to miss if you only look at the sea-level figure.

Have heatproof space for the filled jars, a jar lifter and a clean non-metal utensil ready. Check the jar rims for chips before heating them, and arrange the tools where you can reach them without carrying hot glass across the kitchen.

Clean empty glass jars, a measuring jug and a small bowl of salt on a kitchen worktop.

Ingredients

Small fresh jalapeños, enough to pack your prepared jars
5 cups white vinegar, 5% acidity
1 cup water
1 tablespoon pickling salt

Method

Sterilise washed jars on a rack, with water filling and covering them by 1 inch: boil 10 minutes below 1,000 feet, adding 1 minute per additional 1,000 feet. Drain while hot. Prepare lids and bands according to their manufacturer.
Wear gloves and avoid touching your face. Wash peppers and make two small slits through each whole pepper.
Wear gloves and make two small slits in each whole pepper.
Pack into the prepared sterilised jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Boil vinegar, water and salt; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
After boiling, lower the heat and simmer the measured liquid.
Cover peppers with hot liquid, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust liquid to cover peppers and wipe rims.
Release the bubbles and adjust the liquid so all peppers remain covered.
Rest prepared flat lids on jars without screwbands. Let cool, then attach bands, wipe jars and refrigerate.
Refrigerate 6–8 weeks for flavour development. Keep refrigerated and use within 6 months.

When the jar is ready

Cut peppers on a separate board before adding a small portion to pickle quesadillas. Leave room for the cucumber pickles too: their texture is part of that recipe. Date this jar when you make it and reserve its place in the fridge before starting.