Cowboy Candy
Cowboy candy probably isn’t something you hand out at Halloween — unless your trick-or-treaters are fans of jalapeño peppers! These savory and sweet candied jalapeños are so freakin’ delicious, they just make everything better. It’s more than just a fun name. I’d say they might even top your favorite candy bar as a tasty treat, because you’ll want to put them on everything you grill from now until the end of summer. I’ve got an easy cowboy candy recipe for you here, and we’re putting them on one of my favorite grill recipes: burgers! We round out the perfect combination of savory and sweet in this recipe with Bush’s Original Baked Beans, which are the perfect side for summer grilling. Nothing says backyard BBQ more than a spicy burger with Bush’s Baked Beans on the side! Table of Contents Why You’ll Love Cowboy CandyCowboy Candy IngredientsHow to Cut a JalapeñoThis sauce is FYR!How to Make Cowboy CandyMaking the Cowboy CandyGrilling the BurgerBacon and BeansAssembling the Cowboy Candy BurgerWhat to Serve with Cowboy CandyLeftovers and ReheatingFor More JalapeñosFAQsFlavor X Fire & FOOD X FireCowboy Candy Recipe Why You’ll Love Cowboy Candy Cowboy Candy Ingredients How to Cut a Jalapeño This sauce is FYR! How to Make Cowboy Candy Making the Cowboy CandyGrilling the BurgerBacon and BeansAssembling the Cowboy Candy Burger Making the Cowboy Candy Grilling the Burger Bacon and Beans Assembling the Cowboy Candy Burger What to Serve with Cowboy Candy Leftovers and Reheating For More Jalapeños FAQs Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire Cowboy Candy Recipe Why You’ll Love Cowboy Candy The texture of cowboy candy is similar to bread and butter pickles, but with extra zip from the spicy pepper. When it comes your burger, cowboy candy is a spicy treat to kick things up a notch. Plus, if you have leftover syrup from making these savory and sweet peppers, one of my favorite ways to use it up is for glazes or on ribs and chicken. This stuff is liquid gold. If you’re looking for more burger topping ideas, check out my recipes for Oklahoma Onion Burger, BBQ Bacon Burger and Animal Style Burger! Cowboy Candy Ingredients Cowboy candy: Start with fresh jalapeños, and then we’ll pickle our thin pepper slices in a mixture of apple cider vinegar, granulated white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper. Burger: To make the cowboy candy the real star of the show, we’re going with a classic bacon smashburger with cheese. Ground beef, slices of bacon, cheese slices, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and mayo are all we need. Baked beans: Bush’s Original Baked Beans are perfect here! We dress them up a bit with cowboy candy and chopped bacon. Cowboy candy: Start with fresh jalapeños, and then we’ll pickle our thin pepper slices in a mixture of apple cider vinegar, granulated white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper. Burger: To make the cowboy candy the real star of the show, we’re going with a classic bacon smashburger with cheese. Ground beef, slices of bacon, cheese slices, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and mayo are all we need. Baked beans: Bush’s Original Baked Beans are perfect here! We dress them up a bit with cowboy candy and chopped bacon. How to Cut a Jalapeño Have you ever sliced spicy jalapeños, forgot and then rubbed your eyes? It’s brutal! The easiest way to prevent this experience is to wear disposable gloves while you slice peppers. Make sure you wash your hands well afterward, along with your cutting board and the knife you used to cut the spicy pepper. If you do get some capsaicin — the compound in hot peppers like our jalapeños, banana peppers and serrano peppers that gives them that flavorful kick — on your hands and it causes a burning sensation, you can use dish soap, rubbing alcohol or even yogurt to cool things down. Get stoked for life This sauce is FYR! an all-new line created for live fire cooking Born from a deep passion for food and flavor. Whether you’re grilling in the backyard or live fire cooking around the world, we have what you need to transform every meal into an adventure. How to Make Cowboy Candy Cowboy candy in summer > leftover Halloween candy in summer. Let’s put these candied jalapenos on a burger! Making the Cowboy Candy First up: those savory, sweet, spicy peppers. Start by thinly slicing 1 pound of fresh jalapeños. You can use your favorite chef’s knife or a mandoline cutter for this part! Put a cast-iron skillet on medium heat, and then add 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 3 cups of granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon of celery seed, 1.5 teaspoons of granulated garlic and 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the skillet. Bring the vinegar mixture to a full rolling boil, then add the sliced jalapenos. Let those jalapeños cook in the boiling syrup for 2-3 minutes, then take them out with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a mason jar. Boil the sugar sauce for another five minutes, then remove it from heat and pour the boiling sweet syrup