Cowboy Candy
If your garden has decided to produce approximately 10 million jalapeños this year, I have a must do canning recipe for you. Cowboy candy is one of my hands down favorite ways to use a big harvest of fresh jalapeños. These little slices are sweet, spicy, tangy, and completely addictive. The jalapeños soften just enough while simmering in a sweet apple cider vinegar syrup, and the result is a condiment that can turn an ordinary meal into something pretty exciting.
And yes, they really are sweet.
At first, you get that sugary, tangy flavor from the syrup. Then the jalapeño heat starts creeping in. Depending on the peppers from your garden, that heat can range from a pleasant little kick to the kind that makes you reach for your glass of water.
That’s part of the fun.
I love making cowboy candy at the end of the growing season when the jalapeño plants are still loaded down with peppers. Instead of wondering what in the world you’re going to do with another basketful, slice them up and turn them into jars of sweet and spicy goodness.
What Is Cowboy Candy?
Cowboy candy is the popular name for candied jalapeños.
Essentially, fresh jalapeño slices are cooked in a sweet, tangy vinegar syrup. The sugar balances the heat of the peppers, while the vinegar provides acidity and that delicious sweet-and-sour flavor.
The peppers become tender but still retain some texture, and the syrup becomes infused with jalapeño flavor.
It’s not quite a pickle or a relish, and it’s definitely not plain jalapeños.
Garden Jalapeños Make the Best Cowboy Candy
This recipe is perfect for a plentiful garden harvest.
Jalapeño plants can be ridiculously productive. You pick what looks like the final batch, turn around a few days later, and somehow there are another dozen peppers hanging on the plant.
Eventually, you have a bowl of jalapeños sitting on the counter and you’re trying to figure out what else you can make.
You can use green jalapeños or let some peppers mature to red before harvesting. The color of the finished jars will depend on the peppers you use, but both green and red jalapeños look beautiful in the jar together.
The best peppers are firm, fresh, and free from soft or damaged spots.
Since you’ll be slicing four pounds of them, this is also a great recipe to make when the garden harvest gets ahead of you.
Is Cowboy Candy Really Spicy?
Yes, but the heat level depends on your jalapeños.
That’s one of the funny things about growing peppers. You can plant the same variety every year and still end up with peppers that don’t all taste exactly the same.
Growing conditions, maturity, and individual peppers can all affect the heat.
Leaving the seeds and membranes in the jalapeños will always give you a hotter result. Removing some of them can reduce the intensity.
A Quick Word About Vinegar
Use vinegar that has 5% acidity.
Apple cider vinegar is perfect here because it gives the syrup a wonderful fruity tang that works incredibly well with the sugar and jalapeños.
Wear Gloves!
Before you start slicing four pounds of jalapeños, grab a pair of food-safe gloves.
Seriously.
Four pounds is a lot of jalapeño.
The oils from hot peppers can stick to your hands, and you really don’t want to touch your eyes, nose, mouth, or face afterward.
If you don’t have gloves, wash your hands extremely well with soap and water before touching your face.
Personally, though, I’d just wear the gloves.
How to Make Cowboy Candy
Start by preparing your water-bath canner.
Fill the canner with enough water to cover the finished jars by at least one inch and bring the water to a boil.
Next, wash your canning jars, lids, and rings according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Keep the jars hot while you prepare the peppers.
Wash the jalapeños thoroughly and remove the stems. Slice the peppers into rings.
You can slice them fairly thinly, but don’t make them paper-thin. Around ¼-inch slices work well because they soften in the syrup while still maintaining some texture.
Set the peppers aside while you prepare the syrup.
Making the Sweet and Spicy Syrup
Add the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and turmeric to a large stockpot.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about five minutes, stirring as needed until the sugar is dissolved.
The turmeric gives the syrup its beautiful golden color.
It also adds a subtle earthy flavor that works surprisingly well with the sweet vinegar syrup.
Once the syrup is ready, add the sliced jalapeños.
Simmer the peppers for approximately five minutes.
You don’t want to cook them into mush.
The goal is tender, flavorful peppers that still have enough texture to hold together when you pull them from the jar.
As the peppers cook, they will begin taking on that beautiful golden-green color from the syrup.
Packing the Jars
Place a small piece of garlic into each clean jar.
Then use a canning funnel to pack the jalapeño slices into the jars.
Don’t smash them down so aggressively that you turn them into pepper paste. Instead, pack them firmly enough that you’re using the jar space efficiently.
Leave ½ inch of headspace.
Next, ladle the hot syrup over the peppers.
The syrup should surround the jalapeño slices and fill the spaces between them.
Use a bubble remover or nonmetallic utensil to release trapped air bubbles.
Then check the headspace again.
If needed, add a little more hot syrup to bring the jar back to ½ inch.
Wipe the rims with a clean, damp paper towel.
