Homemade Red Pepper Jelly

I do not have a green thumb, but fortunately, I have friends who do. And when their gardens overflow with crops, I’m so thankful that I reap the rewards.

This fall, my friend Chef Phillip Dell gave me dozens of red jalapeños fresh from his garden. Immediately, I knew that I would use a bunch for my special homemade red pepper jelly.

Don’t let canning intimidate you. This red pepper jelly recipe is one of the easiest recipes on my website.

You start with one fresh red bell pepper and around six jalapeños. The number of jalapeños you use can be adjusted depending on the heat level you prefer and how spicy the jalapeños are.

While I used Phil’s red jalapeños for this recipe, you can use green ones, too. Heck, you can even throw in a habanero if you like.

I pulse them in a food processor and heat the peppers with white wine vinegar, lemon juice and fruit pectin. Once it boils, add in the sugar.

When the sugar is added, it will start to foam. At this point, it’s done. Turn off the heat, and use a spoon to skim out the froth.

Then, just pour the red pepper jelly into two 8-ounce jars.

You can keep it in the fridge for a good month or two.

Or, you can go through the full canning process, and preserve it for up to a year.

My favorite way to enjoy red pepper jelly is with goat cheese, crackers and prosciutto. It’s also great smeared on a ham sandwich with mayo and mounds of crispy romaine.

If you’re making up a charcuterie board, consider adding this jelly along with a jar of Kick Ass Bacon Jam.