Ajvar Recipe

A bowl of Ajvar served on a plate surrounded by bread slices.

5 from 4 votes

An authentic Macedonian recipe for Ajvar, a homemade red pepper relish that tastes great on just about everything, from grilled meats to bread, and more.

Prep Time1

Cook Time2 10

Resting Time2

Total Time2 3 10

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Macedonia

Keyword: ajvar, ajvar recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Katerina Petrovska

Equipment

Ingredients

8 to 10 pounds red bull horn peppers or red bell peppers
3 teaspoons salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1¾ cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil divided
4 (12 ounce) jars for jarring

Instructions

Prep. Preheat the oven to 450˚F.
Prep the peppers. Wash and dry the peppers, then prick them in several places with a fork.
Roast. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until charred and tender, turning occasionally. Rotating them periodically ensures even roasting. Due to space, you'll need to roast the peppers in batches.
Steam the peppers. Transfer the peppers to a plastic bag and close the bag. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. This traps the steam and makes it easier to peel the peppers.
Peel, clean, and drain the peppers. Remove the peppers from the bag, peel off the skin, and discard it. Cut the peppers open and discard the seeds. Place them in a mesh bag and let them drain overnight by suspending the bag over a container.
Process. The next day, roughly chop the peppers, place them in a food processor, and pulse a few times to a chutney consistency.
Cook. Put the pepper puree in a pot, add salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup of sunflower oil, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring frequently with a long wooden spoon to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pot. Ajvar is done once it has thickened and almost all the liquid has evaporated. When done, taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
In the meantime, sterilize the jars by preheating the oven to 180˚F. Wash the jars, place them on a baking sheet, and then put them in the oven for 30 minutes.
Sterilize the lids by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them.
Transfer the ajvar to the jars. When the Ajvar is done, remove it from the stove and let it cool for about 8 to 10 minutes. Pack the Ajvar into the jars and place the jars back on the baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F and place the jars in the oven for 15 minutes or until a thin crust forms on top of the Ajvar.
Meanwhile, heat 1 cup of cooking oil on the stovetop.
Add the heated oil. Once you see the crust on the Ajvar form, remove the jars from the oven, and pour some of the heated oil into each jar over the Ajvar, just enough to cover the surface.
Seal. Wipe the rims of the jars clean before applying the lids. Seal the jars with the lids. Arrange the jars in a crate or box and cover them with kitchen towels.
Cool. Leave them covered to cool down for 24 to 48 hours or until completely cooled.
Storage. Store your Ajvar jars in a dry, dark place. Refrigerate only after opening.

Notes

Choosing Peppers: Traditional Macedonian Ajvar is made with a pepper called Ajvarka, known as red bull horn peppers. Since they can be tricky to find stateside, the next best choice is red bell pepper. Choose ripe peppers that are on the meatier side. Add hot chili peppers to taste if you want to make spicy ajvar.
Cooking Oil: We usually use sunflower oil or vegetable oil to make Ajvar, but olive oil is also a good choice.
Don't forget to stir the Ajvar often while it cooks so it doesn’t burn. Also, use a wooden spoon when stirring because wooden spoons handle heat better. Add more oil if needed.
Season a little at the start, and add more at the end. Please don’t go too heavy with the salt while cooking your Ajvar so it doesn’t turn out too salty.
Making Ajvar is a process; sometimes, it takes several times to perfect it. I advise cooking until it is at its thickest because Ajvar is a spread, not a dip, though you can use it as both. And don't forget to stir, stir, stir. Long simmer is how all the flavors come together, so try not to cut corners.
If you'd like to skip the jarring process, you can let the Ajvar rest for a day and let it cool to room temperature, pack it into jars, seal it, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 weeks, or freeze it for up to 6 months.

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