Let’s share one of our hands down favorite pepper preservations! Cowboy Candy, more generically known as candied jalapeno, are an easy and very tasty home made treat!
Although Cowboy Candy is most often made with jalapenos and that’s what we prefer, any thick walled peppers can be candied like this. If you prefer things a bit more spicy, you can go with serrano or something even spicier. You can also light it up to 11 with pepper powders or flakes, too. If you’re heat averse, your typical bell or mini-bell pepper will also be delicious!
We generally prefer using green peppers for this one, whenever possible. Though you can certainly make it with fully mature peppers, the flavor nuance is often a bit lost on this recipe. Between the sugar and vinegar, the general flavor of the pepper is well overpowered. Save those ripe peppers for more valuable purposes!
This preservation is great for beginner canners as it only requires basic water bath canning. We generally prefer to make up half pints, mostly because a little goes a long way. But, you can also safely make up full pints if you expect to go through them. As a bonus, you can also can the excess liquid, which makes for a great chicken or pork basting.
If you’re unfamiliar with how to use candied jalapeno, these make a great snack with crackers and a bit of cream cheese. They can be tossed into most Mexican style dishes like tacos, nachos burritos and tostadas. It’s also welcome on various egg dishes, burgers and other sandwiches. Anywhere a bit of sweet heat is a great place to try them!
The great thing about Cowboy Candy is that it can really make those peppers disappear. Recipes often call for a pound or two of peppers, which is quite a few. If you think that might be a bit too much, you might just think differently once you start snacking on them!
We make up cowboy candy practically every season! It’s a favorite in our repertoire, along with many other growers! Even if you don’t grow a bunch of peppers, this one is good enough to make up with store bought peppers! It’s one of those super unique home made treats you’ll soon not want to do without.
