Had some pepper jelly a few weeks ago and it left me craving more. I was never (or at least I thought I was never) a fan of the stuff. But after applying a smear of cream cheese to a cracker and topping it with the jelly that one bite left me hooked and I went home in search of how how I could get/make more! The result was better than the first taste I had a few weeks ago!
1 jar of diced pickled jalapeño peppers drained
1 diced bell pepper
6 red picked sweet cherry peppers
3 sweet red snacking peppers
1 T butter
1 C apple cider vinegar
2 C cranberry juice
1 box powder pectin
6 C sugar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
In a large pot place all the peppers, butter, cranberry juice and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid in the pot by1/2. As it reduces I used an emersion blender to further chop the peppers. Once reduced add the sugar and let come to a boil again. Now this mixture needs to boil a few minutes and the best way to tell you are reaching jelly stage is to freeze a plate and drip some jam mixture on the plate and if it wrinkles when you scrape your finger across it....kinda gummy consistency then your good! Add in the box of pectin and stir till it dissolves. Then because it wasn't quite the heat I wanted I added the cayenne pepper! You can add as much as you like. I stopped at one full tsp.
Now you jar it up just like you would regularly jar jam. I water bath processed mine for 10 minutes and then removed to cool.
This batch made 7 pints of pepper jelly.
Now the big question is do I want to share?