Some Like It Hot

Every Christmas I make Sweet & Hot Red Pepper Jelly for gift giving. People seem to like it, and it's an easy thing to make, even if you don't have a lot of experience with canning. Serve it over some nice soft cheese with crackers.

Sweet & Hot Red Pepper Jelly

• 1 1/2 lb red bell peppers (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
• 2 teaspoons dried hot red-pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons Sure-Jell less- or no-sugar-needed pectin (from a 1 3/4-oz box)
• 3 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup white-wine or white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon butter



Photo credit: B. DeLeon

• pinch of salt

Have on hand a half-dozen half-pint canning jars with screw bands and lids, a candy thermometer, tongs, clean kitchen towels, a clean kitchen dishcloth,  and a pot of boiling water (for water bath method)

Prep your jars and lids:  Wash the jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water. Rinse well, then place bands and lids in a pan on the stove in about 3” of water, heat to just below boiling.  Turn heat off and keep the rings/lids in this water until you are ready.  Take the jars and put them in a deep pot of water (you’ll need to cover by about 2”) and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, leave in water.

Making the jelly: Pulse bell peppers with red-pepper flakes in a food processor until finely chopped. (Mixture will measure about 2 1/2 cups.) Whisk together pectin and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.
Stir together pepper mixture, vinegar, butter, salt, and remaining 3 cups sugar in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then continue to boil and stir  off and on for 5 minutes. Gradually add pectin mixture. Return jelly to boil, stirring constantly, and boil, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly). Remove from heat.

Seal and process jars: Take the hot jars out of the water and drain upside down on a clean kitchen towel.  Invert jars and immediately ladle hot jelly into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top (Last jar may not be full). Wipe off rims of filled jars with the damp clean dishcloth, then firmly screw on lids with screw bands.

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. Keep this one in your refrigerator and use it first.  We call this “cook’s privilege.”) Bring to a full boil, and let boil for 15 minutes. Transfer jars with canning tongs to a towel-lined surface to cool. Jars will seal; if you hear a *snick*, that means that the vacuum formed above the cooling jelly has made the lid concave. The important thing is for the jars to have concave lids. You can tell this has happened by pressing on the lid - if it clicks, it’s not sealed.  These are fine, just use them right away.  

After jars have cooled, 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to double 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).  If you did it right, it will thicken as it cools.  If not, tell everyone you meant it to be like that.

Adapted from:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Red-Pepper-Jelly-236699#ixzz2BGZKjuN4