At the end of the growing season, we had a lot, and I mean a lot of jalapenos to eat. This Sweet and Spicy Pickled Vegetable recipe is a perfect way to use any and all of your garden veggies while adding a little extra flavor and flare.
Honestly, we really need to thank my dad for growing so, so many jalapenos and forgetting (possibly intentionally) to pick the peppers so they became extra HOT! It’s tricky with kids to serve dishes that use jalapenos because they can be pretty spicy at times. Since we had oddly hot and dry weather this summer in the Midwest, many of our jalapenos became bright red with white lines/cracks all along the outside. If you know anything about spicy peppers, the brighter the color and the more lines and cracks…The Spicier The Pepper!
Corey absolutely loves Jalapenos, Serranos and Habaneros. To Corey, the spicier the better. I can’t say the same for myself, the ZenSweet kids or many of our friends and family. So, my solution to make everyone happy…spread our plethora of jalapenos out in many jars of deliciously crisp, pickled vegetables.
This recipe is very adaptable. You can use many vegetable to replace the cauliflower and carrots, such as sweet red pepper & broccoli, radishes & green beans, asparagus & red onion, fennel & cucumber or any combination you can dream up. See…there are a lot of possibilities. The jalapeno can be replaced by serranos or habaneros or a less spicy pepper like an anaheim or banana pepper.
Our brother-in-law, Jason, absolutely loved these Sweet and Spicy Pickled Vegetables and my sister-in-law said he basically ate them every single day on everything he ate!! Our family and friends really enjoyed this recipe as well. Even though winter is on its way, and the back yard garden veggies are coming to a close for the year, don’t be deterred from buying the crispiest, organic produce you can find and using this recipe. These Sweet and Spicy Pickled Vegetables make a delightful, distinct, colorful gift for the holidays too!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh, firm, washed jalapeno peppers, sliced into 1/8-1/4 inch slices (you may want to wear gloves while slicing)
- 1 large head of organic cauliflower, chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces
- 4-5 fresh, firm, organic carrots peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch rounds
- 2 cups white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups ZenSweet
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Real salt or sea salt
- 3 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
- About 5 cleaned, one quart (32 ounce) wide mouth jars
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring vinegar, ZenSweet, salt and garlic powder to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes
- While the liquid is simmering, firmly pack the cauliflower, carrots and jalapeno slices into your five, clean jars
- Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the vegetables, making sure the liquid covers all of the veggies
- Insert a knife into each of the jars two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air.
- Add more liquid/syrup if necessary
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel then screw on two-part canning lids or plastic lids (my favorite if not properly "canning")
- Cool the jars at room temperature for an hour and then store them in the fridge for up to 3 months
These look great! I love pickled veggies, they really are a great addition to a meal. Thank you for sharing your recipe! Definitely trying it soon!
Thanks Billy! I hope you enjoy and please let us know how your own pickled veggies turn out!