Loading...Adapted from “Maria Zapata’s Jalapeno-Apricot Jelly” in “Dead Man’s Bones” by Susan Wittig Albert. You can use any combination of hot, red chiles to create the amount of heat.
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6 to 7 half pints
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutesIngredients
¾ cup red jalapeno (or other ripe red) chiles, seeded and stemmed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and stemmed
2 cups cider vinegar
1¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
6 cups sugar
3 oz. liquid pectin
2-3 drops red food coloring, optional
Few drops Tabasco sauce, more or less, optional
Directions
Coarsely grind the chiles, bell pepper, and vinegar in a blender until in small chunks. Or chop the chiles and pepper finely and add to the vinegar.
Combine apricots, sugar, pureed mixture and small amount of butter in a large saucepan. Bring to rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, skin off foam, and cool for 2 minutes. Stir in the pectin and food coloring, if using. Taste for heat and add a few or more drops of Tabasco, if using.
Pour into prepared half-pint jars. Cover with 2-part canning lids and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Note: The original recipe calls for cutting the apricots into strips. While it looks really interesting that way, I prefer having them in smaller pieces. Also, without adding any food coloring this jam is a delightful pinkish peachy color.
Categories: BWB Jams, Jellies, Butters & Preserves, Gift Basket Goodies
Submitted by: pete on September 8, 2011
Euni Moore says:
Pete, after removing from heat, cooling 2 minutes and adding the pectin is that all there is? All my other jam recipes say to bring back to a rolling boil. Thanks
On September 9, 2011 at 8:52 am
Pete says:
That’s all there is! I stumbled over that part as well, but always try a “new” recipe as written first. Also why I hesitated to post the recipe until after it had been on the shelf a while.
My best guess is that the longer-than-I-am-used-to first boil time is basically enough to make it gel, and the liquid pectin is just insurance?
The published recipe called this a “jelly” with no instructions for canning. After canning and setting up, it’s more like a “jam” to me.
This really isn’t much different from the chile pepper jelly recipe I’ve been making the past few years except for that boil 1 minute after adding the pectin thing. Maybe the apricots add enough pectin that additional boiling would make it too thick?
Bottom line is that it works this way in my kitchen.
On September 9, 2011 at 9:46 am
Euni Moore says:
Thanks Pete. As you probably can guess I am fairly new to the jam/jelly scene. You are probably correct about the pectin in the apricots. Can’t wait for the peppers to turn red!
Thanks, Euni
On September 9, 2011 at 9:49 am
Pete says:
You are very welcome. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have. I really wish I had chopped the apricots – seems like it would be better, more bites with apricot in them.
It’s always OK to ask questions or point out what looks like a mistake. (I make plenty of them, after all! 😉 )
On September 9, 2011 at 1:41 pm