Amongst the American canners I know, candied jalapenos (aka “Cowboy Candy”) are a must have. I had never made them before, but when I picked up a gorgeous basket of red jalapenos and wanted to try something different, they jumped to mind right away. They’re great chopped up and mixed into a dip or as a sandwich topping or just on their own. Plus, they’re beautiful!
You’ll need:
2 lbs stemmed and sliced jalapeno peppers (about 40 peppers; 7 cups)
1 lb thinly sliced onions (about 2.5–3 onions; 3.5 cups)
2 c. cider vinegar
6 c. sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp celery seeds
2 tbsp mustard seeds
3 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne
5 1/2 pint jars
5 snap lids and rings
Instructions for cooking and canning:
Wash your Mason jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Since the jars will be boiling in the water bath for 10 minutes, you don't need to pre-sterilize.
In a large pot, add vinegar, sugar, and spices.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer the syrup for 5 minutes.
Add peppers and onions, and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Pack the peppers and onions into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Bring syrup to a hard, rolling boil and boil hard for 6 minutes.
Ladle hot syrup over peppers leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
"Bubble" each jar with a skewer or chopstick to release any trapped air. Add syrup if necessary to maintain correct headspace.
Wipe each rim with a clean paper towel dipped in vinegar. Place the snap lid down and screw the ring on fingertip tight.
Put the jars into your water bath canner. Make sure there is at least an inch of water above the top of your jars. Put the canner lid on and return to the boil for 10 minutes. Don't start your timer until the water is boiling.
Remove jars from the canner or let them sit in the canner until everything calms down.
Make sure all the jars are sealed before you put them away. Any that still haven’t popped to seal by the next day go in the fridge.
