Cowboy Candy

Cowboy Candy - 10 jars per batch

It's the season when my Jalapeno Chilli is yielding abundantly, allowing me to start preparing my beloved Cowboy Candy.

This sweet, spiced chilli pickle can enhance the flavor of dishes, be savored with cheese and crackers, or simply eaten straight from the jar if you prefer. For a medium heat, use green chillies, or opt for red chillies if you enjoy more heat.

I often use a blend of both.

Ingredients

1.8Kg Jalapeno Chilli's sliced

3 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar(at least 5% acidity)

2 tsp salt

4 cups sugar

8 cloves garlic

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp mustard seeds

Method

1. Combine all ingredients except jalapenos in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

2. Add jalapenos slices, lower heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, until jalapenos are dark green and have begun to absorb some of the brine.

3. Ladle hot jalapenos into a hot jar leaving a 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.

4. Wipe rims and apply lids on finger tight and process in water bath for 15 minutes.

For this batch, I ran out of small preserving jars, so I put them in screw-top jars and tightened the lids while it was very hot. I checked all the jars after 24 hours and they had all sealed.

This recipe has been adapted from the Ball preserving website - https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=candied-jalapenos