Red Pepper Jelly
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 27, 2019
Yield
Four 1-cup jars
Ingredients
3 ½ cups sugar ¼ cup Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes 1 pound red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces3 habanero chiles, halved, stemmed, and seeded¼ cup water 2 cups distilled white vinegar
Before You Begin
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cooking Time:
20 minutes
Process Time:
10-25 minutes
Instructions
- Set canning rack in large pot, place four 1-cup jars in rack, and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then turn off heat and cover to keep hot.
- Whisk ¼ cup sugar and Sure-Jell together in bowl; set aside. Pulse bell peppers and habaneros in food processor until finely chopped, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down bowl as necessary. Transfer peppers to Dutch oven and stir in water. Cover and cook over medium heat until peppers have softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until water has evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Add vinegar and Sure-Jell mixture and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Add remaining 3¼ cups sugar and bring to vigorous boil, whisking constantly. Once boiling, cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove pot from heat and skim foam from surface using large spoon.
- Place dish towel flat on counter. Using jar lifter, remove jars from pot, draining water back into pot. Place jars upside down on towel and let dry for 1 minute. Using funnel and ladle, portion hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.
- For short-term storage: Let jelly cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until set, 12 to 24 hours. Stir to redistribute peppers before serving. (Jelly can be refrigerated for up to 4 months.)For long-term storage: While jars are hot, wipe rims clean, add lids, and screw on rings until fingertip-tight; do not overtighten. Return pot of water with canning rack to boil. Lower jars into water, cover, bring water back to boil, then start timer. Cooking time will depend on your altitude: Boil 10 minutes for up to 1,000 feet, 15 minutes for 1,001 to 3,000 feet, 20 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 feet, or 25 minutes for 6,001 to 8,000 feet. Turn off heat and let jars sit in pot for 5 minutes. Remove jars from pot and let cool for 24 hours. Remove rings, check seal, and clean rims. (Sealed jars can be stored in cool, dark place for up to 1 year.)
Yield
Four 1-cup jarsIngredients
3 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes
1 pound red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 habanero chiles, halved, stemmed, and seeded
¼ cup water
2 cups distilled white vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
3 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes
1 pound red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 habanero chiles, halved, stemmed, and seeded
¼ cup water
2 cups distilled white vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
3 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup Sure-Jell for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes
1 pound red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 habanero chiles, halved, stemmed, and seeded
¼ cup water
2 cups distilled white vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Store-bought red pepper jelly is often full of sugar, preservatives, and a long list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients. We wanted a recipe that highlighted two ingredients: red bell peppers and chiles. We favored habaneros for their lingering, full-bodied flavor and spiciness. We started out by chopping, then pulsing the peppers in a food processor. To soften the peppers, we added them to a Dutch oven with a small amount of water and allowed them to steam. The heat from the habaneros helped balance the sweetness of the red bell peppers and sugar. Distilled white vinegar gave us a clean, acidic tang and a combination of pectin and sugar produced the perfect consistency. Do not substitute other types of vinegar for the distilled white vinegar. To make this jelly spicier, reserve and add the chile seeds. Do not substitute other brands of low-sugar pectin for the Sure-Jell.
Before You Begin
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cooking Time:
20 minutes
Process Time:
10-25 minutes
Instructions
- Set canning rack in large pot, place four 1-cup jars in rack, and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then turn off heat and cover to keep hot.
- Whisk ¼ cup sugar and Sure-Jell together in bowl; set aside. Pulse bell peppers and habaneros in food processor until finely chopped, 12 to 15 pulses, scraping down bowl as necessary. Transfer peppers to Dutch oven and stir in water. Cover and cook over medium heat until peppers have softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until water has evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Add vinegar and Sure-Jell mixture and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Add remaining 3¼ cups sugar and bring to vigorous boil, whisking constantly. Once boiling, cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove pot from heat and skim foam from surface using large spoon.
- Place dish towel flat on counter. Using jar lifter, remove jars from pot, draining water back into pot. Place jars upside down on towel and let dry for 1 minute. Using funnel and ladle, portion hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.
- For short-term storage: Let jelly cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until set, 12 to 24 hours. Stir to redistribute peppers before serving. (Jelly can be refrigerated for up to 4 months.)For long-term storage: While jars are hot, wipe rims clean, add lids, and screw on rings until fingertip-tight; do not overtighten. Return pot of water with canning rack to boil. Lower jars into water, cover, bring water back to boil, then start timer. Cooking time will depend on your altitude: Boil 10 minutes for up to 1,000 feet, 15 minutes for 1,001 to 3,000 feet, 20 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 feet, or 25 minutes for 6,001 to 8,000 feet. Turn off heat and let jars sit in pot for 5 minutes. Remove jars from pot and let cool for 24 hours. Remove rings, check seal, and clean rims. (Sealed jars can be stored in cool, dark place for up to 1 year.)
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