Jams & Jellies
and
This & That
Jalea De Piracanta
Pyracantha Jelly
3 cups pyracantha berries*
Cheesecloth
6 cups water
1 1/2 ounces packaged,
powdered pectin
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 grapefruit
Sugar
1. Wash and stem berries. Place berries and water in a kettle and simmer at low heat for 20 minutes. 2. Add lemon and grapefruit juice to berry mixture. Strain berry mixture through cheesecloth without squeezing berries. 3. Measure amount of liquid and discard berries. 4. Return liquid to kettle and add powdered pectin. Cook at high heat until mixture comes to a full boil. Reduce heat to medium-high. 5. Add the same amount of sugar as the measured liquid. Boil mixture at medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. (Mixture will be thin.) 6. Remove mixture from heat and skim off any foam that may have formed. 7. Pour mixture into hot, sterilized, half-pint canning jars. Seal jars according to the manufacturer's directions. 8. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for five minutes. Test seal when cooled. * Pyracantha berries are the fruit of the pyracantha bush. The pyracantha bush is used as a colorful landscape accent in New Mexico.
Boiling Water Bath
A Boiling Water Bath is the cooking of food in jars for a set period of time. The boiling water bath seals the lids of the jars to prevent bacterial entry, and the heating of the jars destroys the bacteria, enzymes, molds and yeast in the food inside the jars. The jars are immersed in a large container filled with boiling water. The water must cover the tops of the jars by 2 inches throughout the boiling time.
