Cowboy Candy

Ingredient List

4 Lb. of Peppers (see note)

4 C Apple Cider Vinegar

12 C Sugar

1 Tsp. Tumeric

1 Tsp. Celery Seed

2 Tb. Garlic Powder

So one of the perks of being close with your family is when they have an over abundance of something, they share! So this blog goes out to my cousin Tina and her wonderful wife, Judy! Thank you so much for all the peppers! They have been turned into Cowboy Candy!

NOTE– A traditional Cowboy Candy recipe only uses Jalapeno Peppers. Well, as you can see from the picture above, I have a bunch of different types of peppers. Most of them were Jalapeno peppers. So in the style of homesteading, I used what I had! Here is how I made the Cowboy Candy!

So because I had an abundance of other types of peppers, I used all of the Jalapeno peppers (minus the stems) and with the other types of peppers (banana and poblano) I removed most of the seeds. I also had 4 cayenne peppers that I added to the recipe. If you do not have the cayenne peppers, you can use 1 tsp of dried/powdered cayenne. (I used all of the cayenne pepper as well…minus the stems) Prepare the peppers and put them to the side.

Now that you have the peppers prepared it is time to make the syrup. In a large stock pot add your vinegar, sugar, turmeric, celery seed, and garlic. You want to cook it over medium high and stir regularly so you don’t burn the sugar. Cook it until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved you will then add the peppers and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 4 minutes. Now it is time to can the peppers.

Fill the jars and leave a 1/4 inch head space. Fill with some syrup and peppers.  Use a knife to pop any air bubbles in the jar. Wipe the rim with a damp rag. Place a lid and ring on the jars. Make sure the rings are snug and not tight. Add them to a water bath. Cover the cans with 2 inches of water and bring the water to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, turn on your timer and boil the jars for 15 minutes.

Once the jars have boiled, place the jars 2 inches apart and wait for the lids to seal. Allow the jars to sit undisturbed for 12 hours. Any jars that didn’t seal, place in the refrigerator. Allow the peppers to pickle for 4 weeks, minimum. They taste great with some cream cheese and crackers.