Spicy Cherry Jam

A sweet and tangy cherry jam with serrano heat and a little red bell pepper, cooked down with apple cider vinegar. Spread it on toast or serve it with a sharp cheese.

Course Condiment

Keyword Serrano Pepper

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 61kcal

Ingredients

4 cups sweet cherries pitted and chopped (about 2 1/4 pounds before pitting)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 serrano pepper seeds removed and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper seeded and finely diced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Put a small plate in the freezer for testing the set later.
Add the cherries, vinegar, water, sugar, serrano and bell pepper to a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil.
Boil steadily, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, until the cherries are soft.
Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then use a hand blender to blend the jam to your desired consistency (about half blended works best).
Return the pan to medium-high heat and boil, stirring often and scraping the bottom as it thickens, until it reaches 220°F on a thermometer, about 10 to 20 minutes more.
No thermometer? Spoon a little jam onto the cold plate and return it to the freezer for 1 minute. Push it with your finger: if it wrinkles, it's ready. If it's still runny, boil for a few more minutes and test again.
Ladle the jam into 2 clean half-pint (8-ounce) jars, leaving a little space at the top. Let it cool, then seal and refrigerate. It firms up more as it chills.

Notes

This is a refrigerator jam. It hasn't been tested for water-bath canning, and peppers are a low-acid ingredient that can change a jam's acidity, so don't store it in the cupboard. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or freeze it for up to a year.

Serranos run 10,000 to 23,000 SHU. For a milder jam, use a jalapeño, or skip the chili and add a little more bell pepper.

Nutrition