Easy Pineapple Habanero Pepper Freezer Jelly

There are just a few more peppers left to pick before they're done for the season. I love making this jam with them! Sometimes, I share it with neighbors or save it for Christmas gifts, but mostly, I like to hoard it. LOL It really does go well with meats and fish, however, it also works well with cream cheese and crackers too. This recipe makes 8, 6 oz jars:

Photo bypintrest

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-large fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and finely chopped*
• 5 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup finely chopped golden delicious
• 1 cup finely chopped orange bell pepper, from 1 large pepper
• 1-3 orange habanero peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3 ounces liquid fruit pectin, 1 pouch
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Place the finely chopped fresh pineapple into a strainer set over a bowl. Press the pineapple with the back of a spoon to release as much juice as possible. Allow it to drain while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large pot, combine sugar, vinegar, diced apple, bell pepper, habanero, red pepper flakes, butter, and exactly 3 cups of the drained pineapple (any extra can be saved for another use). Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and cook for 10 minutes, carefully watching the pot to prevent the jelly from overflowing. Lower the heat if needed.

Add Certo and lemon juice, then bring the mixture back to a rolling boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Remove the pot from heat and skim off any foam on the surface. Ladle the jelly into clean jars, leaving 1/2-inch of space at the top for expansion.

If freezing, cover with lids and allow the jelly to sit for 24 hours before placing it in the freezer. If using the hot water bath canning method, use sterilized jars and immediately follow the water bath process. Note that the jelly may take up to 24 hours to fully set.

*Notes:

Canned pineapple works as well for this recipe; just make sure that they are drained very well prior to using.

Make sure that your pineapple is just about to be ripe, not actually ripe as you would when eating it fresh. The reason for this is because it will be more watery, and the natural pectin will be less. You want to make sure that your jelly is jelly, not a sauce. (Unless you're using it over pork, or chicken, or seafood....yumm).

You can water bath can these as well for shelf storage if you prefer.