Cowboy Candy (Candied Jalapeños) - Delish

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PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

Yields: 1 c.Prep Time: 10 minsTotal Time: 30 mins

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Giddy up! Cowboy Candy (aka candied jalapeños) are spicy, tangy, salty, and sweet—the perfect condiment for topping everything from Bloody Marys to migas to grilled creamed corn. You could also chop Cowboy Candy and stir into pickle relish, tuck into a ham sandwich, or artfully arrange over a hot dog with chopped raw onion. The combination of fiery heat from the jalapeño and the nearly caramelized coating from the sugar is truly addictive. Unlike most pickle recipes, Cowboy Candy has a whole cup of sugar in the pickling mixture, which allows it to become truly candied.

Legend has it that Cowboy Candy originated in 1922 on the St. Augustine, Texas-based WHH Ranch by a 7-year-old named Mindie Heironimus, who pickled homegrown jalapeños with sugar and spices. The family called them Cowboy Candy for unknown reasons, maybe because the cowboys couldn't get enough of this sweet-hot treat.

Be sure to taste a few slices of the fresh chiles before you go crazy—jalapeños can vary wildly in spiciness and one hot one will infuse the whole bunch. You’ve been warned! If you're sensitive to heat, pull the seeds out of the jalapeño rings before cooking.

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Ingredients

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1 cup
apple cider vinegar
1 cup
granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp.
kosher salt
3/4 tsp.
brown or yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp.
coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 tsp.
cumin seeds
1/2 tsp.
fennel seeds, lightly crushed
8 oz.
fresh jalapeños (about 6), stemmed and thinly sliced

Directions

1. Step 1In a small pot, combine vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and mustard, coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes.
2. Step 2Add jalapeños and return to a boil. Cook, pressing gently to help jalapeños stay mostly submerged, until they look shiny and a little shriveled, about 5 minutes.
3. Step 3Using a slotted spoon, transfer jalapeños to a 10- to 12-oz. container (an old glass jam jar is a good choice).
4. Step 4Reduce vinegar mixture to a low heat and continue to cook until syrupy and reduced to about 1/2 c., around 10 minutes (this largely depends on size of pot you use, so keep an eye on it).
5. Step 5Carefully pour syrup over jalapeños in jar, pressing gently so they're mostly submerged. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered, up to 3 weeks.