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Top-down image of red pepper and chilli jam in a jar with fennels seeds and garlic in the background
Print Recipe

The Best Red Pepper and Chilli Jam

A rustic sweet and sour relish with aromatic fennel seeds and an addictive chilli kick.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Other
Keyword: bell pepper, chilli, fennel seeds, garlic, jam, preserving, spicy
Servings: 2 Jars

Ingredients

  • 10 regular-sized red birdseye chillies *
  • 4 red bell peppers
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • Half a 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 375 g caster sugar
  • 125 ml cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds

Instructions

  • Place a small plate in the freezer (you will need this later to test the ‘jamminess’ of your jam).
  • Blend the chillies (seeds in), peppers and garlic in a food processor until you have a fine, frothy paste - about 30 seconds. Add the tinned tomatoes to the mixture.
  • Transfer everything to a sieve, allowing the sieved liquid to drop into a wide heavy-bottomed pan. Set aside the pulp for later.
  • Bubble the sieved liquid over a medium-high heat until reduced to about a fifth of its original volume (this took me around 15 minutes). You can tell that it is ready when it does not immediately flood the space left by a spoon dragged along the bottom (see my photo for guidance).
  • Add the reserved pulp back to the pan along with the sugar and cider vinegar. Bubble vigorously over a medium-high heat (it will look like bubbling lava), stirring every few minutes until it looks thick and ‘jammy’ - this took me around 30 minutes of bubbling. At this point the jam is ready. You can test it by placing a small blob on your frozen plate - this will instantly cool the jam, making it resemble its final texture. I like mine to be fairly thick.
  • Take the jam off the heat and stir in the fennel seeds. Once the jam is cool enough to handle, divide between your sterilized jars and seal with the lids. If kept in a cool dark place the jars can last for up to a year (although always check before eating!). Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within a few weeks.

Notes

*This makes for a medium-spiced jam - enough heat to notice but by no means enough to stop you eating it, particularly as you eat it alongside other foods where the spice is diluted. If you want to reduce the heat you can reduce the number of chillies, but I personally wouldn't recommend doing so.