into the mason jar with the jalapeños. Finish up your cowboy candy by placing the jar of jalapeños in the fridge to cool. Ideally, you’ll want them in there for three or four days, but you’ll get a nice flavor with two or three hours if you’re in a pinch. Grilling the Burger Heat your grill to high heat, about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, for direct cooking. Put a cast-iron skillet on the fire so it can preheat. Grab a handful of ground beef and then gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this process until you’ve got six total burger balls. When your skillet is smoking, add that ball of ground beef to the skillet. Place a piece of parchment over the ball, and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is smashed on the skillet. Season the patty with salt, pepper and garlic powder, then let it cook for another 1-1.5 minutes. Carefully flip the burger patty over and then season the new side. Top with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once the cheese has melted, pull the burger off and let it rest. Repeat this process for the rest of your patties. Bacon and Beans Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames to heat, then place some sliced bacon in the cold skillet. Cook the bacon until it’s nice and crispy, then glaze the slices with a little of the cowboy candy sugar syrup. This is how we’ll incorporate even more of that cowboy candy goodness into our beans! Pull off and keep warm. Add another skillet to the heat with a can of Bush’s Original Baked Beans. Bring the beans to a full simmer, then pull them off and top with chopped bacon and cowboy candy. Assembling the Cowboy Candy Burger Serve your burgers on toasted buns with mayonnaise, double stacked patties, candied bacon, cowboy candy and Bush’s Baked Beans on the side. Enjoy! What to Serve with Cowboy Candy Like I said, you can put cowboy candy on everything. Hot dogs are another great way to get your cowboy candy fix! The great thing about a hot dog is that Bush’s Baked Beans also pair perfectly with them. You could also add bits of hot dog to the beans for the ultimate meaty bean experience! For another great beans recipe, check out my Steakhouse Baked Beans! I’ve also made some other fantastic recipes with Bush’s like this Southwest Breakfast Burrito and Smoked Chipotle Steak Chili! Leftovers and Reheating You can keep the cowboy candy in that mason jar of sweet brine in the fridge for up to two months. Wrap the cooled-down burger patties tightly in foil and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. For More Jalapeños FAQs OK, you got me hooked on cowboy candy. What other ways can I use it? Awesome! Glad to hear you’re now a seasoned cowboy candy fan. These spicy jalapeno slices are great in so many things. Putting them on top of cocktails, cornbread, guacamole, Hawaiian pizza and eggs are just a few ideas! Why smash the burger? When you smash a beef patty, you supercharge the sear on that burger. The extreme heat and pressure seals in the juices and flavor, giving us a crispy crust on top of it all — a perfect landing spot for cowboy candy. Where can I find Bush’s Original Baked Beans? Get The Cookbooks! Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire By Derek Wolf All the major tastes—salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and umami—are explored in depth, along with an investigation of other components you should consider when it comes to flavor, such as aroma, heat, and texture. Cowboy Candy: ▢ 1 lb Jalapeños thinly sliced▢ 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar▢ 3 cups Granulated Sugar▢ 1/2 tsp Turmeric▢ 1/2 tsp Celery Seed▢ 1.5 tsp Granulated Garlic▢ 1 tsp Cayenne Powder ▢ 1 lb Jalapeños thinly sliced ▢ 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar ▢ 3 cups Granulated Sugar ▢ 1/2 tsp Turmeric ▢ 1/2 tsp Celery Seed ▢ 1.5 tsp Granulated Garlic ▢ 1 tsp Cayenne Powder Burger: ▢ 1 lbs Ground Beef▢ ½ lb Sliced Bacon▢ 6-8 Sliced Cheese▢ 1/4 cup Salt/Pepper/Garlic▢ Mayonnaise as needed▢ Burger Buns ▢ 1 lbs Ground Beef ▢ ½ lb Sliced Bacon ▢ 6-8 Sliced Cheese ▢ 1/4 cup Salt/Pepper/Garlic ▢ Mayonnaise as needed ▢ Burger Buns Baked Beans: ▢ 16 oz cans Bush’s Original Baked Beans▢ 1/2 cup Cowboy Candy▢ 1/4 cup Chopped Bacon ▢ 16 oz cans Bush’s Original Baked Beans ▢ 1/2 cup Cowboy Candy ▢ 1/4 cup Chopped Bacon Cowboy Candy: Add a cast iron skillet to medium heat.Place all the ingredients (outside the jalapenos) to the skillet and bring to a small boil.Add the jalapenos to the rolling boil for 2-3 minutes, then pull off and set aside. Boil the sugar sauce for 5-6 more minutes, then pull off and add everything (boiled sugar sauce and jalapeños) to a mason jar.Place in the fridge to cool for at least 2-3 hours but ideally 3-4 days. Add a cast iron skillet to medium heat. Add a cast iron skillet to medium heat. Place all the ingredients (outside the jalapenos) to the skillet and bring to a small boil. Place all the ingredients (outside the jalapenos) to the skillet and bring to a small boil. Add the jalapenos to the rolling boil for 2-3 minutes, then pull