So years ago the Hubby and I used to frequent a tea house outside of town. An actual old farmhouse with wonderful creaky floors, converted into a tiny place to serve tea. It served the most amazing (and giant) sandwiches, tea, and scones. Right next door to the house was the antique shop. Very dangerous to the wallet.
But what I remember most was their jalapeno jelly. Sweet, with the perfect amount of heat and most likely laced with some addictive properties as I could clean out the whole jar on every visit. For some reason, I have never attempted to make it. Until now. And the real kick? Its low carb!
I followed the instructions found on Pomona’s site. Note that Pomona is a great brand to use if you are using artificial sweeteners. The sugar in jam isn’t just for sweetness, but helps the jam or jelly set. Pomona’s Pectin is activated by the addition of calcium water and works some kind of mysterious setting magic with sweeteners such as Splenda.
The jelly turned out just right, it set properly, it’s got the right amount of heat and mild flavor of jalapeno. Even though I used Splenda, there is no weird aftertaste, I think that is due to the heat and flavor of the chili peppers. (I did have a couple of non-low carb eaters give it a taste test for me to confirm.)
Just a note that powdered Splenda is cup to cup with real sugar, so if you prefer you can just substitute the real for the fake straight across.
Jalapeno Pepper Jelly
Ingredients
Pomona's Calcium Water
- ½ teaspoon calcium powder in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin
- ½ cup water
Rest of Ingredients
- 1 yellow pepper chopped small and deseeded
- 2 jalapeno's chopped small and deseeded
- 1 yellow spicy pepper chopped small and deseeded
- 1 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar standardized to 5% acidity
- 2 teaspoons of above calcium water
- 2 1/4 cups Splenda put 1/2 cup of this amount into a small bowl and set aside
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder
Instructions
- Make the calcium water by combining the calcium powder with the water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shaking well to mix.
- Thoroughly mix pectin powder into the 1/2 cup of Splenda. Set aside.
- Wash jars and place them in your canner pot, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use.
- Place lids in water in a small sauce pan and heat to a low boil. Turn off heat and keep lids in hot water until ready to use.
- Add the chopped yellow pepper to a small food processor
- PUT ON GLOVES! Wash, deseed (if desired), and chop jalapeno peppers and spicy yellow. Add to the small food processor.
- Give a whiz until particles are small.
- Add to a large sauce pot.
- Measure vinegar into sauce pot.
- Bring peppers and vinegar to a boil and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
- Strain using a very fine sieve and put juice back into pot and bring to a boil.
- Add 2 teaspoons of the calcium water, whisking to mix.
- Add pectin-Splenda mix, stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin.
- Add remaining Splenda once pectin is dissolved. Stir well and return to a full boil.
- Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.
- Fill hot jars to 1/4" of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids.
- Put filled jars in boiling water in canning pot (to cover). Boil 10 minutes.
- Remove from water. Let jars cool.
- Check seals; lids should be sucked down.
- Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
Notes
This made 2 very small jars. I may try and double the recipe next time and see what type of results I get.
Yes, 6 cups of sugar seems like a lot. Actually it IS a lot. But you will need all that sugar to offset the vinegar and heat. Just take a deep breath and throw it all in!
Jalapeno Jelly
Ingredients
- 4 jalapeno's chopped small and deseeded
- 4 spicy yellow peppers* chopped small and deseeded
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar standardized to 5% acidity
- 6 tablespoons powdered pectin
- 6 cups of sugar
Instructions
- Wash jars and place them in your canner pot, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use.
- Place lids in water in a small sauce pan and heat to a low boil. Turn off heat and keep lids in hot water until ready to use.
- PUT ON GLOVES! Wash, deseed (if desired), and chop jalapeno peppers and spicy yellow peppers and whiz in a small food processor. Place in a large sauce pot.
- Add the vinegar and bring to a boil and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
- Strain the juice out, pressing the chilies down with a spatula so as to get all the juice. I didn't scrape the pot clean as I returned half the mash to the pot along with the liquid.
- Add the pectin powder and bring back to a boil.
- Add all the sugar at once, using a whisk to keep moving.**
- Add green food coloring a few drops at a time until its the desired colour.
- Once all the sugar has melted and it has been brought back to a boil remove from heat.
- Fill hot jars to 1/4" from the top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids.
- Put filled jars in boiling water in canning pot (covered with water). Boil 10 minutes.
- Remove from water. Let jars cool.
- Check seals; lids should be sucked down.
Notes
** It may congeal very fast. Just keep whisking breaking it down, until the sugar has melted.
Where did you find the green rims for the canning jars?! I love them. Jelly looks amazing too!
Finally a low carb recipe that I like!! Thank you so much. Jelled right away. It could be a little less stiff. Substituted jalapeño for 6 scotch bonnets and 1 medium banana pepper and a toothpick of yellow food coloring. Very pretty and mildly hot.
Thank you for commenting! The pepper mixed you used sounds delicious!