Jalapeño Jelly Failure…then (partial) Redemption

[Compulsive Smoker]

Yesterday I decided to try @DRKsmoking ’s Jalapeño Jelly, so I started by dicing up all my peppers…

Put them all in a kettle and boiled it according to the recipe…

Where I went wrong, was using powdered fruit pectin instead of liquid pectin, it did not thicken at all!! I also used less sugar which I afterwards read online would have kept it from thickening…

I canned it anyway, planning to use it like standard pickled jalapeños, but today I got the idea to try to thicken it with cornstarch and see how that worked.

It worked pretty good, it’s not jelly, more like thickened fruit, but the flavor is great!

I bought some liquid pectin, and want to try this again and do it right next time, but at least I can use up what I already have and don’t need to throw it out…

 

[mr_whipple]

Interesting! I love all things jalapeno and that looks like a winner! I wonder about the corn starch though maybe altering the flavor a bit? But you did that to a jar that was already canned?

 

[Compulsive Smoker]

Interesting! I love all things jalapeno and that looks like a winner! I wonder about the corn starch though maybe altering the flavor a bit? But you did that to a jar that was already canned?

Yes, I canned it, then unsealed the jar and dumped it in a small kettle and brought it to a boil then added the corn starch…it probably made it sweeter, but that didn’t really matter since I had only put about half the sugar in that the original recipe called for…

 

[mr_whipple]

Yes, I canned it, then unsealed the jar and dumped it in a small kettle and brought it to a boil then added the corn starch…it probably made it sweeter, but that didn’t really matter since I had only put about half the sugar in that the original recipe called for…

Gotcha. Very nice! I still may make some jelly with the last stash of peppers I have.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Yesterday I decided to try @DRKsmoking ’s Jalapeño Jelly, so I started by dicing up all my peppers…
View attachment 741375
Put them all in a kettle and boiled it according to the recipe…
View attachment 741376
View attachment 741377
Where I went wrong, was using powdered fruit pectin instead of liquid pectin, it did not thicken at all!! I also used less sugar which I afterwards read online would have kept it from thickening…
View attachment 741378
I canned it anyway, planning to use it like standard pickled jalapeños, but today I got the idea to try to thicken it with cornstarch and see how that worked.

It worked pretty good, it’s not jelly, more like thickened fruit, but the flavor is great!
View attachment 741380
I bought some liquid pectin, and want to try this again and do it right next time, but at least I can use up what I already have and don’t need to throw it out…

Sounds good Mike, and thanks for the plug,

But always need to add the right amount of sugars that is called for to help it set.

And I am not really sure with the added corn starch even though you said you reboiled the batch.
It might not be shelf stable, but it should be ok to keep in the fridge and consume.

Did you water bath it , or just let the vaccum set from the hot pickles and the hot jars.

Just want to make sure you are safe ,

David