• If you have a question about commercial production or the hot sauce business, please post in The Food Biz.

Habanero Pepper Jelly

I recently had an abundance of Orange Habanero Peppers from one extremely prolific plan (40-50 ripe pods in the past week).  So after making salsa, a basic vinegar hot sauce I decided to try my hand at a jelly.  I made two small batches before I found the ratio of heat, flavor, and sweet.   I found that the color was too pale, but I didn't want to add food coloring.  So I used grated carrots to provide a stronger orange color.   I would say the heat level is on a Raw Green Jalapeno through a Very Mild habanero but because of the other ingredients the heat is short lived.  Leaving you with a sweet, fruity, spicy jelly that has a good mid-level burn that doesn't linger.  Perfect for beginners or for people who don't want a "ring-of-fire" twice a day. 
 
Uses for this Jelly:
- Great with crackers (w/ cream cheese for delicate folks)
- Great as a base for a  BBQ sauce
- Great for a base for Hot Wings
- Personally I really like it on toast in the morning with a strong bitter coffee, wakes you up quickly!
 
Ingredients:
15-18 Medium Ripe Habanero Peppers
1 TBS Lemon/Lime Juice
1 Cup of Grated Carrot
1 Large Red Bell Pepper
1-1/2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
6 Cups of Sugar
6 Oz of Liquid Fruit Pectin
 
Equipment:
2 Large Stock Pots
2 Bowls (one for discard & one for staging ingredients)
Cheese Grater
Insulated Utensils (highly recommended)
Food Processor
Canning equipment (Jars, Lids, Rings, Etc.)
Knife
 
 
Directions:
1. Remove Stems From Habanero Peppers, and Red Bell Pepper
2. Seed & Quarter Red Bell Pepper
3. Grate Carrots until 1 Cup is available
4. Add 1/2 Cup Vinegar, Grated Carrots, Habanero Peppers, & Red Bell Pepper to food Processor
5. Puree until desired consistency is achieved
6. Pour Mixture into Stock Pot
7. Add remaining Apple Cider Vinegar & Lemon/Lime Juice
8. Bring Mixture to a boil.  Boil for 3 minutes
9. Reduce Heat.  Add Sugar to mixture and bring to a simmer. Stirring constantly
 *****AT THIS POINT BE VERY CAREFUL MELTED SUGAR IS HOT AND IS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE BEFORE IT CAUSES BURNS****
10. Add Fruit Pectin, allow to continue Boiling for 1 minute.
11. Ladle into Jars and Process for 5 minutes at Sea-Level 
      Makes about 8/EA Half Pints
 
Be warned:
- Increasing or decreasing the sugar content will result in the Jelly not setting correctly
- Increasing the amount of Lemon/Lime Juice will create a bitter taste - Adding a small amount brings out the Hab's flavor
- Jelly sets quickly when allowed to chill.  You must move quickly once you have added the Fruit Pectin.
 
I hope you guys enjoy this recipe. 
 
SL3 said:
Sounds good. Just had some Jelly made with SB Caribbean Red and it was great. Nice tips at the end. Thanks
You can substitute any pepper but I would remove the Lemon juice unless it has natural citrus flavor like a fatallii & change up the coloring items to suit the color you want.
 
I also did this with fatallii & substituted the cup of carrot for 3/4 Cup of lemon zest and removed the lemon juice. Rendered a very bright yellow jelly that tasted like a spicy lime.  Was pretty awesome.
 
Alynne said:
Jellies scare me and I've never canned. Could I start with a 1/2 recipe and just keep in fridge? Looks wonderful!
 
Jellies are not difficult.  You will be surprised at how easy it really is.  I just finished a batch of Jalapeno pepper Jelly today.  
 
If you want the Jelly to be shelf stable and last for a long time you will need to process it in a water bath for a  minimum of 5-10 minutes (depending on PH level). 
 
I really do recommend learning to Preserve your harvest.  I have been able to save Jellies, Relishes, Hot Sauces, whole peppers and the quality really doesn't diminish for the first few YEARS it is canned. 
 
I hope you take the plunge and delve into the wonderful world of canning. 
 
Cheers. - If you have any questions PLEASE message me.  I would love to help.
Hybrid Mode 01 said:
 
     Yup. Jellies don't need to be processed in order to set properly. In fact, whenever I make jelly or jam, I always just pour the extra (that wouldn't be enough to fill the last jar) into bowl and put it into the fridge. 
 
I take it an pour it over a block of cream cheese and surprise the family with a spicy treat.  It has come to be expected if I am making jelly that we consume at least 1/2 a jar (from the leftovers) that night. 
FGpepperguy said:
Sounds good!  I have 16 hab plants (mustard, red carb, hot paper, peach) and will put some to this use
 
Please let me know how this goes! I am always interested in other people's success with pepper products.
 
Vex,

Thanks for the encouragement. Right now I'm trying to keep up with my small harvest with drying, freezing, saucing and fermenting. In a month or so you will hear from me.

Cheers!
 
Back
Top