Hot Pepper Jelly

Now that it’s late into the summer, the only thing surviving (thriving, in fact) in the garden is hot peppers.  So what else can you do but make hot sauce and pepper jelly!  We like our pepper jelly hot.  If you prefer a milder version, you can substitute bell peppers or any other mild variety for half of the hot peppers.  This recipe makes four ½-pint jars of jelly.

Pepper jelly on crackers with cream cheese - always a summer favorite!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of chopped red peppers (hot, whatever kind you grow or have access to – for this recipe we used Habanero, Jalapeno, and Ascent Cayenne peppers from our garden)
• 1 3-ounce package liquid pectin
• 1 ¼ cups cider vinegar
• 3 cups of white sugar (the only kind that sets up right, we’ve found)

Directions

• Sterilize the four jelly jars in hot water and set aside
• Chop and seed the hot peppers
• Process in food processor until finely minced
• Combine peppers, sugar and vinegar in a saucepan
• Stirring constantly, bring to a full boil over high heat
• Remove from heat and stir in the pectin
• Return to heat and bring to a full boil again. Boil and stir constantly for one minute exactly
• Ladle the jelly into the sterile jars leaving ¼” of headspace
• Wipe any spilled jelly from lip of jars and put lids on immediately (seal tightly!)
• Return filled jars to saucepan of water (just to the lids, not submerged) and boil for exactly five minutes
• Remove jars with tongs and allow to cool
• Let the jelly set up for approximately 24-hours or more before eating
• Serve over cream cheese on crackers, or however you like!  Enjoy.