Jalapeno Pepper Jam

Great news, everyone! My cookbook, 30 Minute Dinner Recipes, will be available for purchase on TUESDAY October 13, which is tomorrow! Woo Hoo! Watch for a fun giveaway post coming tomorrow which will include details on how and where you can purchase the book.  I’m super excited about it and hope you will love it. Thank you for the great support you have shown me since I announced the book.  I so appreciate your comments and emails of encouragement here on the blog and on Instagram and Facebook. For more details about the book click HERE.

Now, let’s talk about the delicious sweet heat that exists in today’s recipe.

Have you ever tried Jalapeno Pepper Jam before? I hadn’t until a few weeks ago when my dear friend Cindi brought me a jar she’d made from the abundance of jalapeno peppers she grew in her garden. We spread cream cheese on Ritz crackers, added a small spoon full of Cindi’s jam and fell in love, people. The jam combines spicy heat and sweet goodness all in one convenient jar. We are hooked on the stuff! I couldn’t help but grab the recipe from Cindi (she found it here) and make a batch myself. Especially considering the giant sized ziploc bag of jalapeno peppers she so lovingly bestowed upon me. I don’t think I will ever need to buy another jalapeno pepper in my entire lifetime, truly! Lucky for me, jalapeno peppers  keep well in the freezer.  Please feel free to come over and extract one or two or twenty from my freezer if you find yourself jalapeno-less in the coming future. 🙂

This jam is great to keep on hand to use as a last minute party appetizer, gang.  Last weekend I spread a thin layer of cream cheese on a large plate and poured a (half pint) jar on top. We dipped crackers and tortilla chips into it and loved every minute of it.

If you are new to canning, this is a pretty easy recipe to start with. You should be able to make one batch in under an hour. Not bad, yes? I hope some of you get a chance to try it!

Let me show you how to make it happen!

***Before you begin, be sure to wash and dry your jars.***

1. You will need 4 total cups of finely chopped jalapeno and bell peppers. I used 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large green pepper and 10 jalapeno. Some of my jalapeno are red (as you can see from the picture). My friend Cindi grew them in her garden. Aren’t they pretty!

Now, before you start chopping..

Be sure to put some rubber gloves on. The seeds in the jalapeno peppers will burn you. Honestly, they really will. Trust a girl who knows from a previous bad experience.

2. Chop the ends from the jalapeno and bell peppers.

Chop them into small pieces. I use (and love) this Progressive Fruit and Vegetable Chopper.

Chop enough to equal 4 cups. I opted to leave all of the seeds in, which ended up being a nice amount of heat. You can leave some of them out if you are looking for a more mild jam.

3. Pour the chopped peppers into a large pot. Sprinkle 1 (1.75 ounce) package of pectin over them and stir to combine.

4. Add 1 C apple cider vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat.

5. Once you have a rolling boil, add 5 cups granulated sugar. Stir it well, making sure that all of the sugar is dissolved.
6. Stirring constantly, bring it back to a rolling boil. Allow it to boil for 1 minute then remove it from the heat.

7. Carefully pour the hot jam into pint-sized jars.

8. Take a wet paper towel and clean the rim of the jars, making sure there isn’t any jam sticking to it. This will help you get a nice, clean seal.

9. Place a lid and ring onto the top of the jars. Make sure you are using new lids. Lids that have been used in the past won’t seal properly for you. Place the jars in a water bath canner and process for 15 minutes.

Store in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate after opening.

This jam is wonderful served with cream cheese and Ritz crackers.

Here’s the handy printable…