When the men folk of the family love hot stuff and they love pickles you have to get creative to keep them on their toes…..introducing COWBOY CANDY.
It is essentially a candied jalapeno – a little sweet and as spicy as you like. You can use it any way you want – on pizza, on crackers, on sandwiches, let you imagination be the judge.
Yields 3 Pints
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds fresh firm, jalapeno peppers, washed
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 6 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 3 teaspoons granulated garlic (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional – for extra HEAT)
Process:
- Wash the jalapenos, and take out as many seeds as you desire. The more seeds you leave in, the hotter the Cowboy Candy.
- Slice into uniform 1/4″ circle slices.
- In a large stainless steel pot, bring apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic, and ground cayenne pepper to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add sliced jalapeno peppers to simmering mixture. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully skim out all jalapenos and transfer to empty jars using the funnel ensuring 1/4 in head space.
- Once again, turn up the heat on the pot with the remaining syrup and bring to a full boil. Boil hard for 5 minutes.
- Using a ladle, pour the boiling syrup over the jalapenos in the jars.
- Use debubbler to release any remaining bubbles. Add additional syrup if needed to maintain 1/4″ headspace.
- Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp cloth ensuring that the rims are clean.
- Place flat lid and screw band on jar and finger tighten.
- Place in a waterbath canner and boil for 15 minutes for pints or 10 minutes for half-pints.
- Allow 4 weeks before opening.
Preserving the Good Life 
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