Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Smoke

Pickled and smoked jalapeños

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Pickled and Smoked Jalapeños

Smoke first, pickle second. These jalapeños take on a little applewood flavour in Charlie before going into a sweet cider vinegar brine with dill and coriander seeds. Sharp, smoky and hot, ready to wake up tacos, burgers or grilled meat.

Mark O'BrienChef
Smoke
Prep5 minutes
Cook30 minutes
ServesMultiple
DifficultyEasy
Oven temperature110 to 120°C (230 to 250°F)
RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack on the upper rack
CharcoalA quarter of a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal, with a couple of smoking wood chunks (apple wood works well)

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/en-au/blogs/charcoal-recipes/pickled-and-smoked-jalapenos

Share

EmailPin this recipe

Ingredients

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

Method

Setting up Charlie
  1. Place a small bed of charcoal (about a quarter of a football) in the base of the Charlie Oven.
  2. Add a couple of smoking wood chunks such as apple wood on top of the charcoal.
  3. Light the charcoal and allow it to come up to temperature.
  4. Adjust the vents to maintain a low smoking temperature of 110 to 120°C (230 to 250°F).
  5. Place the cooking rack in the upper position.
  1. Set up the Charlie Oven with a small bed of charcoal and a couple of smoking wood chunks such as apple wood. Adjust the temperature to 110 to 120°C (230 to 250°F).
  2. Place the jalapenos directly on the grill rack in the upper part of the oven. Smoke for 10 minutes, then turn them over and smoke for another 10 minutes, or until they appear wilted with smoky bits. Remove and allow them to cool.
  3. In a container, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, herbs, and spices. Stir well to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved.
  4. Add the smoked jalapenos to the prepared pickle juice.
  5. Transfer the pickled jalapenos into an airtight container. They are ready to use in as little as 10 minutes and will last a long time when stored properly.

Tips

  • Apple wood gives a sweet, mild smoke that pairs beautifully with the heat of the jalapenos, but cherry or hickory wood also work well.
  • For a milder pickle, slice the jalapenos in half and remove the seeds before smoking.
  • The pickled jalapenos will develop more flavour the longer they sit in the brine. They are best after 24 hours but can be used after just 10 minutes.
  • Store in the fridge in a sealed jar and they will keep for several weeks.
  • Try adding a few cloves of garlic or a bay leaf to the pickle juice for extra depth of flavour.

More recipes

The cook

Mark O'Brien

Chef

Mark O’Brien was a finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2026 and the first Irish chef to reach the final. After more than a decade in top London restaurants, he now runs Snake Oil Barbecue in Margate, bringing serious chef skills to his love of American BBQ and cooking over fire.

More recipes by Mark O'Brien

Frequently asked questions

  • What temperature do I smoke jalapeños at?

    110 to 120°C (230 to 250°F). Use a small bed of lumpwood charcoal, about a quarter of a football, with a couple of smoking wood chunks such as apple wood, and put the jalapeños on the upper rack.

  • How long do I smoke jalapeños before pickling?

    About 20 minutes. Smoke them for 10 minutes, turn them over and smoke for another 10 minutes, until they look wilted with smoky bits. Let them cool before adding them to the pickle juice.

  • Which wood is best for smoked jalapeños?

    Apple wood gives a sweet, mild smoke that suits the heat of the jalapeños. Cherry or hickory also work well. A couple of chunks is enough, as the charcoal supplies the heat and Charlie contains the smoke.

  • How long do pickled smoked jalapeños keep?

    Several weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge. They can be used after just 10 minutes in the brine, but they develop more flavour the longer they sit and are best after 24 hours.