Spicy cherry jam has that perfect level of “sweet and tangy.” It’s sweet enough to work well with a simple piece of toast. And it’s tangy enough to hold its own with a strong cheese. Plus, it’s simple enough to make on the fly to use up those extra cherries at the end of a season.
We use serrano peppers in our recipe, which have a reasonably strong medium heat (10,000 to 23,000 Scoville heat units.) If serranos are too spicy, jalapeño peppers have a similar bright, grassy bite but with roughly half the heat (2,500 to 8,000 SHU.) Or, feel free to remove the heat altogether, by subbing in more bell pepper.
When sealed in a sterilized jar, you can store your spicy cherry jam in a cupboard for up to six months. When opened, it’s best to use your jam within two weeks.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Strawberry Jalapeño Jam: A sweeter jam, with a touch less heat, making it a bit more family-friendly.
- Mango Habanero Jam: Want to step up the spiciness? Habs deliver a bold spiciness and mangos work well with that pepper’s tropical fruitiness.
- Ginger And Chili Jam: A twist on the flavor – ginger delivers a unique warmth.
Spicy Cherry Jam
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped cherries fresh cherries, pit removed
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 serrano pepper seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 bell pepper seed removed and diced
Instructions
- Add all of the chopped cherries to a deep bottom saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and add the vinegar, water, sugar, serrano pepper, and bell pepper. Stir to combine.
- Boil the mixture for 60 minutes.
- Remove it from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Use a hand blender to smooth the jelly base to your desired consistency (around half blended works best.)
- Place the mix back on the heat and simmer for a further 30 minutes.
- Check its consistency by placing a spoonful of jam on a small plate and allow to set for 10 minutes.
- If the jam sets, remove it from the saucepan and and pour into 2 sterilized jars. Seal with an airtight lid.