You are a friend of fire and would like oneChili kick to all your mealsadd? Then heat up your taste buds with a sweet and spicy chili jam! This recipe can be combined with breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can use it, for example, to top your toast, prepare an appetizer, or give meat a sweet and spicy note. In the article we show you how to prepare your own chili jam or jelly with jalapeños.
Jalapeños with a difference: How do you make chili jam?
Jalapeños are one of the most popular types of chili. This allows you todelicious appetizers, prepare hot sauces and savory dishes. Today we would like to introduce you to an unusual recipe that has been very trendy in the USA since last year - chili jam or jelly. To do this, jalapeño chilies are pureed or chopped very finely and cooked with sugar, vinegar and pectin. The result is a beautiful combination of sweet, spicy and spicy that is sure to appeal to your senses.
Of course, you can also prepare the chili jam with another type of chili. The spread tastes even better if you include peppers in the recipe alongside chilies. There is no fruit in the classic chili jelly recipe. However, if you like your jam a little fruitier, you can cook it with fruits of your choice and season, such as apples, strawberries, plums, etc.
Jalapeño chili jam recipe
Ingredients:
- 10 Jalapeño-Chilis
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 kg of granulated sugar
- 350 ml white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 80 ml liquid pectin
Tip: The amount of sugar may seem too much at first glance, but we recommend not reducing it. A jam must contain plenty of sugar and it also helps to perfectly balance the spiciness of the jalapeños.
Preparation:
1. Wash the jalapeños, cut them in half lengthwise and, using a teaspoon, remove the seeds from half of them. Remove stems.
2. Roughly chop the jalapeños and add them to the food processor along with the other peppers. Chop the vegetables finely, place in a mesh sieve and drain off the excess liquid.
3. Place the finely chopped peppers and chilies in a large soup pot and add the sugar, vinegar and salt, stirring well. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pectin and cook for another 1 minute. Remove the jam from the heat. Do a gelling test (we'll explain how this works below) to check the consistency of the jam. If necessary, add a little more pectin and cook for another minute.
Tip: Try not to inhale the jalapeño mixture before adding the sugar as it is very strong and can cause a burning sensation in your eyes and lungs.
4. Fill the jam into hot sterilized jars to the brim, preferably with a ladle and through a funnel. There should be no more than 5-6 millimeters left to the edge so that as little air as possible remains in the glass. Clean the edge with a clean cloth and close the lid tightly. Then turn the glasses upside down on a cloth and let them cool for a few hours. Alternatively, you can boil the jars in a water bath for about 10 minutes.
5. Well-sealed jam jars are allowed to be stored on the shelf. Once opened, store the jam in the refrigerator. After preparation, let the chili jam rest for 1 day and only then enjoy.
Tips for making chili jam
Our taste buds are different. To prepare the jalapeño chili jelly or jam to your own taste, we have collected some tips and variations for you.
Select jalapeños
If you have decided on jalapeños for your chili jam, you can choose between red and green chili peppers. Jalapeños turn red when ripe. However, they are usually harvested green, i.e. only almost ripe. As a general rule, red jalapeño peppers are considered slightly spicier than green ones, but are harder to find in the supermarket. It's best to look for chili peppers that have growth streaking. In Mexico, this is considered a quality feature and an indication that the chilies are more hot.
Adjust the sharpness
When preparing the jam, you can regulate its spiciness. First, for a spicier jelly, choose the jalapeños with white lines and spots (look similar to stretch marks). Since the majority of the capsaicin content is in the membrane and seeds, you should not remove them for an extra-spicy jam. However, if you want to defuse the chillies a little before preparing them, you should remove the membrane and seeds completely. We recommend that you first check the level of spiciness of the chilies and then decide whether and how much of the seeds need to be removed.
Protect fingers and hands
Since the heat of the chilies is mainly in the seeds, they can cause your hands and fingers to burn. To avoid this, always wear household gloves when working with chilies. If gloves are not available, you can grease your fingers with oil to protect them from the capsaicin.
How to do a gelling test?
To check whether your jam is not too runny, you can do a gelling test. Take a teaspoon from the boiling chili jam and drop it onto a cold surface (such as a saucer). If the drops solidify after cooling, then the jam is ready.
Variations for chili jam
As already mentioned, there are quite a few variations for chili jam with jalapeños. For example, you can replace the vinegar with red wine and make a red wine jam. With mint leaves, however, the jelly gets a fresh kick that harmonizes wonderfully with the sweetness and spiciness. Fruit is also always a good choice if you're looking for variations for your chili jam.
2nd variant: Recipe for jalapeño chili jelly
What is the difference between a jam and a jelly? Both spreads are sweet and usually contain fruit (in our case chilies) and sugar. However, there is one small difference – thisclassic jamis made from fruit puree with sugar, whereby the jelly is made only from fruit juice without any fruit components. However, if the spread contains larger pieces of fruit, it is called jam.
If you don't like chili pieces and seeds in your chili jam, you can prepare it like a jelly. Here is a quick recipe that you can easily make yourself.
Ingredients:
- 10 Jalapenos
- 250 ml white vinegar
- 2 1/2 tbsp powdered pectin
- 800g sugar
- 3 – 6 drops green food coloring (optional)
Preparation:
1. Wash the jalapenos, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the stems and, using a teaspoon, remove the seeds from half of them.
2. Place jalapeño halves and vinegar in a high-speed blender and puree as smooth as possible. Strain the mixture if there are any seeds or small pieces left from the jalapeños.NB:Do not inhale the chili and vinegar mixture! Stand a little distance when removing the lid of the mixer and until the sugar is added.
3. Place the mixture in a saucepan and place over high heat. Add pectin powder, stir and bring to a boil.
4. Add the sugar and stir. Add a few drops of green food coloring if desired. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes. If you are using a thermometer, the temperature should be 104-106°C.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and let the jelly cool for a few minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and let rest in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
Nutritional values per serving (1 tbsp):
Calories:53 kcal
Carbohydrates:14 g
Protein:1 g
Fett:1 g
Saturated fatty acids:1 g
Sodium:1 mg
Potassium:6 mg
Fiber:1 g
Zucker:13 g
Vitamin C:3 mg
Calcium:1 mg
Eisen: 1 mg
Why eat jalapeño chili jam or jelly?
Chili jam may seem rather strange at first glance, but in fact it is widely used in the kitchen. There really are many surprising ways to enjoy this sweet and spicy jelly. Now we summarize the best of them.
- Glaze your steak, roast pork or salmon with it. Almost any meat recipe that pairs well with a glaze will pair well with chili jelly.
- Use the jam as a spread on toast, bread and baguettes.
- Prepare an appetizer of crackers with cream cheese and chili jam spread.
- Give your vegetable stir-fry a spicy touch.
- Use the chili jam asDip for appetizers.
- Serve the jelly with a cheese platter.
- Prepare a sweet and spicy dressing for salads.
- Place some chili jelly on vanilla ice cream to give it a zesty flavor.
Glazed pork ribs with chili jam
Salmon with sweet and spicy glaze
Shrimp wrapped in bacon glazed with chili jelly
Make a sweet and spicy glaze for chicken wings
Sandwiches with jalapeño-pineapple jam for a light kick of heat in the morning
Baguette with cream cheese and chili jam is a great appetizer
Party food idea – serve cream cheese with jalapeño jam and crackers
Jalapeño and strawberry jam pairs beautifully with cheese for a beautifully presented cheeseboard
Glazed carrots are given a sweet and spicy note with the chili jam
Pan-fried dishes can be wonderfully refined with chili jam
The jalapeño jelly transforms the vanilla ice cream into a very special dessert
