Cowboy Candy

Author: Jessica Milnes

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Cowboy Candy

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 40 Min

This is made in a Boiling Water Canner. Cowboy Candy is such a fun way to preserve a big batch of jalapeños. The peppers become sweet, tangy, and spicy with that perfect little bite. I love having jars tucked away in the pantry to pull out for an easy appetizer or to add a little something extra to a meal.

Ingredients

Preserving

• 4 pounds fresh jalapeño peppers
• 3 cups apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, 5% acidity
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare your boiling water canner, jars, lids, and bands according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them.
2. Wearing gloves, wash the jalapeños and remove the stems. Slice the peppers into 1/4 inch rings.
3. In a large stainless steel or enameled saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, turmeric, mustard seeds, and cayenne pepper.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Add the sliced jalapeños. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, until the peppers have darkened and begun soaking up the sweet brine.
6. Ladle the hot jalapeños and brine into hot pint mason jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust the headspace if needed.
7. Wipe the rims of the jars. Center the lids and apply the bands until fingertip tight.
8. Place the filled jars in a boiling water canner, making sure the jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
9. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover, and process pint jars for 15 minutes at 0 to 1,000 feet. Processing time must be increased at higher elevations.
10. Turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Allow the jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them.
11. Place the jars upright on a towel and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check that each jar has sealed before storing.

Notes

High Altitude Processing

Ball specifies a 15 minute base processing time and instructs canners to adjust for altitude. Standard boiling water canning adjustments add 5 minutes at 1,001 to 3,000 feet, 10 minutes at 3,001 to 6,000 feet, 15 minutes at 6,001 to 8,000 feet, and 20 minutes at 8,001 to 10,000 feet.

Jessica’s Note: These are so good served over a block of cream cheese with crackers. It is one of those easy things to pull straight from the pantry when you need a quick appetizer.

Preserving Note: For shelf stable canning, use vinegar labeled 5% acidity and keep the ingredient amounts, jar size, headspace, and processing directions as written. This recipe is based on Ball’s tested Candied Jalapeños canning recipe.