1 quart juice makes 3 (1-pint) jars of jelly • Heavy-bottomed large saucepan • Cheesecloth 1-pint canning jars with lids
Mayhaw berries
Spring water
1 package Sure-Jell powdered pectin for every quart of juice
5 cups sugar for every quart of juice
1. Prepare the berries: Pick through and wash the berries several times to remove dirt. Put the berries in the large pot.
2. Almost fill the pot with spring water, leaving 1 inch of the berries uncovered. Put on the stove and turn on the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil. When the water boils, turn the temperature to low and simmer the berries for about 10 minutes.
3. Use a mallet or anything you have to crush the berries to get the juice out. Let the juice mix with the water.
4. Place a piece of cheesecloth inside a colander and place the colander over a large container. Pour the crushed berries and juice into the colander a little at a time, straining juice through the cheesecloth. Let the juice drain until no more drips through. Gather the cheesecloth into a ball and press gently to get the last of the juice out. (For each batch you’ll need 1 quart juice; if you are a little short, add water.) Throw away the crushed berries.
5. Sterilize 3 jars in the oven at 220°F for 20 minutes. Wash the lids well and leave them in hot water.
6. Make the jelly: Pour 1 quart berry juice into a large pot. (Make sure to use a large pot, or it may boil over.) Add the pectin and bring to a boil. When it gets to a rolling boil, pour in the sugar, stirring constantly. Bring to a full rolling boil that can’t be stirred down, and boil for exactly 1 minute—no more. Remove from the heat and immediately skim any foam from the top.
7. Pour into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headroom at the top, and seal with lids. (The jars must be hot so the boiling berry juice will not crack them.) Process in a boiling-water bath.
8. Repeat until all the berry juice is used.
Tip If you can’t get mayhaw berries, use cranberries—that’ll get you pretty close.
A Note from Phil
I can remember making jelly as a child. Everyone in our family pitched in to make jelly, as well as to can vegetables. It’s how we ate. Momma always had a hot skillet of homemade biscuits for us to eat with our jelly. Nothing like it!
