Red Pepper Jelly Recipe

4 from 6 votes

This homemade red pepper jelly recipe is easy and delicious. Pairs with cream cheese and crackers and is the perfect level of sweet and heat.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Canning Time10

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade Red Pepper Jelly, red pepper jelly, Red Pepper Jelly Recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 162kcal

Author: Melissa Norris

Cost: varies

Equipment

Water bath canner
3 Half-pint jars and lids
Medium Saucepan

Ingredients

1 cup red bell pepper minced
1/4 cup jalapenos deveined and minced (or hot pepper of choice)
5 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 1/3 cups vinegar
2 1/3 cups sugar or 1 ½ cups honey
1 ½ teaspoons pectin I only use Pomona’s Pectin
2 teaspoons calcium water comes with Pomona's Pectin

Instructions

Step 1: If planning to can this recipe, prepare a hot water bath canner and begin to warm water. Wash and rinse jars in hot soapy water right before filling with hot jelly so the glass is warm.
Step 2: Place peppers, garlic, and vinegar in a saucepan. Add calcium water and stir well. Measure ½ cup of sugar into a bowl with pectin and combine.
Step 3: Bring the saucepan contents to a boil. Add pectin-sugar and stir vigorously for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add remaining sugar and stir until dissolved. Return to a boil and remove from heat.

Canning Instructions

Step 5: Fill warm jars with red pepper garlic jelly within a ¼ inch from the top.
Step 6: Using a bubble remover tool (or a chopstick), remove any air bubbles by sliding the tool along all sides of the jar.
Step 7: Wipe rims clean and put on lids and bands.
Step 8: Place jars in a hot water bath (or steam canner) and process for 10 minutes. Pro Tip: If using a steam canner, after the ten-minute processing time, allow the canner to sit for five minutes (with the heat off, but the lid on).
Step 9: Allow to cool on a towel in a draft-free area for 24 hours. Check seals and store in a cool, dark place. If any jars have not sealed, put them in the fridge and use within 3 weeks.

Notes

Note: Because Pomonas Pectin uses calcium water instead of sugar for the set, you may double or triple this recipe, but make sure you don’t alter the ratio of ingredients in any way.

To Serve:

Appetizer: Pop open a jar of red pepper jelly and pour it over a brick of cream cheese (one jar may contain enough for two bricks, depending on how you like it). Then, serve it along with my homemade 5-minute crackers (or these homemade cheese crackers) and other charcuterie like my mustard pickle recipe, the best homemade garlic dill pickles, or my absolute favorite, pickled asparagus.
Glaze: Red pepper jelly is fantastic on all kinds of meat. Serve it on the side with pork chops, use it as the sweet, sour and spicy glaze for these homemade sweet and sour meatballs or simply brush it onto chicken before baking.
Snack: My kids love this so much, I’d have to hide the jars from them or they’d just eat it for a snack along with cheese and crackers! I love it on a piece of toast with cream cheese and avocado. spread onto this avocado toast recipe for breakfast.

Nutrition