Jalapeño Plum Jelly Recipe

 This Jalapeño Plum jelly is spicy and delicious!

You will love this Jalapeño Plum Jelly! It’s great on crackers, over top of baked potatoes, spread on a chicken sandwich or on a piece of toast. Spicy with heat, I love making this delicious pepper jelly with our homegrown peppers in late summer.

Why You’ll Love This Hot Pepper Plum Jelly

This delicious homemade jelly recipe is a real treat. One of our favorite ways to enjoy it is on good quality crackers. First we spread some goat cheese or cream cheese on the cracker, then add a teaspoon of this spicy jelly. 

It’s got such a beautiful color as well! So, this Jalapeno Plum jelly makes a really nice hostess gift or tucked into a basket along with other homemade goodies for a Christmas gift.

Add a small bowlful to your holiday charcuterie board for spreading on crackers. You can use this condiment on pork roast too.

Easy to make, using our own fresh garden peppers and ripe plums, this jelly is sure to become a favorite appetizer at your house too!

Jalapeño Plum Jelly Ingredients

• Green bell peppers
• Red bell peppers
• Jalapeño peppers
• Fresh plums (I used small fresh ones from the farmers market, but regular plums from the grocery will work as well.)
• Sure Jell or Certo pectin (either liquid pectin or powder pectin)
• Sugar (I used white sugar, raw can sugar can be used instead, but be sure that it fully dissolves in the cooking process).
• Apple cider vinegar

Supplies and Equipment:

• • Canning jars: 8 half-pint jelly jars
  • Water Bath Canner buying one? This one has the rack – you NEED the rack! Also comes with the canning funnel, tongs and more.

• Canning funnel and canning tongs
• Large saucepan to heat the canning jars and lids
• Large cooking pot to heat the ingredients
• Paper towel – to wipe the jars before sealing
• Cutting board and knife
• Rubber gloves for chopping jalapenos

Start by gathering the supplies. Fill your canner with water and put it on the stove. Turn onto high as it takes a while to boil. Prepare your canning jars by washing them in hot soapy water. Use brand new lids, rings can be reused if they are not rusty and in good working condition.

Once the water is boiling, use tongs to place your clean canning jars in the water, along with rings and lids. Let them sit in the boiling water for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them using the tongs.

Making the Hot Pepper Plum Jelly

Chop peppers, discarding stems and seeds, and set aside.

Then, chop the plums; there is no need to peel them. Discard pit. Place peppers and plums in large cooking pot over high heat. Add vinegar and stir well.

Then, add the Sure Jell and again stir well. Bring these ingredients to a rolling boil, stir constantly. Add sugar, bring the mixture to a rolling boil again, stir constantly for 1 minute.

If foam develops, just skim it off the top with a spoon and set aside.

Quickly ladle jelly into sterile jars, to 1/4 inch headspace from top. Get rid of any air bubbles by running a knife along the inside edge of the jars.

Use a canning funnel for this, as it makes it much easier and cleaner too. Wipe the rim and jar threads with paper towel to make sure there isn’t any liquid or particles that would prevent a proper seal. 

Canning Jalapeno Jelly

Place the lid and band on the jar and tighten. When the water in the canner is at a rolling boil, use the canning tongs to place the sealed jars inside. When the water comes to a rolling boil again, after placing the jars in the hot water bath, set the timer; 10 minutes for half-pint jelly jars.

Check your altitude to determine if you need to add extra minutes to the canning time! You can check the canning times for different elevations here.

Have a towel handy when you are ready to remove the jars so the water doesn’t drip all over. Use the canning tongs to remove the jars. Place them on a cooling rack or on top of a folded towel on your countertop.

Listen for them to pop, indicating that each of the jars has sealed. Don’t move them – leave them alone for 24 hours to cool down.

After 24 hours, double check the top lid has sealed by lightly pressing. There shouldn’t be any give. Remove the band and store the jars in your pantry or cupboard for up to one year. I like to wipe down the jars before storing. Remember to label and date your lids. Jelly is ready to eat in 4-6 weeks.

If you have any lids that do not properly seal, place the jelly in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, taste testing after 1 week. It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks and you can enjoy.
Enjoy with crackers, toast, or on baked potatoes.

Important Notes:

It’s important to do the canning process with the same size jars. Do pints together, and quarts together, if you are using a variety of jar sizes. 

It will take awhile for the water to boil again adding the jars for canning. I have had to wait 10 minutes for the water to come to a rolling boil again after putting the jars in. Don’t start timing the canning time until the water is boiling.

Do not stack jars when storing. If there is any leakage, the weight of a jar on the top of the lid may prevent you from realizing it.

More Preserving Recipes You Will Love

This no-cook Strawberry Jam is absolutely delicious and the jars can just be stored in your freezer.

You will LOVE this Chunky Salsa recipe – we guarantee it! Water bath can the salsa to be able to store jars in your pantry.

Learn how to make (and can) your own Tomato Sauce with fresh garden tomatoes.

You can find ALL our Preserving Recipes right here!

Jalapeno Plum Jelly Recipe