Sweet Chilli Jam
My Easy Sweet Chilli Jam is sweet, spicy and tangy with a warming heat that won’t blow your socks off. Perfect to perk up cheeses, cold meats, sausages or burgers.
Sweet Chilli Jam is like a chilli jelly as it doesn’t contain pieces of fruit. Its gorgeous vibrantly fresh colour comes from the red bell peppers, cayenne chillies and the speedy cooking.
Quick and easy, you can have a pan of Chilli Jam ready to pot in just under 20 minutes.
I use jam sugar which contains just the right amount of pectin to give a good set in three or four minutes.
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Prize winning not least for its gorgeous vibrant fresh colour which comes from the red bell peppers and chillies and the speedy cooking.
Along with Homemade Chilli Sauce , Chilli Jam was a best seller at our Christmas fayres in France. Both regularly make it into our family Christmas hampers and both are always on the table for barbecues.
The Cayenne chilli peppers give a fiery heat to the jam without being overpowering although you can use a different variety of chilli pepper if you prefer – a good tip is to taste the chilli before using to check how hot it is.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Here’s why this is the Best Homemade Sweet Chilli Jam recipe.
- Versatile: Perfect with cheese, cold meats and BBQ but don’t stop there. Add a little rice vinegar and you have a chilli dipping sauce or a sticky sweet chilli glaze. Try it on ham, chicken or pork.
- Easy to make: From prep to pot, you can have a jar of chilli jam ready in just half an hour.
- Perfect Christmas Gift: With chilli jam being so easy, why not rustle up an extra batch ? Then you’ll have a delicious edible homemade Christmas gift for family and friends.
What equipment do I need ?
- Stainless steel preserving pan or large wide based saucepan – nice and wide so your jam can cook more quickly. If you make a lot of chutneys and jams it’s worth investing in a good solid preserving pan. I use an 8.5 litre Penguin Home Professional pan.
- Funnel
- Ladle
- Handheld / stick blender
- 4 x 200 ml sterilised jam jars
What ingredients do I need ?
You only need 6 ingredients to make my chilli jam. See the recipe card for exact quantities.
- About 10 Cayenne chillies
- 2 to 3 red bell peppers
- Fresh ginger – adds a warming heat.
- Apple cider vinegar – I use a good quality organic vinegar.
- Jam sugar – to ensure a good set. If you can’t get hold of jam sugar you can use regular sugar and buy the pectin separately. Use the amount recommended on the pectin packet. You can find pectin sachets in most supermarkets these days or you can buy online.
- Lime juice – gives a zesty tang to the jam.
- Salt – I use fine sea salt/kosher salt.
How to sterilise jam jars
Sterilise jars shortly before they are to be used. This minimises the time in which the jars might pick up new bacteria and ruin your chutney. Make sure your jars are dry when you come to fill them.
- I like to sterilise jars in the microwave. Clean your jars as normal and rinse. Whilst the jars are wet, pop them in the microwave for two minutes on full power. Remember the jars will be very hot, so remove with care.
- Pour boiling water into a bowl or jug and add the lids and leave for 5 minutes. Drain and leave to dry completely before using.
- Alternatively, wash jars and the lids in the dishwasher on a hot cycle.
- Always sterilise more jars than you think you will need.
How to make Sweet Chilli Jam
- Slice chillies and peppers, remove seeds and fibrous tissue.
- TOP TIP: Wear gloves to cut and deseed the chillies – the oils released in the fibrous tissue can really burn.
- Place in a preserving pan or large saucepan and add ginger and cider vinegar.
- Simmer for 15 minutes and puree with a stick blender.
- Keep on a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Boil rapidly of 3 to 4 minutes and remove from heat.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then pour into clean sterilised jars.
Recipe FAQs
Chilli Chutney usually has pieces of chilli in along with other vegetables and a higher quantity of vinegar. The cooking process is long and slow, on the other hand chilli jam is sweeter using less vinegar and can be cooked in under 20 minutes.
Yes you can, it’s pretty much down to personal taste and how hot you prefer your jam. If you want a milder chilli jam use Sweet Cherry peppers instead of Cayenne.
At the fiery end of the chilli scale, Scotch Bonnets or Habanero chilli peppers make a great jam.
Although Scotch Bonnets are very hot, they also have a unique fruity taste which we love. If using Scotch Bonnets, limit yourself to 100g of and make sure you label as Extra Hot.
If using Thai Bird’s Eye chillies, use half the amount of chillies.
Sweet Chilli Jam will keep for up to a year stored in a cool dry place.
Once opened, use within eight weeks.
What do you eat with Sweet Chilli Jam ?
- Perfect for spicing up cheese and crackers.
