Serrano Jam Help

I have a bumper cop of serrano peppers this year, which are rapidly turning red and ripening. Rather than make the cliché hot sauce, this year I have decided that I want to make some serrano jam. Can anyone point me to a recipe I can use as a guideline? This is new territory for me.

It's been years since I've made pepper jam, but I think this is the recipe I used, from a little book called "Red Hot Gourmet" from "Cole's Cooking Companion Series" ISBN 1564268004

Presented below are the original (and my modifications):
5 fresh red or green jalapenos, stems and seeds removed
1 each red and green bell pepper (how silly: just use more jalapenos of equal weight)
6 Cups Sugar
1.5 Cups distilled white vinegar (I may have used cider vinegar for flavor)
6 oz liquid pectin

Puree peppers in a blender or food processor (leave some chunks for more of a preserves appearance). Combine rest of ingredients except pectin in a saucepan, bring to "hard rolling boil" and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add pectin, mix well skimming off foam.

Can using normal process.

I also did a jalapeno/lime marmelade, which I liked quite a bit. I don't remember what marmelade recipe I used, but I basically just added chiles to it.

Hi,

I would use all red jalapeños/serranos and bell peppers, as well as the cider vinegar. The jam will be much prettier, plus I think the red peppers taste better. I make a jalapeño apricot jam using a similar recipe with the addition of dried apricots. It makes a great dipping sauce for lumpia, and is the base for my Memphis-Asian fusion bbq sauce . I'll dig up the recipe for you when I get home tonight.

grace

swine dining wrote: I'll dig up the recipe for you when I get home tonight.

grace

Thanks Grace. I'd very much appreciate that!

stevez wrote:I have a bumper cop of serrano peppers this year, which are rapidly turning red and ripening. Rather than make the cliché hot sauce, this year I have decided that I want to make some serrano jam. Can anyone point me to a recipe I can use as a guideline? This is new territory for me.

Steve, I made a really good zucchini and pepper jam recently, described here.

The recipe is from Christine Ferber's book and is basically this:

600g peeled and diced zucchini
400g roasted, skinned, and diced peppers
800g sugar
100g honey
Juice of a lemon
150g (1 cup) pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Macerate everything (except the nuts) for one hour. Bring the mixture (still without the nuts) to a simmer. Let cool and then transfer to a boil (or not), cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, boil until the syrup reaches 221 degrees (or use your own test to see that the jam has set). Toast the pine nuts lightly and add to the jam. Pack into jars and process (if desired).

Naturally, you can vary the ratio of peppers and zucchini, or add other spices.

Contrary to the ill-fated discussion that I linked to above, zucchini and pepper jams have a quite long tradition, even though they are not fruit-based.

Hi,

JoelF's recipe is pickled peppers thickened with pectin. The 1.5 cups vinegar goes a long way into acidulating it. I'm not quite sure a 5 minute processing time is suitable.

Darren72's recipe does not have adequete acidulation, it would require pressure canning for processing.

Anyone can make jam from anything they wish. If they want to preserve it, then very careful consideration should be made whether a product is suitable for processing. Otherwise, store in the refrigerator or freeze for your safety.

Regards,

I made jam yesterday from razbry's excellent crop and noticed instructions for a hot pepper relish, listed with the jams on the Sure Jell recipe insert. Their website has the recipe:

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/sur ... 60056.aspx

It looks pretty sweet, but I trust Kraft not to kill me.
I added jalapenos to my second batch to make "xxxtra flamin' hot" raspberry jam . I intend to give it to my enemies for Christmas

dk,

Not only will Kraft not allow you to kill yourself. They added a healthy quantity of vinegar to guarantee it.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

JoelF's recipe is pickled peppers thickened with pectin. The 1.5 cups vinegar goes a long way into acidulating it. I'm not quite sure a 5 minute processing time is suitable.

Darren72's recipe does not have adequete acidulation, it would require pressure canning for processing.

Anyone can make jam from anything they wish. If they want to preserve it, then very careful consideration should be made whether a product is suitable for processing. Otherwise, store in the refrigerator or freeze for your safety.

Regards,

I doubt any jam I end up making will get much past the "store it in a jar in the refrigerator" stage. I don't have any plans to make a quantity large enough to justify canning and/or processing. Maybe I'll put in some raw garlic to make Cathy crazy.

stevez wrote:Rather than make the cliché hot sauce, this year.

I'm interested in a recipe for the cliché hot sauce.

Please share a recipe.

pairs4life wrote:

stevez wrote:Rather than make the cliché hot sauce, this year.

I'm interested in a recipe for the cliché hot sauce.

Please share a recipe.

Here's a good, basic recipe from Emeril. A google search will turn up many more.

Hi,

Here's the recipe from "Chile Pepper: The Magazine of Spicy Foods" May/June 1990

1/2 cup jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
2 cups cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups dried apricots, finely chopped
6 cups sugar
3 oz. liquid pectin

1. Put jalapeños, bell pepper, and vinegar in blender and pureé until coarsely ground and small chunks remain.
2. Combine apricots, sugar, and jalapeño/bell pepper/vinegar mixture in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil rapidly, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; skim off foam.
3. Allow mixture to cool for 2 minutes. Then mix in pectin.
4. Pour into sterilized jars, seal, and cool. (10 minutes for boiling water bath)
Yield 7 half pints.

Its natural habitat is on Ritz® crackers with cream cheese.

grace

Hi,

FYI - For any processing time of 10 minutes or more, you do not need to sterilize the jars. Anything less, you need to boil empty jars for ten minutes before filling.

Regards,

PFL, Cathy2 and Stevez---I have a plant full of ghost peppers and need to make hot sauce so just let me know and a (fully processed) jar is yours

if you trust me

Jen

edited to add Cathy2 to the distribution list since she taught me how to do this!