Elderberry jelly. This is the only tested safe elderberry jelly recipe, as elderberries have an average pH of 5.2, rather than the 4.6 required for typical water bath canning. This recipe relies on a high sugar content to preserve rather than acidity. Do not adjust amounts of ingredients or make as a low or no-sugar recipe. This elderberry jelly recipe has all the health benefits of elderberry syrup, except it is shelf-stable.
3 cups prepared elderberry juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package Sure Jell fruit pectin
4 1/2 cups sugar
Start with 6 quarts of fresh or frozen elderberries. Cook berries to boiling, and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes until all berries burst, releasing their juices. Use a jelly bag, cheese cloth, or fine mesh strainer to separate juice from pulp and seeds.
Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 package Sure Jell to 3 cups juice, stirring well to incorporate ingredients. Heat to boiling, and add 4 1/2 cups sugar, stirring well to incorporate.
Return mixture to a hard boil that cannot be stirred down for exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat and ladle into sterilized half-pint jelly jars.
Process in water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting time for altitude.
Recipe makes 6 half-pint jelly jars. Enjoy!
by Thousand_YardStare
3 Comments
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My understanding is if the jars (with food) are processed for 10 minutes or more, sanitizing the jars in advance isn’t required. Just wash ’em good and keep them warm. Am I remembering wrong?
edit: Here’s an interesting article from the University of Wisconsin about elderberries as a low acid fruit. The authors explain why the large amount of sugar is required and why the lemon juice is used only for flavor — it isn’t enough for food safety.
https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/safefood/2020/06/05/elderberries-beautiful-to-look-at-not-for-canning/
Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!