Pickled “Blond” Peppers – Chiles güeros encurtidos

Click here to go to printable recipe: Pickled Blond Peppers – Chiles güeros encurtidos

Due to its long and narrow shape, the variety of pepper shown below (photo below, left), is known as “carricillo”, which means “reed-like”, from the Spanish word carrizo (reed); they are also known as chiles largos (long peppers) or more generically, from their colour, chiles gűeros (blond peppers), although there are many other light-coloured peppers in Mexico referred by that name.  In Mexico, they are found mostly pickled, and sold in jars  (photo below, right):

I have mentioned and used these pickled chiles güeros, but this is my first attempt at pickling some at home.  For this, this year I tried growing Hungarian Hot Wax peppers in my backyard, a variety I thought might work well substituting carricillos, since it is used extensively for pickling, also characterized for an elongated shape, and usually harvested while still green, or light yellow.  In my previous post, I showed a range of tones in my crop, at different stages of maturity:

For this recipe, I chose the narrowest and longest peppers; using only the true-yellow toned as the one in the centre would be the ideal, but I picked the first three tones from left, any with no orange tinge, to avoid waste.  

Pickled “Blond” Peppers –

Chiles güeros encurtidos

Printable recipe: Pickled Blond Peppers – Chiles güeros encurtidos

Ingredients (for approximately 6 cups)

1 lb (454 g) long yellow peppers, such as carricillo, or Hungarian hot wax
½ white onion
4 cloves garlic
2 carrots
1 cup water
½ cup white wine vinegar (or apple cider; plain white vinegar will do if nothing else is available)
1 tbsp salt, or more, to taste; preferably coarse
2 tbsp olive oil (or any other vegetable oil)
2 bay leaves
½ tsp black peppercorns

Wash and drain carrots and peppers.  Trim and discard ends of carrots, peel, and slice into coins (about 1/8 in – 3.5 mm thick).  Peel the onion and slice thinly; peel the garlic cloves; set up bay leaves and peppercorns:

In a small pot, mix water, vinegar and salt; place on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve salt.  Lower heat to a simmer, and keep hot until needed:

Warm up oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add onion and garlic; sauté until onions are translucent (photo below, left).  Add carrots and peppers, stirring to coat with oil, and incorporate with the onions and garlic (photo below, right):

Continue cooking and stirring for two to three minutes, then add bay leaves and black peppercorns (photo below, left).  Stir to incorporate, then pour in the reserved hot pickling liquid (photo below, right):

Stir and cook for two more minutes, then cover the pot (photo below, left).  Turn off the heat, and allow to rest for ten minutes.  Meanwhile, sterilize heat-resistant jars with lids, allowing to air dry.  Transfer the solids from the pot to the prepared jars (photo below, right):

Pour the hot liquid from the pot, and any remaining solids, to fill the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) spacing from the rim (photo below, left).  Close the jars, and allow them to reach room temperature, undisturbed (photo below, right):

Once completely cooled, store in the fridge for at least one night, and up to three months.  

I compared a carricillo from the store-bought jar with one of my pickled peppers after two days:

A food arbiter might say that the Hungarian hot wax pepper (top) is wider and not as wrinkled as the carricillo (bottom); also that the colour is different, and that the texture of the hot wax seems softer.  However, I imagine that the colour might change as the hot wax peppers age in the pickling liquid, and in terms of flavour, there is a nice match, being spicy, but not a killer, and not too strong, so they may complement fish dishes and other mild preparations instead of carricillos, such as (click on text for full story and recipes) Bacalao (Mexico City Style Cod),and  Pipián blanco (White Pipián).

---

Since the pickled peppers have to be stored in the fridge, the jars do not have to be specific for canning, but I find very convenient to use two commodious 24 oz (3 cup) Mason jars for this recipe.  For your convenience, click on the highlighted text below for products available on Amazon™.  DISCLAIMER: Any reviews included in this post are my own, for items I have purchased, not provided by any company; as an Amazon Associates Program affiliate, I might receive a commission for any purchases originated from the links below, at no extra cost to you.  Thank you to readers who have bought other products starting with a click from my links!  

---

I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #659 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

---

I am also sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #627, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

---

I am joining Fiesta Friday #503  with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.

---