We use this jelly as a base for glazing all manner of animals - think wings & ribs - but it pairs beautifully with cheese - on a snack board or grilled cheese.
Classic Pepper Jelly
makes about 6 half pints
12 ounces mixed sweet peppers (about 3-4 fruits)
4 ounces middle-hot peppers such as jalapenos (about 2-3 fruits)
1 granny smith apple
1 cup apple cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
pinch kosher salt
Remove seeds, stems and ribs from peppers and chop into big chunks. Combine peppers in the bowl of food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped - about 3-5 pulses. Yield after this step should be about 2 1/2 cups of chopped peppers. Move to a large pot.
Cut the peel from the apple in large pieces, keeping a fair amount of flesh attached. Chop the remaining flesh finely and add everything to the peppers.
Stir in vinegar, sugar & salt and place over low heat. Stir frequently as the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to mellow together. Cook over low, with a watchful eye and fairly frequent stirring for about 30 minutes to reduce.
Increase heat to high and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching until mixture reaches 220F/105C - about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the large apple pieces from the pot before stirring once more to evenly distribute pepper pieces.
Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, cap and seal. Boil 5 minutes in water bath canner to seal. Remove from bath and allow to cool overnight. Check the seal before storing. Refrigerate 24 hours before using for a firmer texture (spreading) or use right out of the jar (saucing).