Cowboy Candy is a delicious treat with a kick!
This pickled snack is an irresistible combination of sweet and spicy flavors, made with jalapeno peppers, sugar and bacon.
It’s the perfect balance of tartness and heat that will tantalize your taste buds.
Cowboy Candy can be enjoyed on its own or as an accompaniment to other dishes.
The creative possibilities are endless for this unique snack – from adding it to tacos or salads to using it as a pizza topping.
Spice up any meal with Cowboy Candy for an unforgettable experience!
What is Cowboy Candy made of?
Cowboy candy is made primarily from jalapeno peppers, sugar, and vinegar.
The jalapenos are cut into slices, and then the seeds, ribs, and stems are removed to reduce their heat.
The peppers are then mixed with the sugar and vinegar to create a brine that helps to preserve the peppers for up to several months.
Once the peppers have soaked in the brine, they are drained and packed into jars with additional vinegar and sugar to create a sweet-and-spicy pickled pepper treat.
Some recipes may also include garlic, peppercorns, and other spices for added flavor.
Cowboy candy is often served alongside crackers and cream cheese, on burgers or sandwiches, in stir-fries, and mixed into salads.
It can also flavor sauces, marinades, chutneys, salsas, and other recipes.
Why is it called Cowboy Candy?
It’s called cowboy candy because it has a sweet-and-spicy flavor that is reminiscent of the flavors found in traditional cowboy cooking.
The combination of jalapeno peppers, sugar, and vinegar bring together the sweetness and heat that cowboys enjoy when they’re out on the range.
Cowboy candy is believed to have originated in the American West during the late 1800s.
Cowboys and other frontiersmen needed a way to preserve their jalapenos while they were on long cattle drives, so they would brine them with vinegar and sugar.
The treat was first known as “candied jalapenos,” and eventually, the name changed to Cowboy Candy. The sugary-spicy combination of flavors is still a favorite among cowboys and modern foodies.
Today, Cowboy Candy is still enjoyed as an easy snack or accompaniment to meals, but it also continues to be used in recipes ranging from salads to casseroles.
What do you eat Cowboy Candy with?
Cowboy candy can be enjoyed on its own as a snack or appetizer.
It also pairs well with crackers, cream cheese, hamburgers, sandwiches, salads, stir-fries, and other meals.
Additionally, Cowboy Candy can be used in recipes to add sweetness and spice to sauces, marinades, salsas, chutneys, and more.
Its unique flavor can really bring an extra kick of flavor to any dish!
How do you make it?
You will need jalapenos, bacon strips, light brown sugar, and cider vinegar to make cowboy candy. Start by slicing the jalapeno peppers into thin rings.
Then fry the bacon until crisp; drain grease and set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together the light brown sugar and cider vinegar to create a syrup-like mixture. Dip each jalapeno slice into the syrup, then wrap with a half-strip of bacon.
Place wrapped peppers onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Enjoy your delicious Cowboy Candy!
