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Jalapeno Pepper Jelly Recipe

This Jalapeno Pepper Jelly recipe is ideal for appetizers, cheese tray, bacon candy or sandwiches. This is a hot pepper jelly recipe perfect for those new to canning. Includes a video tutorial.

What do you do when you purchased a bottle of wine that you really just don’t love? I know, first world problems.  Be that as it may, I had several bottles of a wine that I just really didn’t like.

Before you label me as some wine diva…let me dispel you of that notion.  We are in a wine club and my typical qualifier when I order wine is ‘around $10 a bottle’…so I’m not some high-fallutin wine drinker who only has to have some varietal that has been sitting in some underground wine place for 100’s of years.

I’m pretty simple…I just don’t like real acidic wines…and this wine was pretty acidic…and I had several bottles of it. I used one bottle of it when I made my Meyer Lemon and Dried Fig Conserve...which by the way is HEAVENLY.

But I still had one more bottle to use up.  Coincidentally or not, I also needed to make some pepper jelly as my daughter and her Physics lab group have discovered the value of noshing whilst studying, and one of their go-to treats is hot pepper jam over cream cheese.  So…

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly!

Before we dive into the recipe, let me give a little disclaimer here.  I will experiment with just about ANYTHING except when I am canning.  There is a part of me that thinks that the USDA might be a tad overboard on putting the fear of God into everyone when it comes to canning, but botulism is a real thing, and I’m not one to tempt it.

So, when I ‘invent’ a canning recipe, I usually rely pretty heavily on tried and true sources, only altering those things that don’t effect Ph, which is especially important when water bath canning.

High Acid Foods (those with a pH of 4.6 or lower) are safe for water bath canning, while those low-acid foods (pH greater than 4.6) must be pressure canned due to the ability to reach a higher temperature to kill off any molds, bacteria, and yeasts.

So for this recipe, I leaned on Benardin’s Wine Jelly Inferno, taking a little creative license, in a non-Ph altering kind of way, of course.

supplies I used for canning this jalapeño pepper jelly

Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.

While boiling water canning isn’t hard, it does require a few pieces of equipment to make the task much easier:

The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving is my bible. Even if I think I could make the recipe in my sleep, I double-check myself against the Ball Book…that whole botulism thing. It should be your first purchase if you are new to canning. My cookbook library inventory recently expanded with the addition of The All New Ball Book Of Canning And Preserving: Over 350 of the Best Canned, Jammed, Pickled, and Preserved Recipes! Another great canning and preserving resource is the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia website.

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly Recipe: Keep a Jar of pepper jelly in your pantry for a quick appetizer!

You know those times when you just need a quick appetizer? Keep a jar of this Jalapeño Pepper Jelly, and you will surely take your ‘cheese and cracker’ routine to new heights! Trust me; you will find new ways to enjoy this hot pepper jelly recipe!

For what it’s worth, the next time I make pepper jelly, I will probably swap out a couple of jalapenos for serrano peppers.  I would like a tad more heat, and I don’t think I can get that by just adding more jalapeños. This is a personal preference, of course.  You can check out the relative heat of different peppers on a Scoville Chart like this one.

OK…you have your Jalapeno Pepper Wine Jelly…now what? What am I gonna do with this Jalapeno jelly?

  • Of course, it’s perfect on just about any cheese.  My preference is hard cheese, like Gruyere or Manchego.  But I know many love a good Jalapeno Pepper Jelly on cream cheese, as well as Brie.Jalapeno Pepper Jelly with cheese and crackers...easy and perfect appetizer.
  • Use it in a vinaigrette as a substitute for honey or sugar.
  • Glaze your pork tenderloin or chicken
  • Use as a sandwich spread
  • Use as a dip for eggrolls
  • And maybe my all-time favorite…make bacon candy! Simply smear some Jalapeno Pepper Wine Jelly over your uncooked bacon and pop it into a 325° oven…20-30 minutes for thick bacon, 10-15 for thinner.  Watch carefully…the sugar in the jelly will burn quickly.  Hmmm…hot pepper jam and bacon? Yep! Bacon Candy

So…when I stop and think of the many pluses of blogging, making and eating bacon candy for breakfast and lunch today will surely top the list of ‘great things about blogging.’  Coincidentally, it also tops the list of ‘the perils of blogging.’

Looking for more Jalepeño Recipes?

You can’t go wrong with Pickled Jalepeño Peppers! Waterbath can or refrigerate these little rings of heat! And this smoky and spicy Jalapeño Cheese Spread is an easy appetizer recipe.

This Confetti Pepper Jelly Recipe produces a delightful condiment that adds a sweet and spicy kick to your dishes.

Check out this red pepper jelly! It is a gorgeous red shade with a nice, mild heat.

