Prickly Pear Cactus Jelly

To harvest fruit
Pick 1 gal. prickly pear cactus fruit, about 2 1/2 pounds.
Pick fruit in Fall when very ripe, deep garnet color (red and purple in color).
Gather the fruit using tong and gloves.

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.