Pineapple Habanero Jam
Pineapple Habanero Jelly is sweet and spicy. It’s great served with cream cheese and crackers and on cheese trays as an easy and delicious appetizer. Or combine the jam with cream cheese, sharp shredded cheddar and diced green onions to make a cheese ball, then roll in chopped pecans.
Pineapple Habanero Jam
from https://www.southernkissed.com/, modified
The recipe writer said her husband and daughter don’t like large chunks in their jelly, so she processes the peppers and pineapple until smooth in their food processor. You do not want large chunks of pineapple, but I would like some chunkiness so I would process until small chunks are left. You could also mince the peppers if you want specks of them in the finished jam. Some people add a bit of dry red pepper flakes to give the jam a little more color.
3 habanero peppers
1 – 20 oz can of pineapple in juice, drained
1/2 orange or yellow bell pepper, seeds and pulp removed
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp. fruit pectin
4 – 1/2 pint jars
Start by washing your jars, lids, and rims. Place the clean jars in boiling water and boil for 10 minutes to sterilize.
Wearing gloves, cut peppers in half and remove the seeds and pulp. Place in a food processor. Add pineapple and bell pepper and process until smooth. [I would mince the peppers and process the pineapple, if needed, so small chunks remain.]
In a large pot, combine sugar, vinegar, and pepper blend. Stir on medium-high heat until it starts boiling. Turn heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add fruit pectin and return to boil and cook for 1 minute.
Pour into prepared jars, place lid and rims on tightly and place jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. (If jars do not seal and you plan on eating within a week, you can invert the jars for approximately 10 minutes to help create the seal.
Note: Sometimes the pineapple and peppers will float to the top of the jar right after being filled. Wait 15 or 20 minutes, then give each jar a stir. The solids will suspend at this point for a pretty presentation.
Makes: 4 half-pint (8-ounce) jars
Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly
from Chris Scheuer, https://thecafesucrefarine.com/
1 medium-large fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
5 cups granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup finely chopped golden delicious (or other yellow apples), 1 large apple (adds pectin)
1 cup finely chopped orange bell pepper, from 1 large pepper
1-3 orange habanero peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon butter
3 ounces Certo liquid fruit pectin, 1 pouch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Place the finely chopped fresh pineapple in a strainer set over a bowl. Press on the pineapple with the back of a spoon to release as much of the juice as possible. Allow the pineapple to drain while you're prepping the other ingredients.
Pineapple is super low in pectin, particularly pineapple that's very ripe. So choosing a ripe but not overripe pineapple, along with draining the chopped pineapple thoroughly before measuring is important with this recipe.
Combine the sugar, vinegar, apple, bell pepper, habanero, red pepper flakes, butter and exactly 3 cups of the well-drained pineapple in a large pot. (If you have extra pineapple save it for your morning yogurt or something else. Don't try to add more than 3 cups.)
Stir until dissolved. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and cook for 10 minutes. Watch the pot carefully and lower the heat a bit if the bubbling jelly rises near the top.
Add Certo and lemon juice and bring the mixture back to a rolling boil. Cook for exactly 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Remove pot from heat and skim off any foam on the surface. Ladle jelly into clean jars leaving a 1/2-inch space at the top. (this will allow for expansion in the freezer.)
Cover with lids and allow the jelly to sit for 24 hours, then place in freezer.
If using the hot water bath method, use sterilized jars and immediately proceed with the water bath canning method. Jelly may take 24 hours to set completely.
Makes 48 ounces of jam, 8 6-ounce jars
