Killer Hot Pepper Spread.

[Worth1]

Here is my process for a Killer Hot Pepper Spread I made today from just picked peppers.
They are Jamaican hot red and yellow and red habanero.
It took somewhere around a quart of peppers I didn't measure them.
Now here is the fly in the ointment.
I didn't use vinegar in the recipe.
From what I can find 1 teaspoon citric acid is equal to 8 tablespoons of vinegar 16 tablespoons = 1 cup.
So two teaspoons citric acid equals one cup of vinegar?
Or it would be equal to 1/2 cup of lemon juice.
So this is what I have always gone by and it has always worked.
Do as you wish but I dont want my pepper jelly tasting like vinegar.

I used.
2 cups of water 4 heaping teaspoons of citric acid the canning stuff powdered.
Then I put the peppers short trimmed stems and all in this along with two cups of sugar in a kettle.
Plus one lime sliced and one whole cinnamon stick.
Let it simmer till the peppers got tender.
Took out the peppers along with some of the juice and put in a blender and slowly mixed.
Be careful as it is hot and will erupt out of the bender make sure there is a little bit of a vent.
Once everything is chopped up good I put it back in the kettle and added 8 drops of red food coloring and two more cups of sugar and let it simmer down for a while.
Be careful do this on low heat or you will get a foaming over flow.
Once this was done to my satisfaction I took all of it and put it in the bender making sure to vent it.
I then put it on low and worked my way back up to high and let it just run for a good while.
Then I got my fine mesh strainer and strained it all back into the kettle usint a spoon to do this and continued to cook it down on a low heat.
All of the remaining seeds and pulp was tossed out.
I have no idea where the remainder of the stems went.
After this was completed I put in it 1/2 pint jars a little over the head space ring and let it seal on its own.
Everything is sealed.
You can process if you want but I didn't.
This ended up making 4 full 1/2 pint jars and one 1/2 of a little jelly jar.

Yes I make up my own recipes and I do think I know what I am doing not only from research but experience.
Travel at your own risk.

Here are the pictures of the process.
It will be in two posts.
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[Worth1]

Next batch.


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[Worth1]

Last but not least the dreaded pork test.
It is standing proudly on its own with no pectin and isn't even cool yet.
Me thinks all of the seeds may have pectin in them.
This stuff is hotter than all get out but is good darn good.
I couldn't be more pleased with the results.
Worth
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[dmforcier]

Wow, no pectin. That is impressive.

[BigVanVader]

I'm a little jealous, but I also tip my hat to you. Well done!

[Zana]

My kind of jelly. Looks great Worth. Some of mine I strain, and some I leave the seeds in for more heat.

I process mine since I give it away or sell it, and can't determine how long it might sit on somebody's shelf before being used. I probably made about 12 dozen half pint jars of the cranberry hot pepper jellies so far this year...and have orders for more.

[oakley]

That looks fantastic and I'm confident you know what you are doing.
I actually don't go there being not at all confident. I freak and fridge and freeze.

I am confident with fermenting starting to understand the process. And trying more and more with a few gurgling crocks...

[dmforcier]

Some of mine I strain, and some I leave the seeds in for more heat.

The seeds are almost completely devoid of capsaicin. The concentration is in the surrounding tissues. After cooking or processing, where the seeds are separated from the placentas and cross-walls, you can remove the seeds without any loss of heat or flavor.

Personally, I don't like pepper seeds in my food and generally seed them before cooking.

[greenthumbomaha]

Super cool pictures. Too hot for my mouth but I grew habs and trinidad scorpions (hotter than I thought) this year for another family. I'll have to remember to find this thread next year when the main pepper harvest is ready.

Are you still harvesting the peppers pictured?

I'm still winding the garden down wearing a tee shirt. Loving the extended summer.
Tomatoes and peppers that weren't frost nipped are ripening (albeit slower). Squash though is just sitting there stunted looking like a yellow hot dog. The herbs are still green.

- Lisa

[Worth1]

Lisa I picked them today and they were in the kettle immediately.

Thanks everyone I do this for you guys.

[greenthumbomaha]

I'm so jealous Worth. I've never lived in a warm climate. It was amazing experiencing such a long season this year, even if it is short lived at this point. Snow is coming Friday.

- Lisa

[dmforcier]

I'm just starting to take my second flush of C.chinense now. I'm in a unique sun situation which delays my season, but fortunately the climate allows it.

So far there's no hint of cold. The forecast is for lows actually down in the 40s sometime next week. This year is starting to resemble last, when I probably could have left the pots out all winter.

Another reason to love Texas.

[Worth1]

I have looked for more good information on the use of citric acid and canning.
It is all over the place and very hard to find.
One is on google you end up with the anti citric acid nuts and websites.

But I have found some good information on it from accredited folks.

Here is the deal.
What I have found is that one teaspoon of citric acid is = to 4 table spoons of lemon juice.
In the ball canning book it says you have to use twice as much vinegar as lemon juice for tomatoes.
So this would mean to me that it would be equal to 8 tablespoons of vinegar or 1/2 half cup.
This is how I came up with the formula for substituting it for the two cups of vinegar for the pepper jelly.

Another recipe I found Kerr canning book was for mint jelly that called for 2 1/4 cups of water and 2 table spoons of lemon juice 3 1/2 cups of sugar.
This is if I am not mistaking 1/2 of what the hot pepper jelly calls for using vinegar.

[tash11]

I made pepper jelly once, with acv. It was gross.


Besides pork, what else do you use it on?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by tash11

I made pepper jelly once, with acv. It was gross.


Besides pork, what else do you use it on?

I use it mainly on meats when I am cooking as a part of the glaze ingredients.
This is why it is so darn hot, it will last me forever.
I dont eat any bread hardly at all with jelly on it including biscuits or toast because I don't eat much of that either.

Worth