I wouldn't be inclined to leave it at room temperature, though with all that vinegar and sugar I don't necessarily see a safety issue. I think the quality is better refrigerated (i.e. crispness).

Annie called it "Cowboy Candy" but actually it's a Bread and Butter Jalapeno. I just modified an online recipe, so can't take any particular credit. I like the honey in the syrup and I really aim for about 50-50 red vs. green jalapenos, which makes for the prettiest pickle.

I almost never use distilled vinegar but in this case it's all about color - it makes a great holiday pickle. I thought about white wine but really the more assertive and neutral distilled works well here.

Bread and Butter Jalapeno Peppers

Categories: Canning & Preserving Pickles and Relishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 pounds jalapeno chile peppers -- mixed red and green
2 pounds onions
hot red chili peppers -- dried, one per jar
7 1/2 cups white vinegar -- 5%
3 cups honey -- (24 ounces)
3 teaspoons powdered ginger
3 teaspoons mustard seed
3 teaspoons celery seed
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

Wash, top and seed jalapenos. Slice about 1/3" thick. (I like a bit thicker rather than thinner.) Clean, peel and slice onions thickly. Small boiler onions preferred.

Soak vegetables for an hour in cold water after slicing (this will help float out some of the seeds.) I soaked in separate bowls.

Put the remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add jalapenos and onions and fresh red peppers if using instead of dried. Heat mixture to a simmer. Stir and turn mix for 10 minutes.

Pack peppers in canning jars with one red pepper per jar, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Pour the hot sweet mix on the peppers, filling to 1/2 inch head space. Seal and immerse fully in a simmering hot water bath at 180F (not a roiling boil) for 10 minutes.

After cooling, age for 6 weeks in a dark cupboard.

Yield is 7-8 pints.

"Original Source: http://recipecircus.com/recipes/Trish/PICKLESandRELISHES/Bread_and_Butter_Jalapeno_Recipes.htm";

Carol

thanku, Carol ... really quite service

if I wanted to use sugar rather than honey.... would it be a l:l substitution? (have the jalapenos, but not the honey)
Kay

I think you can just go by taste on the sugar. Honey has more sweetening power than sugar so I'm guessing it would take about 4 cups sugar. You may also find you're a little short on pickling solution as honey is liquid. (Not sure about that.)

I know honey is more expensive and if you don't have it on hand sugar is definitely the more convenient option. But for me this recipe is as much about the honey as the peppers, so when you get a chance, you might try that too and see if the difference is worth it for you.

Carol

I picked up a pound of Jals today and plan to make the refrigerated version.
There weren't any red jals...so I'll wait till I can get reds for your recipe and I'll pick up some honey. I think I'll put 'em up in half pints -- nice gifting size.

Just as a matter of curiousity, when sugar liquidifies, how much volume do you get? cup for cup? or is the sugar absorbed into the existing liquids with little or no volume gain?

It would vary so much from recipe to recipe I have no idea how one would calculate it.

Interesting question, though. If I run across an answer, I'll let you know. It must be less because of the crystalline structure of sugar. And I'm just remembering what happens to a cup of sugar when it's caramelized.

Carol

I'm convinced such questions cause my brain to 'keep on truckin'... maybe it'll head off dementia.

Kay

Carol, I just dissolved 4 cups sugar in 4 cups vinegar (no heat) and got six cups. Now I've got to get more cukes so I can use up the excess syrup. Funny how things never come out even and you always have to buy more of one thing or another.

kay

With pickling I never seem to even out with product vs. syrup. Never. At least, not until I've made a recipe a time or two and make my own notes about amounts. Somehow the recipes just don't work for me.

I hope you enjoy those pickles. I didn't add pickle crisp the previous batches and we still loved them (especially DH) but next time I'm giving it a try. These are not especially hot, by the way, more like mildly warm. But the flavor is good. I've also found I like jals much better than cucumbers for relish; I use a sugar-vinegar brine and ground jals for that.

Carol

I had thought of using a lime soak, but it is a pain... so maybe I'll pick up some Pickle Crisp. It's getting so la-de-da around here that canning supplies are hard to find. There's an old-fashioned feed store (baby chicks in the spring -- not for Easter, for raising) about 20 miles up the road, so I hope they have it.

I've found a recipe for "Candied Jals" ... you know cook, let set overnight, drain, etc several times and I'm gonna try that too.

Kay

Carol I finally got some jalapenos ... no reds and they were beginning to show crack lines. scrounged almost enuf for a half recipe, used red sweet peppers to get the weight, also used shallots and went with the honey.
Have to wait til around Thanksgiving to see how I did, but from the way they looked while packing and in the jar after processing, I don't think they'll be as crisp as I like. I couldn't fnd any Pickle Crisp.

I was puzzled about the temperature you specified above 180 degrees .. simmer. I had put the jars in the rack over simmering water before lowering. I had a hard time getting the temp down to 180 and the water was sorta steaming, but not what I call a simmer.
My instant read said it was l0 or 15í degrees over. So I'm afraid I made mush.

I had always thought you needed a rolling boil to process and a covered pot.

Is this what they call pastuerizing?

syrup tasted great.

kay

kayskats,

"Crack lines" on jalapenos are good, aren't they? "Corking"---sign of mature flavour and all that.

After all, good, mature cowboys have a few lines on 'em, so why not their candy? ;-p

Z

Yes, that's low-temp pasteurization, which frankly is a pain. I know the jals won't be "crisp" without a crisping agent, but I doubt they'll be mush either.

I like crunch but I've had somewhat softer homemade pickles and I have to say I don't find the texture bothersome. It's definitely not a deal-breaker.

I think I arrived at the conclusion that (depending of course upon the recipe and method) it's one of the features that sometimes distinguishes homemade from commercial. And it's quite different from a mushy pickle that's the result of poor product or improper fermentation.

Carol

My mature cowboy has a few lines, and he's still good ;-)

ajsmama,

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! ;-)

Z

If I would like to add large chunks of garlic to this recipe, how would I safely do that?

Also, can agave be interchanged with the honey or sugar?

Thanks!

You can safely add some garlic cloves (3-4 max per whole recipe) as long as you stick with the straight 5% vinegar and don't dilute it. Not sure how you'd like the end result flavor though given this is a sweet pickle recipe.

As for the agave? No, not only has it never been tested with agave and its very different pH (no canning recipes have been AFAIK) but you'd loose the water binding ability of the other sweeteners and alter the texture and taste. If you want to use agave then just plan on fridge storage, not canning them.

Dave

Thanks Dave! I knew I could count on you :)