For the past few years I have made many batches of Red Pepper Jelly when red peppers were at their peak at the farmers’ market. I love seeing little jars filled with the festive jelly all lined up on the kitchen counter in early fall, hinting that the holidays are around the corner. The 4 oz. ruby red jars make great host gifts, and the spicy/sweet combination is pretty impossible to top when it’s poured over softened brie or cream cheese and served with pita chips. It has become a recurring character for holiday festivities at our house, and is always a huge hit. (In truth, I’ve been known to make myself a dinner snack of the stuff – no holiday crowd neccesary.)
Although I typically make this in September and preserve it to use throughout the holidays, it will keep in the refrigerator for a good long while even without the need for breaking out the hot water bath. No canning ability neccesary! This year, since red pepper season doesn’t exist in Thailand (to my knowledge at least), I’ll just make small batches whenever I want them. It only requires a few red peppers, so it’s easy to whip up a few jars of the deliciously addictive stuff on a whim. Stock your fridge with some of this to bring to holiday parties with cheese and pita chips and I can guarantee you’ll be glad you did.
Though I have never done more with jelly than serve it straight-up, I’ve been thinking that I might branch out a bit for the holidays of 2011. Equally tempting are these inspired Red Pepper Jelly Popovers from the Serendipity Diary that I’ve had flagged since last year and this Oven Roasted Chicken with Pepper Jelly Glaze.
Mmmmm…come to think of it, I might need to make another batch.
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Red Pepper Jelly
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb red bell peppers (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
- 2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper flakes
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup white-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- -Canning supplies (including 8 - 4 oz. canning jars), optional
Instructions
- Sterilize jars and lids. Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put empty jars on a rack in a boiling-water canner or a deep 8- to 10-quart pot and add enough hot water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. Remove canner from heat, leaving jars in water, covered. Heat lids in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Remove from heat. Keep jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.
- Make jelly. Pulse bell peppers with red-pepper flakes in a food processor until finely chopped. (Mixture will measure about 2 1/2 cups.) Stir together pepper mixture, vinegar, butter, salt, and sugar in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot. Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat, then continue to boil vigorously, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. (The longer it cooks, the thicker the jelly will be, but 20 minutes produces the right consistency for me.)
- At this point you can pour the jelly into containers and refrigerate until ready to use, or continue on for canning instructions.
- Fill jars. Carefully remove jars and lids with canning tongs, then drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel and quickly dry lids. Invert jars and immediately ladle hot jelly into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. (Last jar may not be full.) Run a clean plastic spatula between jelly and sides of jars to eliminate air bubbles. Wipe off rims of filled jars with a damp clean kitchen towel, then firmly screw on lids with screw bands.
- Seal and process jars. Put sealed jars on rack in canner or pot and add enough hot water to cover by 2 inches. (If you have a jar that is partially full, do not process it. Cover it with a lid and screw band, then keep in refrigerator.) Bring to a full boil, covered, then boil jelly, covered, 15 minutes. Transfer jars with canning tongs to a towel-lined surface to cool. Jars will seal; if you hear a ping, that means that the vacuum formed above the cooling jelly has made the lid concave. Remember that you may or may not be around to hear the ping. The important thing is for the jars to eventually have concave lids. Jelly will thicken as it cools.
- After jars have cooled, 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to check that it's concave, then remove screw band and try to lift lid with your fingertips. If you can't, the lid has a good seal. Replace screw band. Put any jars that haven't sealed properly in the refrigerator and use them first (along with jar that was only partially full).
Notes
Do you use pectin? New to canning, but notcied some other recipes used it.
I choose not to use pectin in recipes that are very high in sugar content. I’m no expert, so it’s always best to go with a “safe” recipe that has been thoroughly tested, but in making jellies that have very high sugar content, I can usually get them to gel just fine without pectin. I don’t like the fake sort of flavor that the pectin seems to impart, so I leave it out. It makes for a much softer, flowing jelly in this recipe, but I prefer it that way. The original recipe (linked) includes the appropriate amount of pectin, so definitely feel free to try it that way and see what you think! I promise you’ll like the result either way!
