Peppers of all kinds are just starting to be ready for picking way up here. They are fairly easy to grow and I like experimenting with plants, so I have bell, jalapeno, cubanelle, habanero, poblano and cherry bomb peppers growing. None are ready for harvesting quite yet, although the jalapenos are close. My sister, Andi brought us some bell and jalapeno peppers along with zucchini and cucumbers from her garden 2 weeks ago. Until my peppers are ready, there are lots of farmers’ markets and farm stands around to get peppers from for some hot pepper jelly!

We were first introduced to Hot Pepper Jelly by Dr. Jane. Dr. Jane is a friend from Chicagoland who also enjoys making and eating good food. We’ve explored some great restaurants in and around Chicago with her. She made a batch of hot pepper jelly and brought us some when we were hosting a gathering a few years back. Dr. Jane poured the jelly over whipped cream cheese then smeared both onto a cracker. Heavenly! We’ve used it as an appetizer ever since, when I could find hot pepper jelly. I was happy to find it for sale in our new area at farm stands. But it got me to thinking that I could probably do it myself and I searched online for recipes.  It wasn’t hard to come up with one and so began my latest food production pastime of making jams & jellies. (See Jammin’ for Nick & Sweet With a Kick! for my other jam recipes.)

Hot Pepper Jelly  (makes 7  ½-pint jars or 3 pint jars)

• 1/2 pound green peppers (1-2 peppers)
• 1/2 pound red, orange or yellow peppers (1-2 peppers)
• 5-6 ounces jalapeno peppers (3-10, depending on size)
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 5 cups sugar
•  1 box powdered fruit pectin
• ½ teaspoon butter

Wash the jars, lids & rings in hot soapy water. Sterilize all the parts on a raised rack in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water bath just before filling, turning the jars, lids and rings upside down on paper towels to drain.

3 part jelly jars (jar, lid & ring).

Chop 3 cups of bell peppers. Chop 1 cup of jalapeno peppers keeping about 1 tablespoon of the seeds with the hot peppers. The seeds are where the heat is, so you can vary the spiciness of the jelly with the amount of jalapeno seeds.

3 cups of chopped bell peppers and 1 cup of chopped jalapeno peppers with some seeds for heat.

Put all the peppers in a food processor to achieve uniform size. Transfer the peppers to a 6-8 quart sauce pot and add the vinegar.

Uniform size is important for the jelly.

Measure out the sugar into a separate bowl and set it aside. Stir the pectin into the peppers & vinegar and add the butter.

The butter reduces the foaming of the jelly.

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil (bubbling that does not stop when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the sugar and return to a full rolling boil.

Bring to a rolling boil then add the sugar.

Boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the jelly from the heat.

Ready for the jars!

Using a sterilized ladle (put it in the boiling water for 3 minutes) put the jelly into sterilized, hot jars, leaving 1/8 inch of headspace. Wipe the jar rims & threads with a clean, wet paper towel.

Hot jelly goes into hot jars.

Cover each jar with the 2 piece lids, screwing lids down tightly. Place the jars back on the raised rack in the boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes. The water must cover the jars by 1-2 inches. Remove the jars and cool them on a wire rack. After they are cooled, make sure the seals are set by pressing the middle of the lid with a finger. Any lids that spring back are not sealed and should be refrigerated. Store unopened jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year. Refrigerate the opened jars and use within 3 weeks.

The pepper jelly is also good as a condiment for burgers, etc.   ~Linda

Hot Pepper Jelly  (makes 7  ½-pint jars or 3 pint jars)

• 1/2 pound green peppers (1-2 peppers)
• 1/2 pound red, orange or yellow peppers (1-2 peppers)
• 5-6 ounces jalapeno peppers (3-10, depending on size)
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 5 cups sugar
•  1 box powdered fruit pectin
• ½ teaspoon butter

Wash the jars, lids & rings in hot soapy water. Sterilize all the parts on a raised rack in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water bath just before filling, turning the jars, lids and rings upside down on paper towels to drain.

Chop 3 cups of bell peppers. Chop 1 cup of jalapeno peppers keeping about 1 tablespoon of the seeds with the hot peppers. The seeds are where the heat is, so you can vary the spiciness of the jelly with the amount of jalapeno seeds.

Put all the peppers in a food processor to achieve uniform size. Transfer the peppers to a 6-8 quart sauce pot and add the vinegar.

Measure out the sugar into a separate bowl and set it aside. Stir the pectin into the peppers & vinegar and add the butter.

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil (bubbling that does not stop when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in the sugar and return to a full rolling boil.

Boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the jelly from the heat.

Using a sterilized ladle (put it in the boiling water for 3 minutes) put the jelly into sterilized, hot jars, leaving 1/8 inch of headspace. Wipe the jar rims & threads with a clean, wet paper towel.

Cover each jar with the 2 piece lids, screwing lids down tightly. Place the jars back on the raised rack in the boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes. The water must cover the jars by 1-2 inches. Remove the jars and cool them on a wire rack. After they are cooled, make sure the seals are set by pressing the middle of the lid with a finger. Any lids that spring back are not sealed and should be refrigerated. Store unopened jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year. Refrigerate the opened jars and use within 3 weeks.