Crabapple-Pepper Jelly

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One of the exciting things about moving here in springtime was having the chance to observe the plants and trees growing here at the beginning of the growing season. I wasn’t able to put time or energy into starting a garden that first year we moved in because life was so busy, but I wasn’t lacking for food to harvest. Not only were the majority of our fields covered in blackberries, but there were fruit trees scattered throughout as well, including cherries, elderberries, apples, hawthorn trees, plums, quince, and lots of crabapples.

For me, it was the crabapples that immediately caught my attention. we have a few varieties that grow here, but there’s one particular tree that has the most vibrant, gorgeous red fruit I’ve ever seen, and I was immediately drawn to it. Like I said, we were short on time that first summer here, and truthfully we lacked space. The kitchen wasn’t even fully unpacked, so the idea of digging out my jars and then finding a place for them amongst the chaos didn’t appeal, but this summer when the trees started fruiting again, I was determined to find something quirky to do with them

Enter the the steam juicer, a kitchen tool I’d never used before. I purchased one to try this summer, and found that the juice from the crabapples was just as bright red as the fruit, and it was surprisingly sweet considering the crabapples themselves were so sour and puckery. I was able to get a gallon of juice from just one round in the steam juicer, so I had plenty to work with, and decided I wanted to turn some of it into jelly to maximize on its gorgeous color.

But I didn’t want straight crabapple jelly. I wanted it to have a kick of flavor or spice, and we just so happened to have hot peppers growing in our garden that were ready to harvest, so I sliced some up, tossed them in a big stock pot, seeds and all, and added the crabapple juice. I steeped them together for awhile, gave the juice a taste, and it was perfect.

That evening, I made jelly using the only pectin I had in the house, which was Pomonas Universal Pectin. I loved using Pomona’s for this because the amount of sugar needed is so much less than your typical pectin recipe, but please note that Pomona’s pectin doesn’t just require less sweetener, it actually needs less sweetener for the jelly to set, meaning if you add too much sugar, you’ll have issues with getting your jelly to set at all.

I’ve written my instructions here to reflect Pomona’s instructions for crabapple jelly, but you’ll want to make some modifications to your sugar amounts if you’re using a standard pectin. Enjoy!

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Crabapple-Pepper Jelly

Author: A Wooden Nest

This recipe was developed with Pomona's Universal Pectin in mind, which is a pectin that requires less sugar than most in order to gel up. If you're using a different type of pectin, please consult that brand's info sheet to adjust for the amount of sweetener needed.

Ingredients

• 4 cups unsweetened crabapple juice
• 2 cups sliced hot peppers (like jalapeño)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
• 4 teaspoons Pomona's Universal Pectin
• 4 teaspoons Calcium Water (prepare as instructed on the box)

Instructions

To Prepare the Juice

1. Combine the crabapple juice with the peppers in a large saucepan and place over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to simmer. Reduce heat to low, and continue to stir now and then for the next 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep until mixture cools.
2. Strain the peppers out of the juice and pour into a large stockpot to make your jelly.

To Make the Jelly

1. This recipe is specifically for those using Pomona's Universal Pectin. If you are using a different type of pectin, please refer to manufacturer's guidelines for instructions on how to proceed.
2. Place the crabapple juice, lemon/lime juice and calcium water in a large stockpot, and stir well to combine.
3. Pour sugar out into a separate bowl. Add the pectin and whisk into the sugar until evenly combined.
4. Bring mixture in stockpot up to a full rolling boil. Add in the sugar-pectin mixture and stir vigorously for two minutes while mixture comes back up to a boil. Remove from heat.

Storage

1. At this point you can either store your jelly in the refrigerator, or you can water bath can for shelf-stable storage as outlined below:
2. Fill your jars. I like to use half-pint jars, and leave 1/4-inch headspace. After all jars are filled, wipe the rims clean using a clean rag dipped in hot water. Place lids and bands on each jar, and add, fully submerged, to a boiling water bath. Let boil for 10 minutes (or longer if you live in high elevation).
3. Remove jars from water bath canner and place on a towel-lined counter. Let jars cool, remove bands and check seals. Jars should be stored without bands on.

Notes

https://pomonapectin.com/instruction-sheet/

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