Cowboy Candy: Sweet, Tangy, Spicy Jalapeños You Need to Try

If you've never tried Cowboy Candy, the name probably raises a few questions.

Candy? Made from jalapeños?

Trust us on this one.

Our Magical Micro Farm Cowboy Candy takes sliced jalapeños and transforms them into sweet, tangy, spicy little rings that somehow seem to disappear from the jar far quicker than expected. You get sweetness up front, followed by that unmistakable jalapeño flavour, a tangy bite and a gentle chilli warmth.

Sweet. Tangy. Spicy. Dangerously snackable.

So, What Exactly Is Cowboy Candy?

Cowboy Candy is also known as candied jalapeños, although that description doesn't really capture everything going on inside the jar.

Fresh jalapeño slices meet a sweet and tangy syrup along with our own carefully selected blend of herbs and spices. The result is something that's difficult to put into a single category.

It's a little bit pickle, a little bit relish, a little bit sweet chilli treat, and a whole lot of delicious.

And no, we're not telling you exactly how we make it. Some farm secrets stay on the farm.

Bring It to the Braai

This is where Cowboy Candy really comes into its own.

Put a few slices on a boerewors roll and suddenly the humble boerie has had a serious upgrade. Add it to burgers, steak sandwiches, braaibroodjies or toasted cheese sandwiches. Serve it alongside braaied meat, add some to a potato salad, or chop a few slices into a homemade burger sauce.

The combination of sweet, tangy and spicy works especially well with rich, smoky food straight from the braai.

Fair warning: once people discover the jar on the table, you may not be getting it back.

The Easiest Snack You'll Make

Here's one of our favourite ways to eat it.

Cracker. Cream cheese. Cowboy Candy.

Done.

The cool, creamy cheese works beautifully with the sweet jalapeño and gentle chilli heat. Put a jar out with cream cheese and crackers when friends come over and watch what happens. You might want a second jar.

Give Your Mexican Evening Some Extra Attitude

Planning a Mexican-inspired evening at home? Put a bowl of Cowboy Candy on the table with your favourite Mexican snacks and let everyone add their own.

It's fantastic with cheesy dishes, loaded chips, wraps, spicy mince, grilled chicken, guacamole, sour cream and just about anything else that could use a sweet jalapeño kick. It also makes a great addition to a snack platter alongside cheese, crackers, dips and cold meats.

Basically, put the jar in the middle of the table and let everyone figure it out. They will.

Breakfast Just Got More Interesting

Cowboy Candy doesn't have to wait until the braai starts.

Add a few slices to scrambled eggs, an omelette or a breakfast roll. Eggs, bacon, cheese and Cowboy Candy? Now we're talking. That little hit of sweetness and chilli can turn a simple weekend breakfast into something completely different.

Whatever You Do, Don't Throw Away the Syrup

Eventually, something unfortunate will happen. You'll eat the last jalapeño.

But the jar isn't finished yet.

That sweet, tangy, spicy syrup left behind is absolutely packed with flavour. Brush it over chicken, pork or ribs on the braai. Add a splash to a marinade. Mix some into mayonnaise for a quick sweet-and-spicy sauce. Use a little in salad dressing or experiment with it as a glaze.

You bought Cowboy Candy. You might as well use every last drop.

Made the Magical Micro Farm Way

Making our Cowboy Candy isn't a process we rush.

Once a batch has been made and bottled, every jar is left to rest for a minimum of four weeks before it is shipped out.

Why? Because Cowboy Candy gets better with time.

During those four weeks, the jalapeños soak up that sweet, tangy and spiced syrup while all the different flavours settle and develop together. It requires a little patience on our side, especially when there are rows of jars sitting there tempting us, but we believe the wait is worth it.

By the time a jar leaves Magical Micro Farm, it's had at least a month to develop the flavour we want you to experience when you finally crack it open.

We're not trying to make something painfully hot. The jalapeño still needs to taste like a jalapeño. The sweetness, acidity, spices and chilli warmth all need to work together, because the best chilli products aren't simply about how much heat you can handle.

They're about flavour.

Of course, there's one problem with getting that balance right. You open the fridge for one slice. Then another. Then one more. And somehow you're standing in front of the fridge eating Cowboy Candy directly from the jar.

Magical Micro Farm Cowboy Candy. Sweet jalapeños. Four weeks of patience. A whole lot of flavour.

If you're a fan of sweet heat, you'll also love our Magical Micro Farm Hot Honey — pure SA honey infused with Chocolate Carolina Reaper for a drizzle that goes on just about everything.