Pepper Jelly

Name: Pepper Jelly
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H10M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H25M0.000S
Yield: 6 1/2-pint jars
Ingredients: 4 large red bell peppers; 5 large red jalapeno peppers; 2 serrano chiles; 1 cup apple cider vinegar; 5 cups sugar; One 1.75-ounce package regular powdered pectin, such as Sure-Jell

Getting reviews...

Level: Intermediate
Total: 25 min

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 10 min

Yield: 6 1/2-pint jars

Level: Intermediate
Total: 25 min

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 10 min

Yield: 6 1/2-pint jars

Ingredients

4 large red bell peppers

5 large red jalapeno peppers

2 serrano chiles

1 cup apple cider vinegar

5 cups sugar

One 1.75-ounce package regular powdered pectin, such as Sure-Jell

Directions

Remove the stems, seeds and ribs from the bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and serrano chiles and coarsely chop them. (Pro tip: Always wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers. Otherwise there is an approximately 100% chance that you will go on to touch your eyes, or worse, and pain ensues.) Pop your chopped peppers into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
If you prefer it to look a little more ... Christmassy, feel free to sub out some of the red bell peppers for green, and likewise use green jalapenos for some of the red.
Put your chopped peppers into a large nonreactive pot, like stainless steel or enamel. Do not use aluminum. Have at the ready the apple cider vinegar, powdered pectin and sugar. (Note: Pectin may be readily available at your local grocery store or even many hardware stores. Otherwise, it can be ordered online from major retailers.)
Meanwhile, if you are planning to can your jelly, prepare 6 half-pint jars and lids. Wash all jars and lids thoroughly with soap and water, and rinse well. Fill your canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch and bring to a simmer. Using a pair of canning tongs, lower the jars in gently, tilting them to fill with the hot water. In a small saucepan, keep some water warm but not boiling; place the lids in the water. Have an additional kettle of water on to boil.
Add the vinegar and pectin to your peppers, and put on medium-high heat. Bring to a full rolling boil that does not subside when stirred.
Add the sugar, and return to a full rolling boil. Cook for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim away any foam on the surface.
If you are not canning the jelly, simply ladle into clean containers, allow to cool, cover and refrigerate. Use within 3 months.
If you are canning, fill and close the jars. Using canning tongs, remove the jars from the canner, carefully pouring the water back into the canner. Set next to the jelly in the saucepan. Turn the heat under the canner to high. Use a ladle to pour the jelly into the jars through a canning funnel, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Run a clean chopstick around the inside of the jar to dislodge any trapped air. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel. Place the lids on, and screw on the rings until just finger-tight.
Using canning tongs, gently transfer the jars to the canner, taking care to keep them vertical. When all the jars are in the canner, there should be at least 1 inch of water covering them; if you need more, add water from the kettle until the jars are sufficiently covered. Bring the water to a full rolling boil; process for 10 minutes.
Using canning tongs, gently remove the jars from the canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack, again keeping them vertical. Do not set hot jars directly onto cool counter surfaces. Leave to cool, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours. If any of the jars do not seal when cool, reprocess using the method above, or refrigerate and use immediately.

Properly handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for one year. Making sure hands, equipment and surfaces in your canning area are clean is the first step in canning. Tips: Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with glass, plastic or metal lids that have a rubberlike seal. Two-piece metal lids are most common. To prepare jars before filling: Wash jars with hot, soapy water, rinse them well and arrange them open-side up, without touching, on a tray. To sterilize jars, boil them in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 10 minutes. Jars have to be sterilized only if the food to be preserved will be processed for less than 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath or pressure canner. To sterilize jars, boil them in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 10 minutes. Follow manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and preparing lids and bands. Use tongs or jar lifters to remove hot sterilized jars from the boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too: Dip the tong ends in boiling water for a few minutes before using them. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, preserves and pickles must be clean, including any towels and especially your hands. After the jars are prepared, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products. Find Information information on canning can be found at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website: http://nchfp.uga.edu/.