Canadian Living Red Pepper Jelly Recipes

RED PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Wash and dry peppers. Remove and discard the core, seeds and white pith. Cut peppers into 1-in. (2.5-cm) pieces, and set aside roughly 2 cups (500 ml). Load the rest into a food processor and, using the pulse button, chop, almost to a coarse purée. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour in pepper mash to drain.
• Meanwhile, add reserved peppers to processor and use pulse button to chop to a medium-fine, uniform consistency. Transfer these chopped peppers to a saucepan. Take the puréed peppers and press solids in strainer with the back of a spoon to release their liquid. Add liquid to pan and discard solids in strainer.
• Stir sugar, vinegar, salt and chili flakes into pan and heat to a boil. Add pectin and boil for one minute longer. Remove from heat, skim foam from top and pour while hot into clean glass containers with a tight-fitting lid. Jelly will keep in the fridge two to three weeks, or longer.

KICKIN' RED PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Place red peppers, jalapenos and garlic in a blender; cover and process until finely chopped. Set aside 1/2 cup; puree remaining pepper mixture., Line a strainer with four layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Place pureed pepper mixture in strainer; cover with edges of cheesecloth. Let stand 30 minutes or until liquid measures 1-1/2 cups., Discard pepper pulp puree from cheesecloth or save for another use; place liquid in a large saucepan. Stir in vinegars, lemon juice, pectin and reserved pepper mixture. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute., Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into four hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

EASY SPICY RED PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Combine the preserves, bell peppers, red pepper flakes, vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender; puree until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a brisk simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a jar and cool completely. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

SPICY RED-PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Sterilize jars and lids:
• Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put empty jars on a rack in a boiling-water canner or a deep 8- to 10-quart pot and add enough hot water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. Remove canner from heat, leaving jars in water, covered. Heat lids in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Remove from heat. Keep jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.
• Make 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 vigorous boil over high heat, then continue to boil vigorously, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Gradually add pectin mixture, whisking constantly. Return jelly to a vigorous boil, stirring constantly, and boil, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes (mixture will thicken slightly). Remove from heat.
• Carefully remove jars and lids with canning tongs, then drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel and quickly dry lids. Invert jars and immediately ladle hot jelly into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. (Last jar may not be full.) Run a clean plastic spatula between jelly and sides of jars to eliminate air bubbles. Wipe off rims of filled jars with a damp clean kitchen towel, then firmly screw on lids with screw bands.
• Seal and process jars:
• 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. Cover it with a lid and screw band, then keep in refrigerator.) Bring to a full boil, covered, then boil jelly, covered, 15 minutes. Transfer jars with canning tongs to a towel-lined surface to cool. Jars will seal; if you hear a ping, that means that the vacuum formed above the cooling jelly has made the lid concave. Remember that you may or may not be around to hear the ping. The important thing is for the jars to eventually have concave lids. Jelly will thicken as it cools.
• After jars have cooled, 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to 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).