Y’all, it has taken me 53 years to make pepper jelly. I’ve made almost every other kind under the sun, but the omission of this one has almost lost my Southern card for me. That’s alright: better late than never.

The issue I have found online is that folks argue about the ratios of hot to sweet peppers. Here’s the thing: there ain’t a standard, period. Play with your food! The first one I made had 1/2 cup guajillos and two cups sweet reds. The second one was two cups of jalapenos and 1/2 cup green bells. See?

But that’s not the only rule I have broken. Some recipes called for two pouches of liquid pectin, while some call for one. Some call for five cups of sugar, while some call for six. Here’s the trick: if it didn’t set right (look below for the perfect trick for that and a fixer), there are things you can do to set things to rights. So, it’s both simple and chaotic—my favorite.

2 1/2 Cups finely minced peppers (hot, sweet, mild, whatever)
5 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 Cups vinegar (most call for white, I use apple cider)
Liquid Pectin 3 oz. pouches (sometimes, I use 1 1/2 pouches. This seems to be the perfect middle ground.)

Place glass plate/bowl/saucer in freezer. Boil sugar and vinegar for one minute. Add peppers and boil for 1, simmer for four more. Add pectin and boil for one full minute.
Drop a tablespoon on chilled plate/bowl/saucer. Wait one minute, slide finger down the middle and see if it stays put or rejoins upon itself. If it stays, it’s set. If not: put back on to boil and add another half packet of liquid pectin. Go one more minute. Try again.

Once you have the proof of set, fill sterilized jars. Wipe the rims very carefully, leaving about a quarter of an inch. Screw on sterilized lids and boil in water bath for 8 minutes. Remove with jar tongs and DO NOT touch until cool.

This made about ten little 4 ounce jelly jars for me. If you are worried about the setting, throw in fridge for a night. That usually does the trick. Serve with cream cheese and crackers. Happy cooking, y’all!

Seba