• Wearing rubber gloves, slice your jalapenos into 1/8" thick rounds. Discard the stem end.
• If you will be canning these pickled jalapenos, then prepare your water bath canner, mason jars, and lids.

  Wash your jars and lids. Sterilize your jars in a large pot filled with water. Bring the water to almost a simmer over medium heat. Keep the jars in the simmering water until you are ready to fill them. Use a jar lifter to remove them from the water when you are ready to fill them, dumping the hot water back into the pot when you remove each jar from the water. Right before you are ready to can, put your lids in a small pot or bowl with hot, but not boiling, water. Put some additional white vinegar in a small bowl alongside a clean washcloth or paper towel. Keep the water in your canning pot at a simmer while you fill your jars. See The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving for additional guidance
• Combine the vinegar, water, & sugar in a medium saucepan and heat until just before it starts to boil.
• Add the salt, pepper, cumin, mustard seed, bay leaf, & garlic to each jar.
• Divide the jalapeño slices between each jar, packing them in compactly until jars are filled.
• Pour the hot vinegar water mixture into each jar, leaving 1/2" headspace; a canning funnel is helpful for this.
• Insert a bubble remover tool (or clean chopstick) down the side of each jar and press in toward the center to release any bubbles.
• Clean jar rims with a wet paper towel, dampened with white vinegar.

For Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

• Allow jars to cool to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before eating. The pepper slices will keep for several months.

For Canning Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

• Process using standard USDA water bath canning guidelines
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. The pot needs to be deep enough to hold enough water to cover the jars by 2".
• After filling the hot jars as directed above, wipe your rims with white vinegar, apply the lids and rims, tightening the rims until just 'fingertip tight'. Fingertip Tight means that you can tighten with your fingers only, that you won't use the palm of your hand or all of your fingers to tighten.
• Place your jars in the canner, making sure the jars are completely covered with water by 2". Add additional boiling water as needed to raise the water level.
• Cover canner and bring water to a gentle boil. Once water is boiling, process for 12 minutes, adjusting time as necessary for elevation. (see notes)
• At the end of processing time, turn off the heat, remove the pot lid, and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes.
• Remove jars, keeping them upright as you transfer them to a rack. Allow the jars to cool completely, undisturbed, for 24 hours.
• Refrigerate any jars that do not seal.
• May be eaten within a few days, but best if allowed to marinate for several weeks.
• Good for at least 1 year.