What's a girl to do when the jalapano bushes are overwhelming me, and the tomatoes are just starting to hint at red? Salsa isn't an option until the tomatoes come in... there's already several jars of peppers put up... every square inch of the freezer is dedicated to something else...Hot. Pepper. Jelly.
I saw this recipe in one of my cookbooks and went "ew." I saw it again in a different cookbook at the library and became curious. THEN I saw it on the back of the pectin box when I went to the store. With an abundance of peppers and a good sense of humor, I decided to try it. What's the harm?
It's WONDERFUL stuff, so you know. And attractive to boot. We've already eaten an entire jar (half-pint) with crackers and cream cheese. I fully intend on making more soon for my Christmas baskets.
Here's the recipe:
- 6 jalapanos, chopped. Remove seeds if heat is a problem. I removed about 1/2, left about 1/2.
- 1 cup white vinegar. The recipe called for CIDER vinegar but I didn't have any, and didn't miss it either.
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 packet liquid fruit pectin
Put the peppers in the blender with 1/2 c vinegar. Blend until smooth. You can see in the picture that I left mine kinda chunky for visuals -- do as you please.
Pour the pepper mixture into a pot and add the rest of the vinegar. Add the sugar. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. At this point, I added a few drops of green food coloring to brighten the color. The peppers make it a kinda pea-soup green and I wanted gemstones!
After 10 minutes, remove from heat. Stir in pectin. Return to heat and boil hard 1min. Fill and seal jars -- 1/4 in headspace, 10 min processing in a hot water canner. Makes about 3 cups of jelly.
Yum.
5 comments:
I love hot pepper jelly! I had a friend in my highschool years who served it to me with cream cheese and crackers, as you said you enjoy it, and I thought it was so strange - until my first bite. Ymm! I didn't plant any hot peppers this year but will have to bum some off my mom, maybe. I had forgotten how good this is!
Oh man, that looks and sounds dangerously delicious..... I hope I'm getting one of those Christmas baskets!!! ~_^
Sarah, I thought it was strange, too, but I'm totally hooked. I'm never not planting hot peppers again! They practically take care of themselves and the flavor... yum.
Erika, you may have to go home for a few days but yes, your family is on the list! Where in the world are you this month?
In Cambodia currently. Home? That's not been my home for 6 years! :-P "Home" for 2010-2011 is D.C... :)
Home has nothing to do with where you live... home is where your family is, and where you (or, at least, I) feel guilty if I don't make an appearance! Have a blast in Cambodia. Shaune and I are trying to figure out where we're going next -- he's pushing Brazil.
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