Small Batch Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly Food

CRANBERRY-PEPPER JELLY (HOT)

Steps:

• In medium saucepan combine jalapeño peppers, cranberry juice and vinegar.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Strain mixture through a sieve, pressing with back of spoon to remove all liquid.
• Measure 2 cups liquid.
• Discard pulp.
• In 4-quart kettle combine the 2 cups liquid and the sugar.
• Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Stir in pectin and if using, add the whole hot peppers.
• Return to a full rolling boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.
• Ladle into hot, sterile 1/2-pint jars adding 1 whole pepper to each jar.
• Wipe rims, adjust lids.
• Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Jelly may require 2 to 3 days to set.

SUPER EASY HOT PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Wash the jalapenos and trim the stem end off. Remove the seeds if you want a milder jelly. I recommend using the whole peppers, seeds and all. Give them a rough chop and then pulse them in the food processor until they are finely minced. Be careful, the fumes will be strong, and make sure to wash your hands well after working with hot peppers. Put the peppers into a heavy bottomed pot.
• Wash and trim the bell peppers, and remove the inner ribs and seeds. Give them a rough chop and pulse them in a food processor until finely minced. You may want to do this in batches, because I find you get a more even chop if you don't crowd the bowl. Add the bell peppers to the pot with the jalapenos.
• Add the vinegar and sugar to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the pot up to a boil, and then add the pectin. Boil, stirring, for one minute.
• Ladle the hot liquid into clean jars and set aside to cool before capping and refrigerating.
• If your pepper bits float to the top, you can give the jelly an occasional stir as it cools to distribute them more evenly.
• When the jelly is cool, cap and refrigerate the jars. They will thicken as they cool, and even more as they chill.
• Serve with plenty of creamy goat or cream cheese, and crackers or grilled slices of baguette.

SMALL-BATCH CRANBERRY HOT PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Finely chop pepper and chiles in food processor. Place in a small saucepan with water and vinegar and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through a coarse sieve, pressing with back of spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Pour liquid through a jelly bag or clean, damp muslin.
• Combine strained liquid, thawed concentrate, and sugar in a medium non-reactive saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin, return to a full boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
• Ladle into hot jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

JALAPENO CRANBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Place cranberry juice and jalapenos in a blender; cover and process until peppers are fully chopped. Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth. , Pour the strained juice into a Dutch oven; add vinegar. Stir in sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. , Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Add food coloring if desired. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

HOT PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Sterilize 6 (8 ounce) canning jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat water in a hot water canner.
• Place red bell peppers, green bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers in a large saucepan over high heat. Mix in vinegar and fruit pectin. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Quickly stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil, and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim off any foam.
• Quickly ladle jelly into sterile jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the tops. Cover with flat lids, and screw on bands tightly.
• 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 5 minutes.

CRANBERRY PEPPER JELLY FROM (FROZEN CONCENTRATE)

Steps:

• Measure juice into a 6-8 quart saucepot.
• Add 3 cups water and stir.
• Add crushed hot peppers let stand for 1 hour.
• Measure sugar and set aside.
• Stir Fruit Jell pectin into juice and stir.
• Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
• At once stir in sugar.
• Bring to a full rolling boil, one that cannot be stirred down.
• Stirring constantly, boil hard for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Skim off foam.
• Immediately ladle into hot glass jars, leaving ½-inch head space.
• Process for 5 minutes in a boiling bath water.
• Makes 7/8-ouince jars.