Sunday, September 11, 2011

Pepper Jelly

Instead of making cheese with the new Cheese Maker, we did a bunch of other things getting ready for winter... including making pepper jelly.

Our garden has never produced so well! Not that it has been a spectacular producer this year, but our plant markers DID NOT turn into plant headstones this year! I didn't even kill the zucchini!

I can't remember a year when we ever got the pepper plants to grow, let along produce any peppers. The ones that we are getting this year a beautiful! I'll be dehydrating some, too, since we are getting so many.

Pepper Jelly is a tradition for us at Thanksgiving. One year I didn't have any left in storage and I had to go to the store to BUY peppers to make it!

Yay for Pepper Jelly!
This stuff is so easy to make! We love it over cream cheese and served with crackers.

I've also heard that it makes a wonderful glaze on barbecued fish or ribs. That is on our list of things to try.

Pepper Jelly

  • 2 1/2 cups finely chopped red bell peppers
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped green bell peppers
  • 1/4 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 (1.75 ounce) package of powdered pectin
  • 5 cups white sugar

Sterilize six 8-ounce canning jars with lids. (This year I used Tattler re-usable canning lids found here, I bought mine from the local feed store. I'll post if I have any trouble with them.)

Place red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers in a large saucepan over hight heat. Mix in vinegar and fruit pectin. Stir constantly and bring to a full rolling boil. Quickly stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil, and boil exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and skim foam.

Quickly ladle jelly into sterile jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the tops. Cover with the lids and screw on bands.

Place jars in rack and slowly lower jars into canner. The water should cover the jars completely and should be hot but not boiling.

Bring water to a boil and process for 15 minutes.

We process 10 minutes longer than at sea level because we are about 5,000 feet above sea level and water boils at a lower temperature here.

You can find a good altitude adjustment chart here at Food.com.

2 comments:

Farmer's City Wife said...

Oh goodness, this was SO funny!! (that your plant markers weren't headstones)

Congrats on a great growing year! Out of our 8 pepper plants, we got a whopping 6 peppers. I had rationalized when I paid $1.25 per plant that if each plant just produced three or four peppers it'd pay for itself. Alas. (And I CANNOT grow a pepper from a seed, try as I might).

I've got a little plant cemetery in the back yard, with neat little rows of gravestones :).

TJ said...

I guess that's what happens when you put city girls on the farm :)

I've learned so much, though, and I'm sure you have, too!

There's something very satisfying about being able to grow something (eventually) and eating something you've produced! Congrats on a few peppers this year!