Easy Hot Pepper Honey Recipe (Fermented Jalapeño Honey)
Learn how to make delicious fermented hot pepper honey. The sweet and hot flavors spice up a variety of meals, and support your immune and digestive system! This is one of our favorite ways to use and preserve jalapeños (or other chili peppers) from the summer garden.
Equipment
- 1 pint jar and lid (or similiar)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups raw honey
- 5-7 fresh chili peppers, such as jalapeños, Fresno chilis, Anaheim, serranos, habaneros, or similar
Instructions
- Begin by washing the peppers. Cut the stems off, and then slice them into approximately 1/4-inch rounds. To make your hot pepper honey less spicy, core the peppers first to remove the white membrane and seeds (or at least some of them). Remember to use caution while working with hot chilis! You may want to wear gloves.
- Next, add the sliced jalapeños (or other peppers) to a clean jar or other glass container with a lid. Add enough peppers to fill the jar at least one-half to two-thirds full.
- Pour the honey over the peppers until it’s completely full*. It may take a few minutes for the honey to seep and settle between the pepper slices, which will then start to float. Top off the jar with more honey as needed after settling.
- Loosely add a lid, but don’t tighten it completely. It’s important that fermentation gasses can escape from the jar.
- Set the jar of jalapeño honey in a cool dark location to ferment, such as a cupboard or pantry. I recommend setting the jar on a plate since it’s possible it may overflow and can be very sticky.
- During the first week of fermentation, either stir or gently turn/shake the jar every day (but be sure to tighten the lid first, and then re-loosen it after!) This helps to prevent mold by rotating and coating the pepper slices that are floating on top.
- Within a few days, you’ll likely see bubbles forming within the jar, though it’s okay if you don’t. The honey will also start to become increasingly runny over time – that’s normal!
- It takes one to two weeks for the hot pepper honey to ferment, though the flavor and benefits will be even stronger if allowed to sit longer.
- To use: take 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of fermented hot honey when you feel a sickness coming on, up to 3 times daily. It can also be consumed daily for general health and prevention, even when you’re feeling fine! You can also drizzle it over breads, salads, cheesy and savory snacks, and more.
- Store in a cool dark location. Fermented hot pepper honey will stay good for many years. It is normal for it to darken in color over time.
Notes
*Tip: If your honey is cold and difficult to pour, warm it up first by placing the jar of honey in a bowl of hot water. Avoid heating the honey directly however, as that can destroy some of the medicinal compounds and health benefits of the honey.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!