1. Cook the eggs. Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer and cover with cold water by about an inch. Bring the water to a full boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and let the eggs stand, covered, for 10–12 minutes. This gentle residual-heat method produces perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs with tender whites and fully set (but not chalky or greenish) yolks.

2. Cool and peel. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs immediately to a bowl of ice water. Let them cool completely — this stops the cooking process and makes peeling much easier. Once cooled, peel the eggs carefully, starting at the wider end where there’s typically an air pocket, and rinse each egg under cool water to remove any stray bits of shell.

3. Prepare the brine. In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, water, granulated sugar, pickling salt, ground turmeric, black peppercorns, crushed red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, and celery seeds.

4. Heat the brine. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt fully dissolve. Once dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and let the brine cool slightly — you want it warm, not scalding, when it meets the eggs.

5. Pack the jar. Choose a clean glass jar large enough to hold all 12 eggs (a wide-mouth quart or half-gallon jar works well, or split the batch between two jars). Layer the peeled eggs into the jar along with the sliced jalapeños and crushed garlic cloves, distributing them evenly so every egg ends up near some heat and aromatics.

6. Add the brine. Carefully pour the warm brine over the eggs, making sure they’re completely submerged. If needed, press the eggs down gently or add a bit more liquid (equal parts vinegar and water) to fully cover them. Let the jar cool to room temperature on the counter before sealing.

7. Refrigerate. Seal the jar tightly and place it in the refrigerator. Let the eggs pickle for at least 24 hours before tasting — but for the best, most developed flavor, resist the urge to dig in early and let them sit for a full 5 to 7 days.

8. Serve. Once pickled to your liking, enjoy the eggs chilled straight from the jar as a snack, alongside barbecue, as a game-day appetizer, or arranged on a colorful snack board.