Hot Pepper Mustard Recipe – A Great Way To Preserve Banana Peppers

This Hot Pepper Mustard is by far one of the most popular and most loved recipes among our family and friends. Even those that don’t like standard yellow mustard or spicy food ask us to make this each summer.

It is commonly used as a condiment for hot dogs, hamburgers and deli sandwiches. However you can also use it as a dip for pretzels and chips or even as the mustard to spice up your deviled eggs and potato salad.

It is a great recipe for those who find themselves with an abundance of ripe banana peppers from the garden. Although I typically use hot banana peppers, you can also make this with sweet banana peppers and add a few hot peppers to the mix.

Best of all, it is simple to make! With just 8 ingredients and the help of a food processor you can have everything ready for canning in under 20 minutes!

However, you will need to plan a little in advance as there is one ingredient that you may have difficulty finding in a standard grocery store.

Clear Jel®

Although my original recipe published many years ago included flour, the USDA no longer recommends using it as a thickener for canning recipes. Therefore, we have altered our recipe to use a thickener that is approved for canning.

And that is a product called Clear Jel®. It is a chemically modified corn starch that won’t break down when heated.

Therefore it is ideal when canning thickened products like Apple Pie Filling and this hot pepper mustard. However, in some areas it can be difficult to find.

If you live near an Amish or Mennonite community you can often find it at the local grocery store. And large farm supply stores may also stock it in their canning aisle during the summer months.

Just be sure that when you go to purchase it that you buy the cook-type and not the instant version. The two types are not interchangeable.

However, if you can’t find it locally you can purchase it online: Hoosier Hill Farm Clear Jel®.

And if you are wondering if you can use Sure Jel instead of Clear Jel®, unfortunately the answer is no. Sure Jel is a pectin and is used to make jams and jellies. It is not interchangeable with Clear Jel®.

What Does Hot Pepper Mustard Taste Like?

So what exactly does hot pepper mustard taste like? It is a spread that has a slight mustard flavor but is sweeter and slightly spicy. Of course if you like extra spicy food you can add a few more hot peppers to the mix.

I love to use it as a dip for pretzels, but also as a condiment spread which pairs quite nicely with brats, sausages, hamburgers, and deli sandwiches.

Although we have now also replaced the mayonnaise in our tuna salad and deviled egg recipes with this mustard as well. It is a surprisingly delicious combination that adds a ton of flavor to your dishes!

However, as with anything that tastes this good, there is one dietary downfall. The amount of sugar required is nearly as much as a standard jam recipe.

I have decreased the amount of sugar from my original recipe to the lowest point possible without compromising the taste. However you can decrease the sugar even more if you prefer.

I have tried making it with honey but the flavor just isn’t as good. Although I have not yet tried this recipe with other non-sugar sweeteners, my guess is that it would work just fine.

Hot Pepper Mustard Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

*makes approximately 7 pints

INGREDIENTS:

• 40 medium-large hot banana peppers
• 4 jalapeno or serrano hot peppers (optional for additional heat)
• 4 cups prepared yellow mustard
• 4 cups apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 5 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2/3 cup Clear Jel (regular, not instant)
• 1 1/2 cup water

*If you use sweet banana peppers, increase the amount of hot peppers to 8-10, depending on how spicy that you want to make it.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Using gloves cut off the top of each pepper and discard. Then cut each pepper into 1 inch sections, keeping the seeds and ribs intact. Place the peppers inside a food processor and pulse until the peppers are cut into fine pieces. *We use our 12 cup Hamilton Beach Food Processor to complete this task in minutes.

2. Place finely diced peppers in a large stockpot. Add the mustard, vinegar, sugar and salt and stir until combined.

3. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. While the mixture is heating up mix the Clear Gel with the water until it dissolves and set aside. Once the pot has been simmering for 5 minutes, add the Clear Gel and water mixture to the pot and stir frequently to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue to heat until the hot pepper mustard is thickened to a gravy consistency.

Canning Instructions

4. Ladle the mixture into warm, sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space at the top. Use a plastic utensil to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean and add the lid and finger tighten the band.

5. Carefully lower the jars in a hot water bath and once the water comes to a full boil process for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude as required).

6. Turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the jars and place on a thick towel. Let the jars cool for 24 hours.

7. Check the lids of the jars to make sure that they sealed properly. Do this by pushing on the center of each lid. If it is firm and doesn’t move up and down easily the jars have properly sealed. Remove the bands and store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

If any of the jars did not seal properly store them in the refrigerator. The refrigerated hot pepper mustard will remain good for 3-4 weeks.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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