Pickled jajapeno question

[gfweb]

The fresh jalapenos I buy at the store are plenty spicy. The pickled ones are not. Is this because the pickling process destroys the capsaicin or because the bottler buys tame jalapenos to pickle?

[btbyrd]

Pickling draws capsaicin from the pepper and into the pickling liquid, diluting the overall heat in the pepper. I think the effect of dilution will be magnified in heat processed pickles. I also suspect that acid somewhat masks the perception of heat. I've noticed that my instant pickled jalapenos (done in the chamber vac) taste less hot than they were before pickled. I'm sure this is due, in part, to dilution (because the vinegar takes on a spicy note) but also suspect some flavor masking. I have nothing to back that up scientifically though.

[gfweb]

Makes sense. My jalapeno vinegar that I use to jack-up potato salad and cole slaw and tuna salad and a few other things has a good kick to it.

[scubadoo97]

Start with serranos chilies

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Or you can grow your own jalapenos and pickle them yourself. When I did this, few people besides myself could eat them comfortably. They may have cross pollinated with hotter peppers in the garden or my seeds just may have been different than the commercial ones.

 

The jalapenos available to me in the grocers here, even with a surprisingly large Latino population for central NC, are usually so tame that when you remove seeds and membranes they can pretty much be used almost interchangeably with bell peppers with a slight kick.

 

Anyone else notice how, over the years, jalapenos have gotten a lot milder?

 

Scubadoo97's right, that you can add heat with serranos. I like the jalapeno flavor better though. It's one of my staples I panic if it's not in the kitchen, and you'd be surprised at the nutrients. More vitamin C than citrus, no lie.

 

ETA: my question

Edited January 31, 2015 by Thanks for the Crepes (log)

[brucesw]

The TAM mild jalapeno.  I read several years ago this was developed in response to requests from canners  and salsa producers.  There's another wikiarticle on Texas Agrilife Research, the new name of the division of the university that produced this (and the 1015 onion) that says salsa sales rose when it went in to use.

[Katie Meadow]

The hotness level of jalapeños seems pretty unpredictable to me, but yes, I agree that they have become tamer, often to the point of being insipid, especially the average super market supply. When I lived in New Mexico during the sixties and early seventies that was not the case. But generally here in CA they are oh so bland. I have found that if I shop at Mi Pueblo, the big hispanic super market, they tend to be hotter, although it varies according to the batch. When I buy them I always buy a few serranos as well, just in case I need them to add heat to the pickle. They are not so predictable, either.

As for the end result, if they are hot to begin with when raw, then the pickle will be hot accordingly. I make pickled jalapeños or a mixed pickle with carrots frequently and I'm just resigned to the fact that the heat level is somewhat a factor of chance.

[Katie Meadow]

After assuming a level of blandness in store-bought jalapeños for many years, I got a nasty surprise. The other day I made some pickled jalapeños and carrots. I tasted one or two of the peppers before using them, but they seemed mild. Well, one or two that I didn't taste must have packed a major punch. Even my husband, who can handle his hot peppers, found a couple of slices of pepper or carrot more than enough heat in a sandwich with other stuff. Basically what I made is inedible for my own uses.

So, the question is, if I were to pour out all the pickling liquid which has absorbed a lot of heat and put in fresh vinegar and water solution, would any of the heat still in the vegetables be drawn out into the liquid, making them more palatable? Or is this a dopey waste of time and vinegar?

I notice that post #2 suggests the liquid absorbs some heat, but my peppers remain blisteringly hot regardless.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Katie Meadow (log)

[Ttogull]

A few years ago (3? 4?), the peppers at the stores were plain hot. Even the poblanos were incredibly hot. I eat Carolina reaper and ghost pepper sauces nearly every day, so I was ok. Liked it even. But that year I had to be careful when making Mexican dishes for my kid or guests. Then there came news articles that the peppers were hot because of a drought in Mexico. The next year they were back to their usual heat level.

If you want heat in your jalapeño pickles, consider adding halves of hot peppers like habanero to the jalapeños. I do this for my pickled okra. The okra picks up quite a kick. You can eat the habaneros or not. I've never done this for store bought jars, but I think it should work. Just realize it might no longer be shelf-stable if it was to begin with.

[radtek]

I notice that heat fades over time under refrigeration. My salsa, which can induce hiccups freshly made tends to fade noticeably overnight. I think acidity may have something to do with the process and how much surface area is involved- such as a puree vs chunks or whole. I don't make chunky salsa.

 

Fairly sure the heat in peppers has been tamed for consistency over the years as indicated earlier. Also our perception and remembrance may be skewed some.

 

I think serranos make better whole pickled peppers anyway and they can knock your socks off. Especially the tiny ones.

[scubadoo97]

Heat may fade but pickled jalapeños I've made still pack a punch and last a long time

[Katie Meadow]

So......no one thinks I can lessen the heat of these jalapeños by changing to a fresh vinegar solution? My experience with pickled peppers is that if you eat them slowly, over a period of months, they don't lose heat in the refrigerator, but that would be if they were sitting in the same solution the whole time.

[radtek]

So......no one thinks I can lessen the heat of these jalapeños by changing to a fresh vinegar solution? My experience with pickled peppers is that if you eat them slowly, over a period of months, they don't lose heat in the refrigerator, but that would be if they were sitting in the same solution the whole time.

 

Try it. Take half and change the pickle out. Then you can compare. Might only take a day or so.

[brucesw]

The only brand of pickled jalapenos I buy is Trappey's.  They come in both mild and hot and the hot is hot enough for me but I'm not that much of a heat seeker anymore.  Trappey's uses a cold brining method which preserves the crispness of the pickle which is why I prefer them. 

 

I've never seen some of those products shown on the website.  I seldom see anything other than the jalapenos in stores around me.  I like their crisp, hot pickled okra the best, too, but I never see it.

 

I've read Cajun Chef is another brand that uses cold brining but I've never seen them in a store.

[Toliver]

The spicy heat shouldn't be in the vinegar (though it may have some just by attrition due to the oils leeching out of the peppers). The heat should still be residing in the peppers. If you dump the vinegar and put new vinegar in, the peppers should still be hot.

You could always try freezing the jar of peppers, vinegar and all. I've put salsas that I thought had a kick to them in the freezer and when I took them out and thawed them, the heat was gone (which pissed me off royally at the time  ...live and learn!  ).