Canned Cowboy Candy

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Canned Cowboy Candy is the perfect way to preserve a bunch of jalapenos in an addictive sweet and spicy sauce. Perfect on burgers, Mexican foods, in dips, and pimento cheese spread.

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WHAT IS COWBOY CANDY?

Cowboy candy is another name for candied jalapenos. They are sliced jalapenos that are simmered and sweetened in a seasoned simple syrup with a few pickling spices.

What is so great about these little bits of goodness is the combination of sweet and spicy. They are perfect mixed in with cream cheese for a dip with crackers or topping for nachos and burgers.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A LOT OF JALAPENOS?

One can eat just so many jalapenos at a time, and it always seems my peppers are ready all at the same time. I have dried them and ground them into a powder for seasoning. However, my family’s favorite way of preserving them is canned cowboy candy. You can keep them for up to a year, it’s easy to do, and there are so many different ways you can use them in recipes all year long.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST JALAPENOS

Generally, smaller and brighter peppers are hotter, so choose accordingly. Also, be sure the pepper is smooth. If it’s dimpled, then it is starting to lose moisture and is not very fresh.

HOW DO YOU MAKE COWBOY CANDY?

This is an easy recipe to make with a few simple precautions when working with jalapenos.

HOW TO CUT JALAPENOS SAFELY

I always use Disposable Gloves when cutting jalapenos. Just be sure to not rub your face when you have the gloves on.

1. Start by cutting the stem off your jalapeno.
2. Cut the jalapeno pepper in half.
3. Using a spoon, scoop the seeds out from the inside of the pepper, scraping as much of the white rib out with the seeds.
4. Cut the two halves of the pepper into halves again.
5. Cut the slices into diced pieces

WHAT TO DO IF YOU TOUCH A JALAPENO

Place your hands in a bowl of cool milk or smear yogurt on like lotion. The casein found in dairy can help wash the capsaicin (the burning part of a jalapeno) off your hands. Also, hot, soapy water can help relieve the burn. Gently scrub with a clean kitchen brush until the pain subsides.

COWBOY CANDY VARIATIONS

• Smokey Cowboy Candy: Add 1 tbsp smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon cumin to the basic recipe.
• Brown Sugar Candied Jalapenos: Substitute the white sugar in the basic recipe for brown sugar.
• Christmas Cowboy Candy: Use 1/2 very ripe red jalapenos and 1/2 green. Follow the basic recipe.
• Tropical Cowboy Candy: Substitute 1/3 of the jalapenos for small fresh pineapple pieces.

REFRIGERATOR CANDIED JALAPENOS

Follow the recipe then place candied jalapenos in jars. Keep in the refrigerator for up to three months.

HOW TO CAN COWBOY CANDY

Canned candied jalapenos are a great recipe to learn canning for beginners.

If you are not familiar with canning but would like to learn, first, visit my post on A beginners guide to Canning Terms. Next, read through my Canning Supplies guide. This canning supplies guide is the perfect way to start learning how to economically can your own healthy vegetables, jams, soups, and meats.

Then read my Water Bath Canning For Beginners post. You will easily learn the basics of home preserving and be ready to confidently can up a big batch of your own canned Cowboy Candy.

STEPS TO CANNING CANDIED JALAPENOS

1. Before you start preparing your peppers, place a canner rack in the bottom of a boiling water canner.  Fill the canner half full with clean, warm water for a canner load of pint jars. For other sizes and numbers of jars, you will need to adjust the amount of water so it will be 1 to 2 inches over the top of the filled jars.

2. Center the canner over the burner and preheat the water to 140 degrees F. for raw-packed foods and to 180 degrees F. for hot-packed foods. You can begin preparing food for your jars while this water is preheating.

3. Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem. Discard the stems

4. Slice the peppers into uniform 1/8-1/4 inch rounds. Set aside.

5. In a large pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic, and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 

6. Raise the heat to boiling again, add the pepper slices, return to a hard boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer for exactly 4 minutes.

7. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cowboy candy, loading them into clean, sterile canning jars to within 1/4 inch of the upper rim of the jar.

8. Laddle or pour the syrup into the jars over the candied jalapeno slices to 1/4 inch headspace, Insert a butter knife to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air. Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary.

9. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness. Place jars in canner rack.

10. Place rack in a canner, cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints.

11. Using a jar lifter, remove the jars one at a time, being careful not to tilt the jars. Carefully place them directly onto a kitchen towel or cake cooling rack, leaving at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft.

CANNED COWBOY CANDY MARINADE & SEASONING SAUCE

I always have leftover juice when making candied jalapenos, so I water bath can the juice also. It makes an outstanding marinade or seasoning sauce!

HOW LONG DO CANDIED JALAPENOS LAST?

You can refrigerate them for up to three months. However, when water bath canning, you can store them for up to a year.

TIPS FOR SERVING COWBOY CANDY

• Topping on nachos, a little heat, and sweet in every bite!
• Chop and mix in when baking cornbread.
• Add chopped candied jalapenos to the Masters Pimento Cheese recipe.
• They make a great mix in for omelets.
• You can spice up your vegan tacos.
• Spice up some vegan stuffed mushrooms with a little heat.
• To make candied jalapeno dip, mix a block of cream cheese with 1/4 cup chopped candied peppers.

I appreciate your shares! xox