I too prefer to make jams and jellies without pectin. I know that companies make the pectin from natural sources, but I’m such a purist! I like to make fruit/veg preserves the way my grandmother did–and she never used added pectin.
Maybe it’s in my head, but I think they have so much more flavor without the pectic, Ev! Nice to meet another preserves purist. 😉
Thanks for the info. A little softer is good for me since I plan on using it for cooking and dips. I may try those popovers too. Love cream cheese and goat cheese with red pepper jelly.
Thank you for including me. I hope you’ll have a chance to make the popovers but I’m giving you fair warning they are addictive!
I can imagine, Kristen! Just the thought of them makes me hungry – I’m planning on making them this weekend for a holiday party and am sure they will be a hit!
Made this twice now and love it both times. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Do you use white vingar or white wine vingar
Hi Brenda – I have actually used both in the past. I tend to use white wine vinegar because it adds a bit more complexity to the flavor, but plain white vinegar will work as well. The difference is very small in the finished product.
Being a ‘foodie’ I somehow stumbled across your website and am really enjoying reading about your ex-pat life, recipes, and photos!
I too, am a Canadian ex-pat living in Buenos Aires for the past 11 years.
I started catering and cooking classes from my home 3 years ago and haven’t looked back.
About to try your recipe for Red Pepper Jelly. Happen to have a bag of red Jalapeno Peppers so thought I would try adding a few of them along with all the other ingredients.
What do you think?
Hi Debra – I think it would be great! Taste it before you add the crushed red pepper so that you have a bit more control over the heat, but this recipe would be great with jalapeno peppers! Wow 11 years – I’m so impressed, but it’s amazing how much time can pass before you realize that you’ve been an expat for so long. Do you get home much? At least there’s not too much of a time change. What kind of cooking classes do you teach?
Hello! I have had some success doubling recipes but sometimes it’s a fail. Some say not to even try but I’m curious if you have doubled this recipe before or should I make multiple batches?
Ames – you can definitely double this recipe – I have many times with great success!
Love this recipe, however I’m a little confused. The ingredients calls for 3 1/4 cups sugar and the instructions call for adding the remaining 3 cups sugar. Where’s the 1/4 cup use for?
Thanks for the recipe and will enjoy making it again next year.
Hi Dee – thanks so much for your note! That was a typo in the recipe. The original calls for 1/4 cup sugar to be mixed with pectin before being stirred into the jelly, but I don’t use the pectin, so that 1/4 cup sugar is unnecessary. I’ve updated the recipe. Thanks again for bringing this to my attention!
Just wondering if I have to use unsalted butter
Hi Deb – using unsalted butter gives you a little more control over the final flavor (salted butter varies in the amount of salt it contains), but it won’t affect the recipe, so you should be fine!
I don’t understand what you mean when you say “it gives you more control over the final flavor”. Would you please explain? Thanks!
Hi there! Sorry I didn’t reply earlier, but the reason I say it gives you more control is that salted butter has varying amounts of salt in it. Starting with unsalted butter means you control how much salt you put in, rather than being tied to the amount that the manufacturer put in the butter. Though this recipe has a recommended amount of salt, if you know you prefer more or less, you an adjust it. If you use salted butter in this recipe, I’d just omit the added salt.
Why is butter added to this recipe? Is it necessary? I’m cooking the peppers right now. Thanks for the no-pectin recipe!
Can I use frozen red peppers for this recipe? Thanks
Hi Tanya – I haven’t tested it that way, but I think frozen red peppers will work great. You may need to adjust the simmer time by a bit – I would think it might take slightly longer to cook down since frozen peppers tend to release quite a bit of moisture as they cook. Enjoy!
Wondering if this lasts as long canned without the pectin or is it needed for preservation?