Prickly Pear Cactus Jelly

Beautiful garnet color - with a distinct, delicious taste.

To harvest fruit
Pick prickly pears when deep purple (usually ready in September).
Use LONG BBQ tongs to pick and long sleeves to protect against cactus thorns.
Half of a large grocery bag is enough to start with.

Wash pears well - hold each pear with tongs (NOT fingers). Cut in half with sharp scissors. Use large canning kettle - fill pan no more than half full. Cover with water and boil until pears are soft and mushy. Run the pears through a ricer, food mill or force them through a sieve. Strain juice through cheesecloth.

To extract juice
Pour fruit into sink of water.
Using tongs, swish in water to remove stickers (you need not skin it).
Pick up fruit with tongs and then cut in quarters on cutting board.
Put in a pot with just enough water to cover.
Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
Mash with a potato masher and strain into a pot the juice and water.
Strain through a colander with two layers of cheesecloth to remove the seeds and pulp.
I've found that 2 1/2 pounds of fruit will yield a little over 2 1/2 cups of juice using the method above.
(Juice can be frozen and used later.)

 

Prickly Pear Cactus Jelly 

• 2 1/2 cups prickly pear cactus juice
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 box of powdered pectin
(18 teaspoons-note that not all pectin brands contain the same amount in a box, so measure it out to make sure).

Hard boil cactus fruit juice, pectin and lemon juice for 3 minutes.
Hard boil means the point at which the brew still bubbles even when you stir it.
Add sugar and bring back to a hard boil for 2 minutes or until the jelly point is reached.
Put in 8 once canning jars, seal and heat process for 10 minutes.
I followed the canning instructions on the Ball website for high-acid foods.

Makes about X  Xounce jars.