Question about Beth's (or any other) Pepper Jelly

[Jazzmatazz49]

I love pepper jelly, and want to make some this summer. I hate to admit this, but I don't have a food processor or a meat grinder. The recipe calls for minced peppers, so how should I do that? Actually mince them with a knife, or could I use a blender for at least part of them? I also have a PC food chopper that might work okay. Any ideas? I tried to post this as a new reply on an old pepper jelly thread, but it wouldn't let me.

[dublchk]

I usually mince mine with a knife. Just be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands.

[sneezles]

Absolutely just mince with a knife!

[Beth]

I have wanted to try processing everything, but DH insists it is better, or at least prettier, to hand cut everything. Since he's willing to do the chopping, that's the only way I've made them so far.

[Jazzmatazz49]

Thanks for the answers. I will sharpen the knives and get the rubber gloves out. :)

[Beth]

BTW, DH rarely uses the gloves. He does if we seem to get really hot peppers or are making more than one batch at a time. He uses a spoon to scrape out the seeds and ribs -- usually keeps some but not all -- again, it depends on how hot the peppers "smell" when you cut into them or the mix of peppers you are using. You can always add some dried crushed hot peppers at the end -- and I think the finished jelly tends to seem a little milder than when tasting it hot.