Mondo's Hot & Spicy Pickles

Submitted by Monica in PA

"This recipe was created by my husband Armando (Mondo) who has come up with this recipe after searching for a good hot & spicy pickle and couldn't find one that was spicy enough! People beg for jars of these and my friend Stacey claims that they cure any cold!!HA!"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 8mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 10 canning jars

ingredients

• 30 -40 medium pickling cucumbers
• 4 cups vinegar
• 3 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• fresh dill
• alum
• 1 garlic, bulb whole cloves and some chopped
• 3⁄4 cup kosher salt or 3/4 cup sea salt
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons peppercorns
• red dried hot chili peppers
• 1 tablespoon pickling spices

• optional

• crushed red pepper flakes

directions

1. Clean cucumbers in cold water.
2. Place water, vinegar, sugar, salt in large pot.
3. Place sprigs of dill (stems and all) and pickling spices in cheesecloth. Knot the cheesecloth and place in pot with the rest of ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil to make a brine solution.
5. Place a few peppercorns, few garlic cloves or chopped garlic, 1/8 teaspoons Alum, a couple dried whole chile peppers in each empty canning jar that is going to be used. If you desire hotter pickles, add optional 1 - 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes to each jar.
6. Then place pickles in jar and fill with brine solution.
7. Wipe rims of jars with clean cloth, place lids and screw on bands fingertip-tight.
8. Process for 8 minutes in water bath.
9. Remove to cloth-protected counter and let rest undisturbed for 24 hours to cool.
10. Pickles are ready to eat in about 2 weeks. Enjoy!

Reviews

[Sherri T.]

Excellent recipe!!! I would give more stars if I could. I have been using this recipe for a couple of years and have made around 200 quarts of pickles. I make different levels of heat by adding hotter peppers to some of the jars. I use a few Thai peppers for extra spicy, sliced habanero for xx spicy and ghost pepper slices for 'OMG, this is hot!' Be sure to wear gloves when handling the hot peppers. These are so good that I trade jars of pickles for my cucumbers and peppers at the farmers market. My friends and family love getting jars of these as gifts!

 

[westwood]

Excellent recipe - just opened a jar from the first batch we made and we were so excited about them that we are making a second batch today. A bit tricky to follow the recipe as written as the steps don't quite make sense but after rereading for a third time we got it done.

 

[Chef Dee]

Will update when I get to taste these in a couple of months. But for now, these were so easy to make. I used dried peppers because I don't like playing with fresh ones. My mouth waters just looking at the jars, and I can't wait to taste them. Thanks for posting Monica.

 

[SoniLuvs2Scrapbook]

Last year I was searching for a hot and spicy pickle recipe and I came across this one. I had never made pickles before and when I found this one and made the pickles everyone loves them. In fact I have a good friend who just loves these pickles, infact she always puts her order in to buy 4- quart size jars about every 2 months. I have to say that your husband Mondo is a very smart and creative person. Thank you so much for the great recipe.

 

[amystuber]

These pickles are very good! Stayed crunchy which is very important to me. Any suggestions on how to make them hotter? My batch (followed the recipe exactly) was more "black pepper" tasting than "chili pepper". Would like more bite.