Any syrup left around the rim can interfere with the lid sealing properly.
Place the lids on the jars and tighten the rings fingertip tight.
Don’t crank the bands down as hard as you possibly can.
Fingertip tight is exactly what you want.
Water Bath Canning Cowboy Candy
Using a jar lifter, carefully place the jars into the boiling-water canner.
Make sure the water covers the jars by at least one inch.
Cover the canner and bring the water back to a boil.
At elevations of 0 to 1,000 feet, process the jars for 10 minutes. For higher elevations, adjust the processing time according to current tested canning guidance. NCHFP’s tested pickled pepper recipes use a 10-minute boiling-water process at elevations below 1,000 feet, with longer times required at higher elevations.
Once the processing time is complete, carefully remove the jars with a jar lifter.
Set them upright on a towel-lined counter.
Then leave them alone.
Let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking the seals.
Once completely cool, check each jar.
Any jar that hasn’t sealed should go into the refrigerator and be used first.
Why the Garlic?
Garlic isn’t strictly necessary for the basic sweet-and-spicy jalapeño concept, but I absolutely love the little bit of savory flavor it adds.
The garlic mellows as it cooks in the sweet vinegar syrup, and you end up with a subtle garlic note instead of a big punch of raw garlic.
This recipe uses a small amount per jar, so it doesn’t overpower the peppers.
It just gives the syrup another layer of flavor.
And honestly, when you’re eating cowboy candy straight from the jar, finding a little piece of garlic tucked between the jalapeño slices is a pretty great surprise.
What Can You Use Cowboy Candy For?
Now we get to my favorite part.
Cream cheese.
Put a block of cream cheese on a serving plate and spoon Cowboy Candy over the top. Serve it with crackers, and you have one of the easiest appetizers imaginable.
The creamy cheese cools the jalapeño heat while the sweet peppers and syrup provide all that flavor.
You can also chop the peppers and stir them into cream cheese for a quick spread.
Burgers
Add cowboy candy to burgers.
The sweetness tastes so good with salty, savory beef, while the jalapeños bring heat.
Try adding a little of the syrup, too.
Sandwiches
Use the peppers on sandwiches whenever you want something sweet and spicy.
They’re also fantastic with roast beef, turkey, ham, chicken, or pulled pork.
Add them to a grilled cheese sandwich for an extra kick.
You can also chop them finely and stir them into mayonnaise for a quick spicy sandwich spread.
Hot Dogs
How about a hot dog with mustard and chopped candied jalapeños?
Nachos
Chop the peppers and scatter them over nachos.
Add cheese, cooked beef or chicken, black beans, and whatever other toppings you like.
The cowboy candy gives the whole tray a sweet-and-spicy kick.
Tacos
Tacos are an obvious one.
Add a few slices to chicken, beef, pork, or even shrimp tacos.
The acidity cuts through rich meats while the sugar balances spicy toppings.
Pizza
Don’t overlook pizza.
A few chopped candied jalapeños on a hot pizza are fantastic, especially with pepperoni, sausage, bacon, or barbecue chicken.
Salads
Chop cowboy candy into small pieces and add them to a salad.
You can even use a little of the syrup in a homemade dressing.
It gives your dressing sweetness, acidity, and a little heat all at once.
Grilled Meats
Brush a little of the syrup onto grilled chicken, pork, or steak near the end of cooking.
You can also chop the jalapeños and spoon them over grilled meats after cooking.
Charcuterie Boards
Cowboy candy is perfect on a snack board.
Put out cheese, crackers, cured meats, pickles, fruit, and a jar of candied jalapeños.
The sweet and spicy peppers give you a completely different flavor from the other salty and savory foods.
Deviled Eggs
Finely chop a few slices and mix them into your favorite deviled egg filling.
The sweetness and heat make a fun change from traditional relish.
You can also garnish each egg with a tiny piece of candied jalapeño.
Don’t Forget the Syrup
The peppers are fantastic.
The syrup is also fantastic.
Do not dump it down the drain.
That sweet, spicy vinegar syrup is packed with jalapeño flavor, and you can use it in all kinds of ways.
Drizzle a little over cream cheese.
Use it in a homemade barbecue sauce.
Whisk it into a vinaigrette.
Add a spoonful to a marinade.
Drizzle it over roasted vegetables.
Use it to glaze grilled chicken or pork.
Stir a little into coleslaw dressing.
You can even add a splash to a cocktail if you’re feeling adventurous.
Once you’ve got a jar of cowboy candy in the refrigerator, you’ll probably start looking for excuses to use the syrup.
How Long Does Cowboy Candy Need to Sit?
You can eat cowboy candy as soon as it has cooled, but the flavor gets even better after the peppers have had some time to sit in the syrup.
Over time, the jalapeños absorb more of the sweet, tangy flavor.
That’s especially nice if you’re making these as gifts.
