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Spicy Pickles for Chilliheads

Do you like pickles but wish they stung your tongue like a thousand tiny scorpions? Here's a recipe for you.

Caution

Boiling the brine produces one heck of a smell. Be sure you have good ventilation and maybe even a mask & eye protection if you're particularly sensitive to strong aromas. You've been warned!

Equipment

  • Cutting Board
  • Chef's Knife (or Crinkle Cutter)
  • 32oz. Mason Jar
  • 1 Big Stovetop Pot
  • Cheesecloth

Ingredients

  • 2lb Cucumbers (regular or pickling style are fine!)
  • 1.5 Cups White Vinegar
  • Hot Peppers (dealer's choice)
  • 2 Cup Water
  • 2 Tbsp Salt
  • 3 Tsp Sugar
  • 8 Cloves Garlic
  • 1/8 Tsp Alum
  • Fresh Dill
  • Black Peppercorns
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

  1. Set out the cutting board
  2. Wash and dry the mason jar
  3. Wash and dry the cucumbers
  4. Slice cucumbers into eighths lengthwise OR into 1/4" chips (sandwich style)
  5. Peel and finely chop garlic cloves
  6. Add dill, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes into a cheesecloth
  7. Dump the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar into a pot, stir ingredients until dissolved
  8. Knot cheesecloth and set inside the pot with the other ingredients
  9. Let brine raise to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer a couple minutes
  10. Meanwhile, chop the tops off the hot peppers and peel the garlic
  11. Toss the peppers, garlic, and alum into the mason jar
  12. Add more peppercorns and red pepper flakes to the mason jar (be liberal with these!)
  13. Take brine off the heat and pour into the mason jar, leave about a finger's width of space from the top
  14. Carefully seal the jar with its lid and let cool to room temp
  15. Once the jar is room temp, stuff it into the fridge and let it pickle for three weeks
  16. After three weeks, enjoy the heat!

Goes great with cheese!

Last update: 2022-12-30