Hot Pepper Jelly With Pectin

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 06/8/21
Pepper jelly in canning jars

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 57 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 8 1/2-pint jars

This easy hot pepper jelly is made with a combination of sweet bell peppers and hot red peppers. You may substitute crushed dried red pepper for the fresh hot peppers.

The liquid pectin makes this an easy preparation. If you are new to home canning, take a look at this article about jar preparation and boiling water processing.

Ingredients

  • 4 large sweet ​green or red bell peppers 

  • 1/2 cup ground fresh hot red peppers, about 8 to 12 small peppers

  • 7 cups sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups white vinegar

  • 4 drops red or green food coloring, optional

  • 6 ounces liquid pectin

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Wash the jars, lids, and bands and rinse well.

  3. Fill a canner with water; place the jars on the rack. Cover the canner and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low to keep the jars hot until you fill them.

  4. In a small saucepan, bring the lids just to a simmer, but do not boil. Keep them hot over very low heat until you are ready to seal the jars.

  5. Remove the stems from the peppers; remove seeds and chop.

  6. Grind all of the peppers finely with a food grinder, food processor, or stand mixer with grinder attachment.

  7. In a nonreactive pot — stainless steel or enamel-lined — combine the finely ground peppers and their juice and pulp with the sugar and vinegar.

  8. Bring to a full boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.

  9. Add green food coloring and pectin. Stir well. Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat; reduce heat and boil for 1 minute.

  10. Remove from heat and ladle the mixture into hot dry, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving a scant 1/4-inch headspace.

  11. Seal immediately with the lids. Screw on the bands; don't overtighten.

  12. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes; remove jars and let the jars cool upright. 

Tips

  • Make sure the processing water is about 1 inch above the tops of the jars. The jars should not be touching.
  • If a jar does not seal for some reason, you can refrigerate it to be eaten first. Or remove the lid and check the jar rim for nicks or food pieces. Also, check the bands. Rusty or bent bands can cause a bad seal. Discard the original lid and seal with a new simmered lid. Process again as directed. Re-use of undamaged screw on bands is fine but never re-use jar lids.

Recipe Variation

  • Instead of fresh hot peppers, use 2 to 4 tablespoons crushed dried red peppers.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
195 Calories
0g Fat
50g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 195
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 12mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 50g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 44g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 7mg 36%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 38mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)