off and set aside. Add the jalapenos to the rolling boil for 2-3 minutes, then pull off and set aside. Boil the sugar sauce for 5-6 more minutes, then pull off and add everything (boiled sugar sauce and jalapeños) to a mason jar. Boil the sugar sauce for 5-6 more minutes, then pull off and add everything (boiled sugar sauce and jalapeños) to a mason jar. Place in the fridge to cool for at least 2-3 hours but ideally 3-4 days. Place in the fridge to cool for at least 2-3 hours but ideally 3-4 days. Burger & Baked Beans: Heat your grill at high heat (around 400F) for direct cooking. Add a cast iron to the fire to preheat.Grab a handful of ground beef and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until you’re out of meat.Get your skillet ripping hot (so it's gently smoking). Add a burger ball to the skillet. Place a piece of parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet. Season the patty with salt, pepper and garlic. Let cook for another 1-1.5 minutes. Carefully flip the burger patty over and then season the new side. Top with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull off and rest. Repeat for the rest of your patties.Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames to heat and add some sliced bacon to the cold skillet. Cook them bacon till crispy, then glaze with a little of the cowboy candy sugar sauce. Pull off and keep warm.Add another skillet with a can of Bush’s Baked Beans. Bring to a full simmer, then pull off and top with chopped bacon and cowboy candy.Serve your burgers on toasted buns with mayonnaise, double stacked patties, candied bacon, cowboy candy and Bush’s Baked Beans on the side. Enjoy! Heat your grill at high heat (around 400F) for direct cooking. Add a cast iron to the fire to preheat. Heat your grill at high heat (around 400F) for direct cooking. Add a cast iron to the fire to preheat. Grab a handful of ground beef and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until you’re out of meat. Grab a handful of ground beef and gently roll it into a ball. Repeat this for 6-8 balls or until you’re out of meat. Get your skillet ripping hot (so it's gently smoking). Get your skillet ripping hot (so it's gently smoking). Add a burger ball to the skillet. Place a piece of parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet. Add a burger ball to the skillet. Place a piece of parchment over one ball and then firmly press with the spatula until the burger is “smashed” on the skillet. Season the patty with salt, pepper and garlic. Let cook for another 1-1.5 minutes. Season the patty with salt, pepper and garlic. Let cook for another 1-1.5 minutes. Carefully flip the burger patty over and then season the new side. Carefully flip the burger patty over and then season the new side. Top with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull off and rest. Top with a slice of cheese and let melt for 1-2 minutes. Once melted, pull off and rest. Repeat for the rest of your patties. Repeat for the rest of your patties. Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames to heat and add some sliced bacon to the cold skillet. Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames to heat and add some sliced bacon to the cold skillet. Cook them bacon till crispy, then glaze with a little of the cowboy candy sugar sauce. Pull off and keep warm. Cook them bacon till crispy, then glaze with a little of the cowboy candy sugar sauce. Pull off and keep warm. Add another skillet with a can of Bush’s Baked Beans. Bring to a full simmer, then pull off and top with chopped bacon and cowboy candy. Add another skillet with a can of Bush’s Baked Beans. Bring to a full simmer, then pull off and top with chopped bacon and cowboy candy. Serve your burgers on toasted buns with mayonnaise, double stacked patties, candied bacon, cowboy candy and Bush’s Baked Beans on the side. Enjoy! Serve your burgers on toasted buns with mayonnaise, double stacked patties, candied bacon, cowboy candy and Bush’s Baked Beans on the side. Enjoy! How to Cut a Jalapeño Have you ever sliced spicy jalapeños, forgot and then rubbed your eyes? It’s brutal! The easiest way to prevent this experience is to wear disposable gloves while you slice peppers. Make sure you wash your hands well afterward, along with your cutting board and the knife you used to cut the spicy pepper. If you do get some capsaicin — the compound in hot peppers like our jalapeños, banana peppers and serrano peppers that gives them that flavorful kick — on your hands and it causes a burning sensation, you can use dish soap, rubbing alcohol or even yogurt to cool things down. Calories: 1319kcal | Carbohydrates: 183g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 8416mg | Potassium: 1201mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 155g | Vitamin A: 1758IU | Vitamin C: 139mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 6mg Derek Wolf Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek's fire cooking journey. He's a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he's cooking up, it's guaranteed to be so freakin' delicious!