Spicy Pineapple Habanero Jelly

Are you a fan of the sweet and spicy jelly? If you are, this Spicy Pineapple Habanero Jelly is the recipe for you.

What Makes This Pepper Jelly So Good?

There are several things, but let's start with the most important. The flavor. The pineapple and habanero are a dream team. Spicy, but also perfectly sweet.

You can use this jelly in so many ways! I am going to talk more about this in the section below, so keep reading.

Another thing, this jelly is really pretty simple to make! I mean, it takes a little time, but it isn't like our grandmothers who spent days slaving over their preserves. This comes together pretty quickly.

It stores well. If you are canning this, I will explain more below, this will hold for up to a year!

These also make the cutest gifts.

Ingredients

• Fresh Pineapple- I haven't tried it with canned, but I imagine it is much better with fresh.
• Habaneros- You can sub these out for other peppers if you want, which I will discuss below, but my favorite is the habanero.
• Granulated Sugar- There are recipes that don't use refined sugars, this isn't one of those recipes. Not only does the sugar work to sweeten the recipe, but also to help the pectin to thicken.
• White Vinegar
• Salt- It only takes a touch, but it is necessary.
• Liquid Pectin- This is what we use to thicken the jelly.

How To Make The Pineapple Habanero Jelly

1. Start by cutting up your pineapple into chunks. You can leave it in small chunks, but I like to pulse it down a little further. I throw it into a food processor so it is in very small chunks. Then place it in a strainer and drain out a lot of the liquid. This has helped me get better results.
2. Next, prep your peppers. If you have never worked with hot peppers, there are a few things to know. Make sure and wear gloves. This is really important. next, DO NOT TOUCH your face. Avoid that area at all costs. Actually avoid touching any part of your body until you have washed you hands thoroughly, several times.
3. You can remove the seeds and veins if you would like, or leave them in. The veins and seeds will make it much hotter. So, if you want it spicy, but not burn your face off, remove the seeds.
4. I threw my peppers into the food processor to blend them up as well. It was just easier than cutting them up.
5. Add the pineapple, habaneros, sugar, salt, and vinegar to your pan on medium heat.
6. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is right at a boil.
7. Add in the pectin, mix well, then allow it to boil for 2 minutes.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Now, you just need to decide how to store the jelly! I will give you some options below.

Canning Your Pineapple Habanero Jelly In A Water Bath

Boil a couple of gallons of water in a tall pan. Make sure that it is high enough to cover the tops of your canning jars when they are added.

Make sure the jars are still hot when you add in the hot jam. Remember, hot jars, hot jam. Ladle in the jam from the pan to your jar. A funnel works best for curbing the mess this can create.

Leave about a quarter-inch at the top. You want to remove all air bubbles and then clean around the rim of the jar. You won’t get a proper seal if the rim isn’t clean. Then put the lid on, and the screw ring on top of that.

Next, lower your jars into the tall pan of boiling water. You can use a rack to put them in the boiling water, or a jar lifter like I use. Leave them in there for 15 minutes, and then turn off the heat and remove the jars.

Let them sit for 12 hours, and then check the seals. If any of the seals are broken just store those in the fridge and use them first.

How To Sterilize Your Canning Jars

The first step in canning is to sterilize your jars. This is not a step you want to skip. Yes, if your water bath time is long enough, they say you don’t need to sterilize, but it is a good habit to get into.

Do this by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Once it is boiling, add in your jars. Make sure they fully submerge. Boil them for about 10-15 minutes to remove any bacteria.

I am going to link to Spruce Eats for information on sterilizing jars, they note adjustments to altitude and I didn’t want to go into that in this post. There is plenty of misinformation out there, so again, be mindful!

Ways To Serve Your Pineapple Habenero Jelly

Our very favorite way to eat pepper jellies is with it over cream cheese and eaten with some type of crackers. Every time I serve this, it is like a party in our house!

We also love these pepper jellies on biscuits, cornbread, toast, etc.

It also makes a great glaze for grilling meats- pork is my favorite.

You can add it on top of yogurt or even ice cream.

I promise there are so many ways to eat this jelly! I usually don't even can it as we go through it so fast!

What other peppers can I use in this jelly?

There are so many other peppers you can use. It just depends on your tolerance for heat. Jalapenos would be milder, or even serranos. If you want something with a little more kick, how about ghost peppers or even Thai hot peppers? Just sub out the same amount of peppers.

Can I make this pepper jelly less spicy?

You can reduce the amount of habaneros to 5, or if you really don't like spicy food, reduce it to 2-3 peppers. The amount of sugar cuts the heat drastically though, you might be surprised about the kind of heat you can handle!

How long will this jelly hold for?

If you are holding it in the fridge, just make sure that it’s in an airtight container. As long as it’s in an airtight container this jam will hold great for 3 weeks but will hold for even longer than that. The only problem is it never lasts that long in my family! If it is canned, it will hold for about a year or maybe 2.

Related Recipes

• Strawberry habanero jam
• Cranberry habanero jelly
• Fresh mango salsa
• Habanero Ranch Dressing
• Peach jalapeno salsa
• Shrimp and avocado crostini
• Easy jalapeno ranch dressing

• Snacks