Peach Jalapeño chutney is a spicy, sweet, and tangy spread that’s great on sandwiches, glorious on sandwiches, and so totally perfect for your next cheeseboard situation.
Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be one hundred and twelve. What’s my secret? Oh, just lots of water and plenty of sleep. Well even if that’s all poppycock tomorrow actually IS my birthday and I’m really pretty excited about it. This year we’re celebrating in Colorado with beef and breakfast burritos and beautiful mountain views. Also there might be some tubing.
And to commemorate this 36th year, here on the blog I will be regaling you with the intense and miraculous story of my birth…JUST KIDDING! That would be totally unappetizing and we vow here at Jo Eats to post only the delicious. So instead I’ll be sharing this fabulous peach jalapeño chutney. Because it’s everything I hope my next turn around the sun will be – sweet, a little spicy, and just peachy keen. Too corny? I guess that happens with old age.
Peach Jalapeño Chutney
Warning: this stuff is highly addictive. In the past two weeks I’ve eaten it on crackers, in sandwiches, over chicken, stirred into salad dressing, and melted in with quesadillas. It goes with everything because it perfectly rides the line between savory and sweet, with just enough heat to keep things exciting. Also, it’s a great way to plow through any peaches you’ve got laying around that may be past their prime.
What is Chutney?
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s talk about chutney. Chutney is kind of a broad term. Indian versions can be made from herbs, fruits, even coconut. Western style chutneys usually veer towards the sweet, favoring fruit as the main ingredient, but they’re more than just a jam stand in. What makes chutney the older, sexier sibling to your typical morning preserves is a delicate balance between sweet, savory, and tart. I also threw in a bit of spice for good measure.
How to Make Peach Jalapeño Chutney
So now that we know what we’re dealing with, let’s get down to the deets. Chutney making is a pretty straight forward process – much like making jam. Except with way less sugar and little savory something something in the background.
1. Peel your peaches
To begin, your peaches need a little undressing. Once you’re done cooking this down the peels end up being a kind of textural nuisance, so it’s best to be rid of them. Doing this is pretty simple. Just bring a pot of water to a boil and slide your peaches in. Let them bubble for about 30 seconds and then immediately shock them in a bowl of ice water. The sudden change in temperatures will scare those little peels right off, which you can pull off with your hands, or a paring knife.
2. Saute some onions – how all good things begin
Start with some finely chopped onions, sauteed in a bit of olive oil until they’re lightly browned, soft, and meltingly sweet. This gives the whole thing a solid foundation to stand upon and will give your chutney a savory depth that keeps it from coming across as flat and one note.
3. Add the rest and let it roll
And now to that base we’ll add some sugar for sweetness, apple cider vinegar for tang, chopped jalapeño to add a kick, and a pinch of salt for balance. Then bring the whole thing up to a boil and turn down the heat to let the pot simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir it occasionally to make sure nothing burns, turning down the heat if need be, and wait for it to thicken up.
4. Serve it up – like on everything
Once your chutney cools down you can use it in a myriad of ways. It’s excellent spread on a peppered turkey and brie sandwich, or as a spicy sweet condiment for your next epic cheese board. I haven’t tried it, but I’d be willing to bet it’d be pretty good over vanilla ice cream too. If you have leftovers you can store them in the fridge for a week, but my hunch is it will probably never come to that.
Can I Make Substitutions?
Making chutney is more of a method than a hard and fast recipe, so the swap outs are pretty easy. Feeling plums instead of peaches? Totally cool. Looking for more of an Asian flare? Grate in a little ginger and a pinch of five spice. As long as you have a good balance of sweet, tangy, with just a little bit of salt in the background, you’re good to go.
Help! I need more snacks.
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Peach Jalapeño Chutney
This spicy, sweet, and tangy peach jalapeño chutney is great spread on a sandwich, served alongside grilled meats, or used as an accompaniment for your next epic cheeseboard!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 35 Minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 Cup 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1 lb peaches
1 T olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 jalapeño peppers with ribs and seeds, minced
2 T apple cider vinegar
1/3 C granulated sugar
Instructions
Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice and set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Lower peaches into the water for 30 seconds to a minute. Remove peaches using a spider or a slotted spoon and plunge immediately into your ice water bath. Let them sit for a few minutes and then peel using your hands or a paring knife. Then pit the peaches and dice. Set aside.
Empty the pot and wipe dry. Heat the oil over medium low heat and add the onion and salt and saute until onions are golden brown and soft, about five to seven minutes.
Add the peaches, jalapeños, vinegar, and sugar and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and lower heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the chutney is thick and jammy. Season to taste – but be careful because it will be very hot.
Let cool and serve on your next cheeseboard!
Notes
You don’t absolutely need to peel your peaches, but I find it results in a more pleasant texture overall.
If you want less heat, omit the ribs and seeds from the jalapeños, or cut it down to just one pepper.
Stir this every few minutes so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pot and burn.
Doubling or tripling this recipe works very well.
Keywords: peach chutney, spicy chutney, spicy fruit spread, condiment, cheese board accompaniment
This chutney looks delicious.Could the recipe be canned?
Lisa,
I’m not a canning expert but I don’t see why not. I’d make the recipe as stated and then process in jars per your usual canning directions.
This is an excellent base. I added a mild curry powder to the finished batch. Canned in 125ml jars and substituted sugar for Monkfruit/stevia mix 1:1. I will be keeping this recipe in my recipe box for years to come. Thanks!
★★★★
Curry powder sounds delicious in this!
I really love this recipe! I made several batches and froze like freezer jam. Just excellent! I’ve used it with so many different meals. I think my favorite is as a pizza sauce. I used it for a brie, walnut based pizza. It was wonderful.
Fresh peaches are hard to come by in the off season (at least good ones are). How will canned peaches do with this recipe?
Hi Paul! I would opt for frozen peaches over canned in this recipe. Canned would still work but may be a bit mushy.