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Candied Jalapenos & Habaneros

Been busy processing my peppers since I had to pick them all do to frost. I was candying some today and I decided to take some pics & vids and share my simple recipes for it.

First the Jalapenos.

Jalapenos_bag.JPG


They are fair sized for Jalapenos.

Jalapenos_size.JPG


First thing we need is to get the sugar going. I'm using white cane sugar(Sucrose) so I really want to invert it so I'll have fructose, and glucose.
Which are simpler sugars ,sweeter tasting ,and much better are preserving our peppers.

sugar.JPG


Here I have 3 cups white sugar, 2 cups water ,2 table spoons apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt.
You can substitute practically any food grade acid you want for the vinegar. Lemon and or lime juice also
work great. But it can't be skipped it(Plus heat) is what catalyzes the inversion. You will what to bring the
mixture to a boil, and let it simmer about 30 minutes. If the bubbles start to become "larger" during the
30 minutes then drip some more water in., but not enough to stop the simmer.

(I used about 3 pounds of whole Jalapenos)
Ok while that's simmer you should slice your jalapenos. As you candy them they are going to shrink a lot.
So you will want to cut them fairly thick.

Jalapenos_cut_thick.JPG



Before you add your peppers to the hot sugar be sure to boil it till the bubbles start to become "larger".
Once you add the peppers the sugar will stop boiling and become very luquidy.

Add_peppers.JPG


Only add enough of the peppers to so that the top is out of the sugar. Like the picture above. As the sugar boils the bubbles will get large enough to
cover more of the peppers add the rest as it "raises"

This is what it should look like while it's cooking, but before it's done.

Jalapenos cooking

While+cooking.JPG


You will know when it's done when the sugars "texture" changes like shown below.

They're ready

Jalapenos_done.JPG


And some close ups on the the candied peppers texture after-wards.

Texture_01.JPG

Texture_02.JPG


Ok that's all for the jalapenos, I'm going to reply to this post with the Habaneros.
 
Oh, be still my defibrillating heart!!!
 
Soak the peppers FIRST I would get.
 
But soaking the peppers before candying... alkeehaul probably wasted. Maybe better to suck the juice, eat the candy and ..
.Be happy.....Don't worry...




Hmmm, might of got that a bit mixed about...
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Previously frozen can still work but you are better making pepper leather (fruit leather) with them.
Dang I was afraid of that. I have a bunch of sugar rush peach that would be good candied or fruit leathers! Do you add any liquid to the pureed peppers before dehydrating them to leathers?

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YAMracer754 said:
Dang I was afraid of that. I have a bunch of sugar rush peach that would be good candied or fruit leathers! Do you add any liquid to the pureed peppers before dehydrating them to leathers?

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As little as possible - just enough to get them to puree well.  You are just going to be evaporating that water back out and the wetter the puree, the long it takes to finish drying.
 
You can also choose a liquid other than water and influence the flavor of your leather - orange or cranberry juice; rum or bourbon.  If it's a liquor, the alcohol will evaporate, but leave behind the flavor.
 
YAMracer754 said:
How does this recipe compare to the other one listed here http://thehotpepper.com/topic/34979-fooling-around-with-serranos/&ved=2ahUKEwjV9r6DoKXeAhUFrYMKHeb7AEYQFjADegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw3eW-K1ry7bwIfPQM18rR2D ?
Gonna make one of these tonight and want to figure which one is better. I have 1.5lb green jalapeños and bunch of other superhots but was wondering how it'd be with red and choc Habanero added? Or are hot-hot peppers not good blended?

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I have not tried the JAG recipe, I'd be worried with all the salt.  I and many others have tried the recipe in this thread and can vouch that it is good. 
 
Green or ripe peppers can be candied.  I prefer to keep the colors separate, red and green makes brown....but candied green chiles and candied red chiles are equally beautiful.  I think the Reds and Chocs could be mixed together.  The heat level of the peppers is irrelevant, imho....I like to consider things by color also when deciding what to mix together. 
 
Good luck and have fun.
SL
 
Would it be safe to hot pack these straight from boiling once they're finished -> canning jar/new lid->pour syrup on top and call it a day? As far as shelf stable/not fridged? No BWB? I did 3lbs last night and did this with one jar and fridged the other in jar w/o additional syrup added.

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YAMracer754 said:
Would it be safe to hot pack these straight from boiling once they're finished -> canning jar/new lid->pour syrup on top and call it a day? As far as shelf stable/not fridged? No BWB? I did 3lbs last night and did this with one jar and fridged the other in jar w/o additional syrup added.

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I think so.  These are pretty much like jam as far as the mix of sugar and produce.  Thinking 4 oz jam jars, make sure the jars are warm/hot before filling with hot candied peppers and syrup....regular metal lids and rings....yeah, that works. 
 
If you want to step it up a little, these hexagon jars look really nice and the metal lids work just like lids/rings.  Heat the lids up in hot water like traditional canning lids and they seal as they cool.  Makes for nice looking gifts.
 
salsalady said:
I think so.  These are pretty much like jam as far as the mix of sugar and produce.  Thinking 4 oz jam jars, make sure the jars are warm/hot before filling with hot candied peppers and syrup....regular metal lids and rings....yeah, that works. 
 
If you want to step it up a little, these hexagon jars look really nice and the metal lids work just like lids/rings.  Heat the lids up in hot water like traditional canning lids and they seal as they cool.  Makes for nice looking gifts.
I didn't have them warm first they were the new 12oz crystal ball jam jars. Straight from the package to the counter. The only negative was that the syrup level reduced a bit in the jar as it cooled-probably some absorbing into peppers as well so there is about an inch or more of non-submerged candies.

Also: have you or anyone else played with the ratios of vinegar to sugar or, the lemon/lime juice, or using citric acid with or instead any of the acidifiers and had gleaming positive results? I followed the recipe to a T and I felt the candies were a little on the white sugar sweet side (or that it dominated the flavor) and that citric acid and/or more vinegar would have helped, although maybe it will change as it ages?

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YAMracer754 said:
Would it be safe to hot pack these straight from boiling once they're finished -> canning jar/new lid->pour syrup on top and call it a day? As far as shelf stable/not fridged? No BWB? I did 3lbs last night and did this with one jar and fridged the other in jar w/o additional syrup added.

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Yes it's safe and stir the peppers in the jar with a chopstick to get the air out, That was probably your problem with them settling.
 
You need to wash your jars before use. Put them in the dishwasher on the heated dry setting and time it so they're ready to use when you're done cooking the peppers. Don't put the lids in the DW, it might melt the seal. Use a pot of hot water to soak them a few minutes before use.
 
Ah makes sense with purging the airspace! So even brand new jars have to be washed? I wish I had a dishwasher! Would have made this seasons harvest/preservation and what's to come a lot easier! For every recipe I do it's a struggle to get everything clean again-the kitchen, cookware, tables, ugh! Need to get some of that starsan stuff-where is it sold?
Rajun Gardener said:
 
Yes it's safe and stir the peppers in the jar with a chopstick to get the air out, That was probably your problem with them settling.
 
You need to wash your jars before use. Put them in the dishwasher on the heated dry setting and time it so they're ready to use when you're done cooking the peppers. Don't put the lids in the DW, it might melt the seal. Use a pot of hot water to soak them a few minutes before use.
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