Hot Pepper Jelly (Kevin?)


 
D

Dan N.

TVWBB Pro
Hey Kevin. Last year around this time I was asking questions about jelly setting up. You helped me with the cold spoon test. You said you had a few recipes. Could use some help. Have some japs and hot Hungarian. Starting to turn red. Usually make cranberry and rhubarb. Would like to try some other fruits.

Thanks - Dan
 
Dan, I have made hot jelly in the past as I had many plants. Maybe the below will help. Use any pepper you want and don't forget the rubber gloves.
*** Hot Pepper Jelly ***
From Taste of Home
Ingredients
1-1/2 C white vinegar
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into wedges
2/3 cup chopped habanero peppers
6 C sugar, divided
2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin
1 t red food coloring, optional

Directions
Place vinegar and peppers in a blender; cover and puree. Add 2 cups
sugar; blend well. Pour into a saucepan. Stir in the remaining sugar;
bring to a boil. Strain mixture and return to pan. Stir in pectin and
food coloring if desired. Return to a rolling boil over high heat.
Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Pour hot liquid into hot jars,
leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 5 minutes in a
boiling-water bath. Yield: 5 half-pints.
 
Thanks for the comeback Joel. The basic jelly isn't a problem. It's when I start using different fruits. The sugar content is different between sour (cranberry) and sweeter (pineapple)for example.
 
Ok Dan,
If you have The Joy Of Cooking (older version) they tell how to test the pectin content in fruits and juices.
I am in the middle of tropical storm Fay so about drowned out. Will try to look it up tomorrow.
 
I have a 1964 version of “Joy of Cooking” and to help Joel out with his situation, here’s what this version says on page 772…

To determine if fruit juice contains a sufficient amount of pectin to jell, put 1 tablespoon of cooled fruit juice in a glass. Add the same quantity of grain alcohol and shake gently. The effect of the alcohol is to bring the pectin together in a jelly. If a large quantity of pectin is present, it will appear in a single mass or clot when poured from the glass. This indicates that equal quantities of sugar and juice should be used. If the pectin does not slip from the glass in a mass, less sugar will be required. If the pectin collects in 2 or 3 masses, use ? or ¾ as much sugar as juice. If it collects in several small particles, you may use ½ as much sugar as juice, unless the fruit is very tart.

HTH..

Bill
 
Dan--

For cranberry:

3 cups cranberry juice (straight juice, not sweetened nor othwise blended; available at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or health food stores)

1 cup chopped seeded jalapeno peppers (or a blend of peppers)

7 cups sugar

1 cup vinegar

2 pouches (3 oz. ea.) liquid fruit pectin


I'll see what else I've got but, meanwhile, for something like pineapple you can generally sub an equivalent amount, by volume, of some of the bell pepper you'd normally use, as noted here.
 
More on pectin and canning.
*** Apple Pectin ***
7 large apples
4 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Wash tart apples. Cut in pieces but do not peel. Add water and lemon
juice. Boil for 40 minutes. Press through jelly bag, then strain
juice through a flannel bag without pressure. Boil juice rapidly 15
minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Process 5 minutes in
boiling water bath.
Use for jelly making from such fruit as peaches, strawberries,
cherries, etc., or any fruits lacking in pectin. Add 1 cup apple
pectin for each cup of fruit juice used. Usually 3/4 cup sugar to 1
cup of the combined juices is correct, or test combined juices for
pectin content.

To test for pectin.
The juice may be tested to determine whether it contains sufficient
pectin to make jelly. The amount of pectin will indicate the amount
of sugar to be used.
Mix 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 tablespoon Epsom Salts, 2 tablespoons cooked
fruit juice. Stir well and let stand for 20 minutes. If mixture forms
into a semi-solid mass the juice contains sufficient pectin.

To test for acid.
Juice high in pectin may lack acid to make good jelly. The fruit
should be as tart as one teaspoon lemon juice mixed with 3
tablespoons of water. If necessary, lemon juice may be added to the
fruit juice. Usually one tablespoon lemon juice to each cup of fruit
juice is sufficient.
 
Wanted to post back sooner. Just finished Princeton comp. Thanks everyone for your answers to this. I was looking for adding fruit and Kevin, your link to Shawn W will definitely help. If I can find it I will post my recipe for cranberry (we are in the nation's capital for cranberries ya know). Harvest just a few weeks away).

And Joel your info is extremely helpful. Maybe some day I'll get this down. Thanks.

Dan - 2 Fat Bikers.
 
When they speak of grain alcohol, do they mean methyl alcohol?

I'm assuming that would require a trip to the hardware store.
 
No, ethyl alcohol, aka ethanol, aka grain neutral spirits. It is available in package (liquor) stores though some states ban its sale or limit the proof that can be sold. I get mine in Ga as it sells the highest (190) proof; Fla limits it to 156.
 
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