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Today I’m sharing my recipe for easy refrigerator pickled peppers. It’s a simple way to use an abundance of peppers from your garden, with a nostalgic flavor that comes from a classic mixed pickling spice. It gives the peppers that familiar, old-fashioned pickled flavor I remember from growing up.
How I Started Making Pickled Peppers
Last year, I grew four pots of peppers—two jalapeño and two Cubanelle. Before summer arrived, the plants produced so many peppers that I couldn’t keep up with them all. There are only so many times in a month you can eat grilled bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeños…or maybe not.
Not wanting any of the peppers to go to waste, I decided to pickle them. I don’t have canning equipment, so refrigerator pickled peppers were a must. I turned to one of my cookbooks, Can It & Ferment It by Stephanie Thurow, for guidance and inspiration.
The book includes a recipe for refrigerator pickled peppers, which I followed almost exactly at first. Since then, I’ve made a few changes to better suit my preferences and the amount of peppers I typically have on hand.
How I adapted the Original Recipe
First, I use three Ball 32-ounce (quart) canning jars instead of four pint jars. The first time I made Thurow’s recipe, I ended up with quite a bit of the vinegar mixture left over. Using three quart-size jars leaves me with only about 3/4 cup of the vinegar mixture.
I also use about 3 pounds of peppers because that’s what fits into the three quart-size jars. Instead of the mustard seed and dill called for in the original recipe, I used Ball Mixed Pickling Spice, which gives the peppers the nostalgic pickled flavor I love.
A quick note about the pickling spice: Sadly, I recently learned that Ball has discontinued its Mixed Pickling Spice, and I haven’t found a close replacement yet. If you don’t already have it in your pantry, use your favorite mixed pickling spice for this recipe. In the meantime, I’m going to get to work trying to recreate the Ball blend because its flavor is one of the things I love most about these pickled peppers.
During the summer, my pepper plants don’t produce quite as much, so I don’t always have 3 pounds of peppers ready to pickle at once. When that happens, I fill the remaining space in the third jar with another vegetable. I usually use cucumbers, which pair well with the same pickling mixture.
Ways to Use Pickled Peppers
These pickled peppers are great for adding a tangy, slightly spicy bite to sandwiches, burgers, taco bowls and more. I also use them in my Pickled Pepper & Cheddar Sourdough Beer Bagels, where they pair with sharp cheddar and beer for a savory twist on a sourdough bagel.
Easy Refrigerator Pickled Peppers
Equipment
- 1 sauerkraut pounder optional, but it makes it easier to stuff the jars
- 1 wide mouth funnel optional, but it makes it easier to add liquid to the jars
Ingredients
- 3 lbs of peppers. You can use jalapeños cubanelles, or a mixture of both, or whatever you have. I grow jalapeños and cubanelles in my garden so I used those types.
- 12 cloves of garlic
- 6 tsp of mixed pickling spice
- 3 C white vinegar
- 3 C water
- 3 tbsp pickling salt
Instructions
- Place four garlic cloves into each jar. Then put 2tsp of the pickling spice into each jar. Then pack the peppers into the jars. I use sauerkraut pounder to help with the process. Add some peppers to the jar, the pack. Repeat until the jar is full.
- Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil in a large sauce pan.
- Pour the vinegar mixture into each jar. I use a canning funnel and a ladle to add the vinegar – this produces less mess. Use a knife to slide around between the peppers and the side of the jar to remove air bubbles, and then add more liquid to the jars until it’s almost to the rim of the jar.
- Allow the jars to cool, then place lids on them and refrigerate.
