Raspberry Jelly

Raspberry Jelly

6 cups raspberries (washed and dried)

1 cup water

Jelly bag or cheese cloth 

Juice from 1 lemon

1 package of fruit pectin

   5 to 5 1/2 cups of sugar (I always use less sugar because in my opinion most jams & jellies are too sweet.  Using less sugar might make your jelly a little more runny or syrup-like but most times I haven't been able to tell a difference)

To make the juice:  Place your washed raspberries and water in a stainless steel pot.  Boil for 10 minutes and allow it to cool to room temperature.  Then, line a strainer with your jelly bag or cheese cloth and pour the boiled fruit mixture into this lined strainer (you are sifting out the seeds and fruit pulp).  Allow the juice to drain on it's own for a few minutes and then you may take the bag or cheese cloth and gather it together like a bag and squeeze out the remaining juice.  Compost the seeds and pulp.  Use the juice for the next steps below.

NOTE:  Many people extract the juice by using a food strainer (a little crank machine that removes the juice from the raw fruit) but I prefer cooking the juice out of the fruit - I find that I get more juice and therefore more jelly this way than doing it the other way.

Raspberry juice ready to be made into jelly

1.  Gather your canning jars, lids and rings (you will need 6 or 7 half pints). 

     Canning Basics - Jar Sizes.  Also, gather all other canning supplies: 

     Other Canning Supplies

2.  In a large stainless steel pot mix the fruit juice (raspberry juice - already prepared as

     described above), lemon juice and fruit pectin - stir until pectin is dissolved.

3.  Start the water boiling for Jar sterilization:  Sterilizing Jars & Lids

4.  Bring the fruit mixture to a full boil over meduim-high heat - gently stirring all the time.

5.  Add the entire amount of sugar (again - I use the lesser amount - 5 cups) - stirring until

     dissolved.

6.  Bring this mixture to a full boil again - continuously stirring.  Boil hard for a full minute

     (you will notice some foamy stuff on top - that is supposed to happen.  If it boils too close

      to the top of the pot then you will need to turn the heat down slightly).  Constant stirring is

      a must!

7.  Remove the pot from heat and skim foam off the top and discard the foam.

8.  By now your jars should be sterilized and ready to be filled.  Take the jars out of the

     boiling water (I use my jar remover and make sure that the water is drained out of each

     jar).  Fill each jar up to the threads of the jar (about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of headspace)

9.  Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp cloth making sure that any jelly residue is gone (any

      residue left on the rim can stop the jar from sealing).

10. Place a sterilized lid on each jar and then tighten a ring on each jar.

11. Place all jars in a "Water Bath Canner" and process (boil) the jars for 10 minutes (make

      sure that the water level in the Canner is 1 inch above the tallest jar)

12. Remove the jars and place them on the counter or table to cool (I always place them

      on a cloth because there have been a few times when a jar cracked and then the jam

      oozed out making a mess - the cloth will help if that happens).  You will hear the

      wonderful popping sound of your jars sealing.

13. Allow the jar to cool for 24 hours and then store in your pantry or in your fruit cellar until

       the winter and then enjoy a little bit of summer.

This picture is to show you the difference between jelly (on the left) and jam (on the right)

Other Jam or Jelly Recipes on this blog:

Strawberry Mango Jam

   Blueberry Jam

   Peach Jam