Golden Pepper Jelly

• 3 large fleshy yellow bell peppers
• 1 to 4 serrano chile peppers
• 1-1/2 cups white distilled vinegar (5%)
• 7 cups sugar
• 1 package (3 oz) liquid pectin
• Yield: About 7 half-pint jars

Procedure:

CAUTION Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

Wash all peppers thoroughly; remove stems and seeds from the peppers. Do not remove the membrane from the hot peppers, since the remaining capsaicin is located there. Place sweet and hot peppers in a blender or food processor. Add enough vinegar to puree the peppers, then puree. Combine the pepper-vinegar puree and remaining vinegar into a 6 or 8 quart saucepan. Heat to a boil; then boil 20 minutes to extract flavors and color. Remove from heat and strain through a jelly bag into a bowl. (The jelly bag is preferred; several layers of cheesecloth may also be used.) Add the strained pepper-vinegar juice back to the saucepan. Stir in sugar until dissolved and return to a boil. Add the pectin, return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, quickly skim off any foam, and fill into sterile jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.

NOTE The use of yellow peppers gives this jelly a light golden color. Other colored sweet peppers can be substituted, but these will provide a different jelly color. Other hot peppers can also be substituted. It is best to start with a mild hot pepper flavor and increase it to suit personal tastes. If properly prepared, the jelly will have a mildly firm set; it is best to use half-pint jars.

Recommended process time for Golden Pepper Jelly in a boiling-water canner
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time at Altitudes of
		0-1,000 ft	1,001-6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Half-pints	5 min	10 min	15 min