Jalapeno Cranberry Jelly
Country Woman
The thing that inspires most of my recipes is getting an item that I don't know what to do with and trying to cobble together to use it up. With this one, my brother giving me several jalapeno green peppers was the beginning. Fortunately for me, my husband is a willing guinea pig for my experiments!
-Karen Bunzow, Saginaw, Michigan
SERVINGS: 64
CATEGORY: Condiment
METHOD: Water Bath
TIME: Prep: 30 min. Process: 5 min. + standing
Ingredients:
- 3 cups cranberry juice
- 1 cup chopped seeded jalapeno peppers
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 7 cups sugar
- 2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin
- 10 drops red food coloring, optional
Directions:
Place cranberry juice and peppers in a blender; cover and process until peppers are fully chopped. Strain through a double thickness of cheesecloth. Pour the strained juice into a large kettle; add vinegar. Stir in sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Stir in pectin; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; skim foam.
Add food coloring if desired. Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Adjust caps.
Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Serve the jelly with cream cheese on crackers or use as a condiment with meat or poultry. Yield: 8 half-pints.