Need to see this Jalapeno Pepper Jelly recipe in action?  Here it is…

Jalapeno Pepper Wine Jelly

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

lynn
Jalapeno Pepper Jelly is perfect on cheese, meats and makes the delicious bacon. This hot pepper jam will satisfy your wine pepper jelly cravings.
4.54 from 13 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 5 1/2 pint jars
Calories 73 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 Jalapeno peppers chopped finely, can use hotter peppers for more heat
  • 1 750 ml bottle of white wine I use a Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2 cups sugar divided, 1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup
  • 1 pkg Less or No Sugar Needed Pectin I used Sure-Jell
  • 1/2 cup White Balsamic Vinegar or other White Wine Vinegar at least 5% acidity

Instructions
 

  • Prepare canner, jars, and lids. See The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for guidance. If you are using Weck Jars, I do boil the glass jars and lids for at least 10 minutes and put the rubber rings separately in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. After 2-3 minutes, I leave the rings in the hot water until ready to use them.
  • Chop jalapenos finely. I removed the white pith, which also removed a good number of seeds. I recommend wearing rubber gloves (that you have cleaned well) for this step
  • Put a plate with 4 spoons in the freezer to be able to check the gel state of your jelly.
  • Mix 1/2 cup of sugar with a package of pectin.
  • Add wine to a wide bottom pot; I use a Jam Pan.
  • Stir in pectin/sugar mix and whisk well until fully dissolved.
  • Add chopped peppers and remaining sugar and whisk well until sugar is dissolved.
  • Stirring frequently, bring to a rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Boil hard for 2 minutes.
  • Turn off heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Stir well.
  • Put a dollop of jelly on your plate and put back in the freezer for 1 minute. After a minute, if you can push the jelly and it wrinkles, it is done and ready to be canned.
  • Spoon your jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace if using Ball/Kerr jars or 1/2 inch if using Weck jars
  • Remove air bubbles and wipe the rim with white vinegar.
  • Center lid on jar and screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Or, if using Weck Jar, place rubber gasket, glass lid and metal clips on the jar.
  • Place jars in canner, making sure they are completely covered with water by at least one inch.
  • Cover pot and bring to a boil
  • Boil for 10 full minutes, or adjust for altitude via Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. The time to bring your pot to a boil should not be counted in the minute boil time.
  • Turn heat off, remove lid and let sit for 5 minutes
  • Remove your jars from the pot and let them sit, undisturbed for 24 hours. Your Ball/Kerr jar lid centers should pop down when sealed and the orange tab on the Weck jars will slightly curve down.
  • Now...here's where I might have gone off of the USDA reservation a bit...and it's completely up to you on if you want to follow me. Most likely, unless you have been blessed by the canning fairy who skipped over me, your peppers will be floating at the top of your jelly. The USDA would recommend that you just let it be and stir it up when you open the jar. 
  • Once I knew that my jars had sealed, within a half-hour of removing them from the pot, I shook them a couple of times to disperse the pepper pieces throughout. I chatted with a representative from Ball who told me the risk of doing what I did was that I might cause the seals to break. I checked my seals and they were still intact 24 hours later, so I am not concerned. I am not recommending anything...just telling you what I did.
  • I'm sure a lawyer would advise me to tell you to do so at your own risk or something to that extent. Consider yourself told.

Notes

This recipe assumes some knowledge of proper and safe canning techniques. Please see the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for guidance.

Nutrition

Serving: 2gCalories: 73kcalCarbohydrates: 10gSodium: 9mgSugar: 7g
Keyword canning, jalapeno, jalapenos, peppers, wine
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jars of canned jalapeno pepper jelly
jars of jalapeno wine jelly

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7 Comments

  1. My hubby and I love jalepano jelly. Looking forward to trying this recipe. I’ve done a habanero before which was a big hit. The sweet and hot are a great combination.

    1. Hi Theresa…I think the next time I make this I will use either habanero or serrano..just for the added bite…this is more on the mild side…but I know that’s subjective.

      Hope you enjoy it!

  2. This sounds perfect for home and a hostess gift, and agree with you about canning safety. Could I use a White Merlot or White Zinfandel?
    I always look forward to reading your posts and have tried many of your recipes. Thanks

    1. Good Morning Gail,

      Yes, you could absolutely use a blush/rose wine. Think it’d be lovely!! I would add a little more vinegar since I’m not sure that the white merlots or white zins are as acidic as the Sauvignon Blanc that I used.

      Thanks so much for ‘being there’ when I send out my posts! I know I enjoy writing them, but it surely wouldn’t be as much fun without people like you out there.

      Wishing you a lovely day my friend!

      Hugs, Lynn

  3. Hi Lynn,
    You keep sending these great recipes for jams and jellies and all their cousins. The latest one I tried was the Jalapeno Wine Jelly. Had to make it with less heat so I used a big Cubanelle Pepper along with red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. Also used a Sauvignon Blanc as the base and Splenda.
    It turned out great, the flecks of the 4 pepper colors was beautiful. Like you I had to get the peppers mixed in for an even suspension (or close to it). Taste is out of this world, and I gave away samples from the end of the batch to friends, along with suggestions of what to put it on. I love the idea of spreading it on bacon.
    You are such an inspiration, keep the recipes coming. This 1 is no less than 5 stars.
    Best to you,
    Claudia

    1. Oh my dear Claudia!

      I read your message and got a fantastic case of the all over smiles! Your virtual pats on my back keep me going and keep me loving what I do! Thank you so much for taking a few minutes to write in.

      I love the idea of using it with Splenda! How much did you use?

      I know you are now very popular with your friends…you’ve set a high bar and now they are going to expect additional jars! Get busy canning!?

      And you MUST try it on bacon.

      Wishing you a lovely day.

      Hugs, Lynn

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