Cherry Habanero Jam
Fresh cherry habanero jam adds some sweet heat to your plate. This spin on pepper jelly is delicious spread over crackers and cream cheese for a sweet, savory bite.
Servings: 6 pints
Calories: 612kcal
Ingredients
- 4 heaping cups dark red sweet cherries
- 1 cup finely diced red pepper
- 1 small habanero pepper
- 4 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp Ball Real Fruit Pectin Classic
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp butter optional
Instructions
- Wash and de-stem the cherries. Using a cherry pitter, pit them over a bowl so that you lose as little juice as possible.4 heaping cups dark red sweet cherries
- Stick a knife into the bowl and roughly chop up the cherries before adding them to a large pot.
- Sprinkle the lime juice out over the cherries and gently stir them to coat.2 tbsp lime juice
- Stir the red pepper into the cherries.1 cup finely diced red pepper
- Finely mince the habanero pepper. Remember-- the more pith and seeds you keep will increase the heat. Add the pepper to the pot as well.1 small habanero pepper
- Stir the pectin into the fruit and heat the mixture on low heat, continuing to stir occasionally, until the pectin's melted.6 tbsp Ball Real Fruit Pectin Classic
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the mixture to a roiling bowl.
- Stir in the sugar until almost completely melted. Allow the mixture to reach a rolling boil again.4 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
- If the pot's foaming stir in the butter. If not, you can omit it entirely. Otherwise let the jam boil for a full minute.1 tbsp butter
- Remove the pot from heat. Skim off any excess foam. Let the mixture rest for a minute or two.
- Fill canning jars up to a 1/4" from the top.
- Wipe the rim of a jar with a damp paper towel, place flat lid on top of jar and place band on screwing until just hand tightened. Repeat for each additional jar until the jam is all canned.
- Process your filled jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Then store or gift accordingly.
- Notes
- To avoid a painful case of Hot Pepper Hands, use a pair of rubber gloves when slicing and dicing the habanero peppers.
Notes
- The intensity of the habanero pepper will decrease with cooking, so I’d advise tasting as you go to decide how much you want to add.
- Keep in mind the more pith and seeds you keep will increase the heat.
- We’ve found true heat seekers like it best when the hot pepper is stirred in right after cooking, but right before removing the pot from the heat.
- I highly recommend wearing a pair of rubber gloves when chopping the habanero pepper to avoid painful pepper hands.
Nutrition
Calories: 612kcal | Carbohydrates: 153g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 152g | Vitamin A: 853IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg