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Smoked Jalapeno Pepper Jelly – No Canning Needed!

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This smoked jalapeno pepper jelly hits all the right flavor notes, from sugary sweet to perfectly spicy. Make this easy jalapeno pepper jelly recipe to serve over top smoked cream cheese for an easy appetizer, or use it to baste ribs or grilled chicken. No canning needed!

spooning smoked jalapeno pepper jelly out of a jar

Jalapeno pepper jelly spooned over a block of cream cheese and served with buttery crackers is a classic Southern appetizer, and one that we’ve enjoyed at many family get-togethers. Not only is it incredibly easy to make – you just open a block of cream cheese and a jar of jelly – but it’s also delicious!

The cool cream cheese perfectly compliments the sugary sweet and spicy jelly, and the simple 2 ingredient “dip” is made even better when served alongside another Southern staple ingredient, Ritz crackers.

But we decided to up the ante with the classic pepper jelly cream cheese app by making our own jalapeno jelly. And we’ll probably never buy a jar of the store-bought stuff again!

Here’s how to make this fantastic smoked pepper jelly (even if you don’t have all of those fancy canning gadgets!):

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly Video

Ingredients for Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

ingredients for jalapeno jelly
  • Jalapeños – We used 8 medium to large jalapeno peppers, plus two habanero peppers for the extra spice and color. With 10 total hot peppers, our jelly wasn’t too spicy because we removed all of the seeds and pith (or ribs).
  • Bell peppers – We used one red bell pepper and one orange pepper, purely for the extra color. When the jalapeños are smoked they turn a dull greenish-brown color, so it’s nice to have the extra pop of color from the other peppers.
  • Orange and lime – We used the zest of half the orange and the juice of a quarter of it, in addition to the juice of one lime. The citrus notes are perfect in this jelly recipe.
  • Sugar – And lots of it! Don’t be alarmed.
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Salt
  • Liquid fruit pectin – Pectin is the key to making sure your jelly sets up properly. Find this in the canning or baking aisle of the grocery store. You’ll need 3 ounces of the liquid pectin, which is equal to one pouch inside the box.
jalapeno pepper jelly in a mason jar

Do I need a pressure or steam canner for this jelly?

Nope! We made our jelly to go with smoked cream cheese for a party appetizer, and we used another jar for a glaze for smoked ribs. Since our jelly was gone within 10 days and we stored it in the refrigerator, we weren’t worried about making it shelf stable.

If you use freezer safe mason jars, then you can also freeze whole jars of jelly to use for later.

You will, however, need three pint-sized mason jars and cheese cloth for this recipe.

How to Make Smoked Jalapeno Pepper Jelly (without Canning)

Smoke the Jalapeños

The first step is to smoke the jalapeno peppers on the grill. Just place the raw jalapeños directly on the grill grates and smoke at 225 degrees F for about 1 hour. Then, allow the peppers to cool so you can handle them.

smoking jalapenos on a smoker

When the smoked jalapeños are cool to the touch, cut off the stems, and remove the seeds and pith. Or for a spicier jelly, you can leave the pith (the white inner rib part) in some of the peppers.

Make the Jelly Mix

If you’ve never made jelly before, don’t you worry! The process is fairly straightforward – just follow these steps to dice the peppers and boil the liquid jelly mix:

collage showing steps to make jalapeno pepper jelly
  1. Cut the seeded jalapeños, habaneros, and bell peppers in large chunks and add to a food processor. Process until the peppers are finely diced. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a knife to finely dice the peppers.
  2. Add the diced peppers to a piece of folded over cheesecloth. Squeeze the peppers to remove any excess moisture so that your jelly sets up properly.
  3. Add the diced peppers to a large saucepan or pot with the sugar, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, orange juice and zest, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Then reduce the heat, but still maintain a low boil for 10 minutes. Slowly stir in the liquid pectin, boil the jelly liquid for another 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
  4. Allow the jelly liquid to cool for about 5-10 minutes in the pot. Then, pour into mason jars and screw on the lids. If you use 10 spicy peppers and two medium-sized bell peppers, then this recipe should perfectly fill three pint-sized mason jars.

Cool and Refrigerate

Once you’ve tightened the lids of the mason jars, flip the jars over and allow to cool upside down at room temperature for about 30 minutes to one hour. This will help to evenly distribute the peppers in the jelly.

Then, flip the jars right side up and cool for an additional 4 hours on the counter. *Don’t be alarmed if your jelly isn’t fully set up after the 4-5 hours of initial cooling. It will continue to set in the refrigerator.

Refrigerate the jars of smoked jalapeno pepper jelly overnight, and they should be ready to serve the next day!

block of cream cheese with jalapeno jelly on top served with crackers

Ideas for Using the Smoked Jalapeno Jelly

Hands down, our favorite way to eat this delicious smoked pepper jelly is spooned over a block of cream cheese with buttery crackers. Whether you use a regular block of cream cheese straight from the fridge, or you slather your favorite smoked cream cheese with this jelly, it will be fantastic!

Truth be told, we even sat in bed with a tub of spreadable cream cheese, a sleeve of Ritz crackers, and the jelly jar and made ourselves a little midnight snack while we binge-watched our favorite tv show.

But other than the classic crackers and cream cheese presentation, this hot pepper jelly would be fantastic as a deli sandwich spread, or you could use it to baste ribs or grilled chicken.

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smoked jalapeno jelly

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly Recipe

Trust us, you’re going to want to print this out and save it for later:

Jalapeno Pepper Jelly (No canning required!)

jalapeno pepper jelly in a mason jar
This smoked jalapeno pepper jelly hits all the right flavor notes, from sugary sweet to perfectly spicy. Make this easy jalapeno pepper jelly recipe to serve over top smoked cream cheese for an easy appetizer, or use it to baste ribs or grilled chicken. No canning needed!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Equipment

  • 3 pint-sized mason jars with lids *If freezing the jelly, you will need freezer-safe jars.
  • cheesecloth

Ingredients

  • 8-10 jalapeno peppers
  • 2 habanero peppers (optional)
  • 2 medium bell peppers *We used one red and one orange pepper.
  • cup apple cider vinegar
  • 5 cups granulated sugar
  • juice of one lime
  • ½ navel orange (zest of ½ the orange and juice of ¼ orange)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 oz Certo liquid fruit pectin (1 pouch in the box)

Instructions

  • Preheat smoker to 225℉ with your choice of wood or pellets. Place the whole jalapenos and habaneros (if using) on the grill grates, close the grill lid, and smoke for about 1 hour. Remove the peppers from the grill to cool.
  • When the peppers are cool enough to handle, cut off the stems and remove the seeds and pith (inner white rib part). Then cut the peppers in large chunks. Do the same for the two bell peppers. *See notes.
  • Add all of the seeded peppers to a food processor. Use the pulse setting to process the peppers until they are finely diced. *If you don't have a food processor, you can use a knife to very finely dice the peppers.
  • Add the diced peppers to a piece of folded over cheesecloth. Fold the cheesecloth around the peppers, and squeeze to remove any excess moisture so that your jelly sets up properly.
  • Add the diced peppers to a pot with the sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, juice of one lime, zest of ½ the navel orange, and juice of ¼ of the orange. Mix together well. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Then, reduce the heat to a low boil and continue to boil for another 10 minutes.
  • Slowly stir in the liquid pectin, boil the jelly liquid for another 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then pour into mason jars and screw on lids tightly. Depending on the size and number of your peppers, you should be able to get 3 pint-sized mason jars.
  • Flip the jars over and allow to cool upside down on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This helps to evenly distribute the pepper pieces. Then, flip the jars right-side up and cool at room temperature for another 4-5 hours.
  • After the total 5-6 hour cooling time at room temperature, transfer the jalapeno pepper jelly jars to the refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight, and your jelly should be fully set and ready to serve the next day.
  • Serving suggestions: Spoon one pint of the jelly over a block of cream cheese (or smoked cream cheese) and serve with buttery crackers. Use the jelly as a deli sandwich spread. Use as a glaze for smoked ham or pork tenderloin. Baste onto ribs or grilled chicken about 15 minutes before done cooking.

Video

Notes

  • Refrigeration – Because this pepper jelly doesn’t require canning, you should store the jelly in the refrigerator and consume within 10 days.
  • Freezing – If you use freezer-safe mason jars, you can freeze the jelly after refrigerating it overnight the first night.  The jelly will stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months, and you can simply thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours before serving.
  • Spice Level – When you remove the inner ribs and seeds of the hot peppers, then the jelly has a milder flavor (the wife loved it, so it wasn’t too hot, even with the habaneros).  If you want a spicier jelly, leave the pith in some of the peppers.

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2 Comments

  1. Does anybody have any input on canning this? I was actually going to make a jalapeno pepper jelly to give as gifts does anybody know how long I should hot can this? I can look up comparable recipes but just wanted to ask.

    1. Hi Janice! Not sure about times for hot canning – we’ve never dived into the world of actual canning, but I know that the base recipe is fantastic! We’ve served it to different groups of people and everyone has loved it. 🙂

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