How long will (canned) pickled jalapenos last?

August 23, 2011 10:28 AM

How long should the contents of a can of pickled jalapenos last in the fridge?

I typically only use a few of these at a time. Unfortunately I can only find 26oz cans (link) locally, so the unused jalapenos and their pickling juice go into a covered glass jar in the fridge. How long should these last?

They smell very strong straight out of the can, and after two weeks they seem to be the same in smell, texture and appearance.

posted by foggy out there now to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

In a sealed jar, they'll last months, at least. I've had an open jar in my fridge at least half a year and just used some last week. They tasted fine and we're still alive.
posted by something something at 10:31 AM on August 23, 2011 [1 favorite]

stilltasty.com is kinda useful for this stuff; they claim 1-2 months. I have had them last a bit longer, I think, but eventually they start to soften...
posted by kmennie at 10:33 AM on August 23, 2011

if they're pickled in pure vinegar, they'll be safe for ages and ages, like several months or a year, even after they've been opened (barring obvious changes like mold growth etc.); that is the point of pickling. They will not be delicious forever, though—they'll start to soften and lose color and flavor after a few months. This may matter less to you depending on how you are using them.

Make sure you transfer them into a clean (like, sterile, or at least washed-in-hot-water) jar once opened, and only use clean utensils to remove them to keep nasties at bay.
posted by peachfuzz at 10:38 AM on August 23, 2011

Canned ones don't seem to last as long as jarred ones. I'm guessing because my rubber band and plastic wrap seal is not as good as a jar lid.

The metal of the can most certainly starts reacting once opened and after a week or two the inside of the can starts to become discolored.

You could repackage them into mason jars. They last for well over a month for me that way. I usually just buy the ones in glass bottles though.
posted by fief at 11:19 AM on August 23, 2011 [2 favorites]

Kept in their packing juice in a clean glass container with a tight-fitting lid, 3 months is not unreasonable. They will probably last well beyond that, but the deterioration in quality becomes more noticeable as time goes on. I know for a fact that I have kept pickled jalapenos that came in a jar for well over six months without serious quality issues.
posted by briank at 1:03 PM on August 23, 2011

Mine never seem to last more than a month, but I found a hidden jar at the back of the fridge that had to have been 6 mos old or more. They were fine on a salad. I wouldn't worry, as long as they're in a jar.
posted by nevercalm at 2:10 PM on August 23, 2011

I found that the commercially-jarred ones get mushy and meh within a couple of months.

I pickle chiles myself now. They're more delicious, and they keep longer in the fridge. 6-9 months, no problem.
posted by desuetude at 10:31 PM on August 23, 2011