- Divine with a baked Camembert and slices of French crusty pain.
- Warm through with a little rice vinegar and you have an easy sweet chilli dipping sauce.
- Fancy spicing up your fried onions for hotdogs and burgers ? Add a tablespoon to a pan full of fried onions just before serving and warm through. Et voila, an easy onion marmalade and a great hotdog relish.
- Add a tablespoon or two to your favourite stew, casserole or tagine.
- Add a little water and use as a glaze to liven up your Christmas ham or give a spicy kick to chicken breasts or drumsticks.
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Sweet Chilli Jam
Equipment
- Stainless steel preserving pan or large wide based saucepan
- Funnel
- Ladle
- Handheld / stick blender
- 4 x 200 ml sterilised jam jars
Ingredients
- 150 g Cayenne chilli peppers approx 10 chillies
- 250 g red bell peppers approx 2 or 3 red peppers
- 50 g fresh ginger – peeled and chopped
- 500 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 kg jam sugar
- 90 ml lime juice
- 1 level teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Slice and chop chillies and peppers, remove seeds and fibrous tissue.
- Place in a preserving pan or large saucepan and add ginger.
- Add cider vinegar and place on a medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes on low.
- Whizz with a stick blender until you have a puree.
- Add the jam sugar, lime juice and salt.
- Keep on a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Boil rapidly for 3 to 4 minutes and remove from heat.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then ladle into clean sterilised jars.
Notes
- Serving size is 1 tablespoon (15g) The recipe makes approximately 3 or 4 x 200 ml jars.
- A stainless steel pan is best as it will react less to the acidity of the vinegar.
- If you can’t get hold of jam sugar you can use regular sugar and buy the pectin separately. Use the amount recommended on the pectin packet. You can find pectin sachets in most supermarkets these days or you can buy online.
- Wear gloves to cut and deseed the chillies – the oils released in the fibrous tissue can really burn.
- Sweet Chilli Jam will keep for up to a year stored in a cool dry place.
- Once opened, use within eight weeks.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
I’m entering Sweet Chilli Jam into a couple of challenges this month:
- Credit Crunch Munch created by Camilla from Fab Food 4 All & Helen over at Fuss Free Flavours & hosted this month by Charlene over at Food Glorious Food.
- Ren’s Simple & In Season challenge over at Ren Behan.
And linking to: Fiesta Friday
Wow! I love the vibrant colors and sweet taste of this dish. Thanks for bringing it to the fiesta as well! 😀
Thanks Kaila, a pleasure to link up with the fiesta 🙂
This looks great, Sarah! I happen to have a little chilli tree at home 🙂 Now I have an extra recipe to use them in! Happy Fiesta Friday!
Thanks Sarah, let me know how you get on.
This one looks amazing too! I love the sweet spicy combo.
Thanks Julie, the spicy sweetness does work well.
Oh Sweet Chilli Jam is one of my favourites! Thanks for the recipe, I’ve never made my own before and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for linking up with us for Fabulous Foodie Fridays, I hope you have a great weekend 🙂
Thanks Lauren, a pleasure to link up with Fabulous Foodie Fridays. Let me now how you get on, hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
I am pinning this and definitely making it next time I have too many chillis (which wont be far away I’m sure!!) #FFF
Thanks Malinda, let me know how you get on 🙂
Now this I am going to take a venture at…just for my husband. We have been growing a various amount of chillies and peppers in our garden and I have been trying to think of what I am going to do with all of them. Thank you for another terrific recipe idea shared with #foodpornthursdays!
You’re welcome Trista. The recipe is good timing then, look forward to hearing how you get on 🙂
Looks lovely and the recipe seems pretty simple too. Thanks for sharing.
Sally @ Life Loving
#foodpornthursdays
Thanks Sally, you’re welcome. Chilli jam is so easy to make, i hope you give it a go.
OMG this looks amazing! I’ve pinned it to my board I’ve already got a really great chilli chutney recipe but have been after a chilli jam one for ages!! Hurray! #foodpornthursdays
Thanks Zoe, glad you’ve come across my recipe & thanks for pinning. Let em know how you get on 🙂
Such an amazing colour! I love sweet things with cheese – goat’s cheese and honey or fig jam with a blue. So good. I want to move to France.
Thanks again for linking up.
Thanks Helen & always pleasure to link up with #creditcrunchmunch
Goats Cheese & honey sounds delicious, I must give that a go. France is a beautiful place to live & perfect if you love food 🙂
My step dad always eats jam and cheese! With your sweet chilli jam I can understand the combination. This I must try! #CookBlogShare
Thanks Hayley, jam & cheese does sound a bit strange but it really is delicious with Chilli Jam. Let me know if you do end up making some 🙂