How to make Elderberry Jelly

If Elderberries are plentiful where you live, count yourself fortunate. Elderberry jelly is easy to make and delicious!

The elderberry is a native plant of North America. Here in Kansas, the elderberry is harvested around late August. As the picture shows, the berries are small and deep purple. The simplest way to harvest the fruit is to snap off the entire cluster of berries. Gather enough to fill a 2 gallon bucket. Back home, the berries can be gently pulled from the cluster and washed.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• pint canning jars with lids and bands--4
• 1 box Sure Jell
• elderberry juice
• sugar
• stock pot that holds at least 12 cups (juice and sugar)

1. When you have about 8 cups of berries, put them in your stock pot, add water about 1 inch over the top of the berries. Cook about 15 minutes making sure you get a good rolling boil. Stir frequently. Let the juice cool somewhat. With a potato masher, you can crush the berries in the pot and pour through a strainer of some sort. Some people like to use cheesecloth.

2. Take 5 cups of the juice and mix with one box of Sure Jell. Cook on medium high to a rolling boil. Add the sugar. Again, continue stirring until the mixture reaches a rolling boil. Boil for one minute, then test by taking a spoon and putting a dime-sized drop of jelly on a plate. Let cool a bit and tip the plate. If the jelly has set and has visible wrinkles, it's done. If not, cook for another minute or so at a rolling boil. Pour into the jelly jars and seal with lids and bands. The jars will seal as the mixture cools.

3. Jelly will set completely in about 8 hours or less. Enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• Measure juice and sugar exactly.

[batkins]

on 8/16/2009 6 cups of sugar. Sorry about that!

[larry2]

on 8/8/2009 how much sugar do you need for this recipe

[larry2]

on 8/8/2009 how much suger goes in this recipe it does not say

[gailM]

on 6/6/2009 Great article about one of our favorite wild plants. We live in Kansas too. We like to gather the blossoms in the spring and make fritters with them. Oh so good with my elderberry syrup (jelly that didn't jell). Thanks