Chiles en Vinagre
Tangy, spicy pickled chiles with garlic and vinegar—a bright Mexican condiment that keeps for weeks. Serve as a side, topping, or snack with sharp, complex heat.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 35
- Protein
- 1g
Ingredients
- 8 whole fresh serrano chiles
- 6 whole fresh jalapeño chiles
- 6 whole garlic cloves
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 1.5 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 whole bay leaf
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the 8 fresh serrano chiles and 6 fresh jalapeño chiles under cold water. Leave them whole with stems intact—the skin will eventually soften in the pickling liquid and become tender. Pat them dry with a clean cloth.
- 2
Peel 6 garlic cloves by crushing them lightly under the flat side of a knife, then slip off the papery skin. Leave them whole—they'll infuse the vinegar evenly.
- 3
Gather your spices: 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds, 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 bay leaf. Have them ready to add together.
- 4
Pour 1 cup of white vinegar and 0.5 cup of water into a medium stainless steel saucepan. Set it over medium heat and add 1.5 teaspoons of sea salt. Stir until the salt dissolves completely, about 2 minutes—you'll see the crystals vanish and the liquid will look clear.
- 5
Add the 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds, 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 bay leaf to the hot vinegar. Let it simmer for 1 minute—you should smell the warm spices perfuming the steam. This blooms the flavors into the liquid.
- 6
Carefully add all the prepared serrano and jalapeño chiles and 6 whole garlic cloves to the simmering vinegar. Return to a gentle simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes. The chiles will soften slightly and their color will deepen from bright green to a deeper, more muted green. The liquid should bubble gently around them, not boil aggressively.
- 7
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the chiles cool to room temperature in the vinegar, about 20-30 minutes. As they cool, they'll absorb more of the pickling liquid's flavor.
- 8
Transfer the chiles, garlic, spices, and all the pickling liquid to a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal it and refrigerate—the chiles will keep for up to 3 weeks, and the flavor will deepen each day.
- 9
Serve the chiles en vinagre at room temperature or chilled as a condiment alongside grilled meats, tacos, quesadillas, or beans. Use them to top soups, rice bowls, or grilled vegetables. A single chile adds a sharp, vinegary heat; use more for bold flavor.
Tools you’ll need
- medium stainless steel saucepan
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- glass jar with tight-fitting lid
- wooden spoon
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
