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chilli jam in glass jar with spoon

Chilli Jam (The Absolute Best!)

This homemade Chilli Jam is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy making it the perfect condiment for everything from cheese boards to burgers. Whether you spread it on toast, add to a stir-fry, or use it as a glaze, this versatile condiment will become a staple in your kitchen. Simple to make and bursting with bold flavours, it’s a must-try for all chilli lovers!
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Best Condiments, Chilli Sauce, jam
Servings: 2 1/2 cups

Equipment

  • Food processor or Thermomix

Ingredients

  • 12-15 long red chillies
  • 1 red onion, roughly chopped (can also use brown or white)
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2cm piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • Juice of 1 lime (or small lemon)

Instructions

  • Place chillies, onion, garlic and ginger into the bowl of a food processor and blend until finely chopped.
  • Transfer chilli mixture to a large saucepan along with the remaining ingredients. Place over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.
  • Increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until you reach a jam like consistency (It will continue to thicken on cooling). Spoon the hot jam into clean dry jars. Seal then invert for 2 minutes then set aside to cool completely. Store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, store in the fridge. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Notes

  1. COOKS NOTES:
    Oven Temps: 
    Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
    Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml and 1 cup =  250 ml.
    Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
    Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
    Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
  2. CHILLIES
    You can make this jam as hot as you like. If you like super hot, add a few small Thai style red chillies along with the long chillies.
    If you like it mild, like my partner Rob, I simply test the heat of the chillies first by trying a small bite.  Sometimes you will find they have no heat to them at all. In this case, I use the chillies as they are and do not remove any seeds (I may even add a small hot chilli or two in this case as you need a little chilli kick to it). If they are slightly hot, but not too bad, I will remove half of the seeds and membrane and leave the remainder in. Adjust to what you can handle.
  3. THERMOMIX METHOD
    This is my go-to method for making this jam since you do it all in the one bowl. Place the chillies, onion, garlic and ginger into the TM bowl. Chop 8 seconds, Speed 6. Scape the sides down. Add remaining ingredients and cook 100C, Speed 2, 40 minutes with the MC removed and the simmer basket on top to prevent splatters. (Its important that you have the MC off, as the jam needs to evaporate and reduce - if its left on, the jam will not set properly).
    Please bear in mind, if using this method - DO NOT DOUBLE THE RECIPE - IT WILL BOIL OVER! One quantity at a time only!!