Saturday, May 19, 2012

Cowboy Candy

Cowboy Candy
By Bev Dobson in Canning
* 3 pounds Firm, Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Washed
* 2 cups Cider Vinegar
* 6 cups White Granulated Sugar
* one half teaspoon Turmeric
* one half teaspoon Celery Seed
* 3 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
* 1 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
makes 2 pints
Preparation Instructions
Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do
this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem. Discard the stems.
Slice the peppers into uniform 1/ 4 inch rounds. Set aside.
In a large pot , bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and
cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pepper slices and
simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean,
sterile canning jars to within 1/ 4 inch of the upper rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot
with the syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.
Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a cooking
chopstick to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air.
Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean paper towel dampened with white vinegar and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.
I F YOU DO NOT WANT TO CAN THESE TO THE POINT OF SHELF STABLE, YOU CAN
SIMPLYPUT THE JARS I N YOUR REFRIGERATOR AND STORE THEM THERE. I prefer to keep thefridge space free so I can them. I f you wish to can them, follow the instructions below.

Note: I f you have left over syrup, and it is likely that you will, you may can it in half -pint or
pint jars, too. I t 's wonderful brushed on meat on the grill or added to potato salad or, or, or
in short , don't toss it out !

TO CAN, place jars in a canner and cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full
rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, SET THE TIMER FOR 10 MINUTES FOR HALFPINTS OR 15 MINUTES FOR PINTS. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the
jars to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe
them with a clean, damp washcloth, then label.
Allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating. We never can
resist that long.

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