BHA & BHT Free Pepper Jelly
Homemade pepper jelly is one of those pantry staples that looks impressive, tastes incredible, and turns out to be surprisingly straightforward once you understand the process. The combination of sweet red bell pepper, a hint of green bell pepper, and the slow-building heat of jalapeños creates a jelly that hits every note — sweet, tangy, and just a little fiery. Avoiding BHA and BHT is genuinely easy here because every single ingredient is whole and recognizable: fresh peppers, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and liquid pectin. No preservative-laden shortcuts, no mystery additives hiding in a commercial jar. The water bath canning method locks in that clean, vibrant flavor while giving you shelf-stable jars you can feel good about stocking. Spoon it over a block of cream cheese with crackers, glaze a pork tenderloin, or tuck a jar into a gift basket — it works beautifully in all directions. Once you hear those lids pop as they seal, you'll understand why people get hooked on making this from scratch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 ½ cups red bell pepper, finely minced (about 2 medium peppers)
- ½ cup green bell pepper, finely minced (about 1 small pepper)
- ½ cup jalapeño peppers, finely minced (about 4–5 jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed for medium heat or kept for more heat)
- 6 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 pouches (3 oz total) liquid pectin
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Sterilize 6 half-pint (8 oz) mason jars by submerging them in a water bath canner or large stockpot filled with water, bringing to a boil, and boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the jars in the hot water until ready to fill. Place the lids in a small saucepan of hot (not boiling) water to soften the sealing compound.
- 2
Pulse the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and jalapeños in a food processor until very finely minced — pieces should be no larger than 1/8 inch. Measure the minced peppers after processing; you need exactly 1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, 1/2 cup green bell pepper, and 1/2 cup jalapeño. Adjust quantities as needed.
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