Letting the jars sit for a little while gives the flavors more time to develop.
Of course, there’s absolutely nothing stopping you from opening a jar early.
How Spicy Will the Finished Jars Be?
That depends heavily on your jalapeños.
Some garden jalapeños are relatively mild.
Others are practically firecrackers.
If you’re making cowboy candy with peppers from your own garden, you may notice that different jars have slightly different heat levels.
That’s part of the fun of using homegrown peppers.
The sugar and vinegar mellow the overall experience, but they don’t eliminate the heat.
Instead, you get that sweet flavor first, followed by a warm jalapeño kick.
And then you find yourself reaching for another slice.
Tips for Making Cowboy Candy
Wear gloves. Four pounds of jalapeños is no joke. Protect your hands and keep pepper oils away from your face.
Use 5% acidity vinegar. Check the label on your apple cider vinegar before starting.
Don’t reduce the vinegar. The vinegar-to-pepper ratio is important for safe canning.
Use fresh, firm peppers. Avoid soft or damaged jalapeños.
Keep the headspace at ½ inch. This gives the jars the appropriate amount of space for processing.
Don’t overcook the peppers. You want tender slices that still have some texture.
Save the syrup. It is way too delicious to waste.
Let the jars cool undisturbed. Give the seals time to form before moving or checking the jars.
Why This Is One of My Favorite Garden Recipes
Every summer, the garden gives you a different challenge.
Sometimes it’s tomatoes. Next year it might be zucchini.
Apparently this year for me it felt like 900 pounds of jalapeños.
Cowboy candy is a recipes that makes a bumper pepper harvest feel like a very good problem to have.
The ingredients are simple, the process is straightforward, and the finished jars are incredibly useful.
Sweet.
Spicy.
Tangy.
A little garlicky.
And completely loaded with jalapeño flavor.
Most importantly, you can use it in so many ways.
That’s how I know a recipe is worth making again.
So if your garden is overflowing with jalapeños, grab the vinegar, sugar, and a stack of jars.
It’s time to make cowboy candy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cowboy Candy?
Cowboy candy is another name for candied jalapeños. Fresh jalapeño slices are cooked in a sweet and tangy vinegar syrup, creating a sweet, spicy condiment that can be served with appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, grilled meats, and more.
Is Cowboy Candy spicy?
Yes, although the heat depends on the jalapeños you use. Some peppers are much hotter than others. The sugar and vinegar balance the heat but don’t completely eliminate it.
Do I need to wear gloves when making Cowboy Candy?
Don’t skip them- you will regret it. NCHFP recommends wearing plastic or rubber gloves when handling hot peppers. Four pounds of jalapeños means a lot of pepper exposure, so gloves are a very good idea.
Can I reduce the vinegar?
No. Don’t reduce the vinegar in a recipe intended for shelf-stable canning. The acidity is an important part of the preservation process.
What can I eat Cowboy Candy with?
Try it with cream cheese and crackers, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, nachos, pizza, grilled meats, sausages, salads, deviled eggs, or charcuterie boards.
Can I use the Cowboy Candy syrup?
Yes! The leftover syrup is sweet, tangy, and infused with jalapeño flavor. Use it in dressings, marinades, barbecue sauces, glazes, or anywhere you want a little sweet heat.
Why didn’t my jar seal?
A jar may fail to seal for several reasons, including residue on the rim, an improperly applied lid, or a problem with the lid itself. Refrigerate any jar that does not seal and use it first.
Can I use red jalapeños?
Yes, red jalapeños can be used when the recipe calls for jalapeños.
More Canning Recipes
Salsa Roja
Pickled Jalapenos
Pickled Roasted Red Peppers
Cowboy Candy
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Equipment
- Kitchen gloves
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Fresh jalapenos
- 1½ cups Apple cider vinegar
- 5 cups Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 2½ Garlic cloves can substitute a small clove for a half of a larger clove.
Instructions
- Fill the water bath canner and bring to a boil.
- Wash all the jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water.
- In a stockpot, bring vinegar, sugar, and turmeric to a simmer for 5 minutes..
- Slice the jalapenos and cut the garlic cloves in half.
- Add the jalapeno slices to the simmering syrup. Simmer the peppers for 5 minutes.
- Place 1/2 clove (or a small clove) of garlic into each clean jar.
- Using a food funnel, scoop the jalapenos into the jars, packing them down to fill tightly leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Pour the syrup liquid into each jar. Use the bubble popper to remove any trapped air and adjust headspace if necessary.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean wet paper towel.
- Place the lids on the jars and tighten the rings finger tip tight.
- Place the jars into the boiling water bath, cover, and process for 10 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the water bath to a towel lined cutting board and allow to rest in place for 12 hours before labeling, dating, and storing. If any jars did not seal, refrigerate and use first.
Nutrition
