A Sweet, Hot, Sticky Mess
Prickly Pear Jelly is a success. That said? Canning is a much smarter hobby to take up during the WINTER.
Ingredients:
8 - 10 prickly pears, washed and sliced crosswise
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lime juice
1 package fruit pectin
5 cups sugar
Zest of 1 lime
Directions:
Place the fruit in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
Mash the fruit and pour mixture into a cheesecloth or jelly bag. Allow juice to stand for at least 1 hour until sediment settles to the bottom. Discard the pulp, pour off the clear liquid and reserve, and discard the cloudy sediment.
Combine the prickly pear liquid, lime juice, and pectin in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and lime zest. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, skim, pour into sterilized jars, and seal.
Source: Martha Stewart, via my friend Diane.
~K
- Posted in Domestic Art, Journal, Goals, June Cleaver, Kitchen Talk, Happy Hippie
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That guy totally reminds me of your brother… (I should tell you I wrote “that kid…” the first time. feeling old lately)
September 9th, 2008 at 7:31 pmThat looks great! Nice job.
I need to get a pan that I can boil canning jars in..don’t have any high enough at the moment.
Hope it tastes great.
September 9th, 2008 at 7:37 pmYou’re so ambitious! The jam looks beautiful. And I bet it’s spectacular with your homemade bread. You have very lucky friends.
September 9th, 2008 at 8:00 pmIt looks like a lot of work. A lot of work for a hot summer day.
September 9th, 2008 at 8:27 pmWow… that looks great! Did you save some for margaritas?
September 9th, 2008 at 8:56 pmThanks for the recipe. My sister was just asking me about this, I’ll have to send her over to check this out. I know what you mean about hot! I’ve decided not to make any more bread until it gets much much cooler!
September 9th, 2008 at 9:09 pmthat’s a lot more involved than peaches. well done!
September 10th, 2008 at 3:22 amYeah, I guess that’s the problem with canning - it’s so hot it just kills you, but summer is the time when everything to be canned is ripe!
September 10th, 2008 at 3:46 amso cool. I didn’t even know about prickly pears until you posted about them. I canned blueberry jam on the hottest day of the summer in my tiny kitchen. I think I must have been insane to do that. At least it’ll give me a good laugh during the cold winter months while I’m eating it!
September 10th, 2008 at 4:17 amLooks delicious! Nice helpers!
September 10th, 2008 at 4:54 amHow many people were involved in this process??
Looks delicious - never tried prickly pear anything.
I love that you have a happy hippie category.
September 10th, 2008 at 5:05 amYum! Isn’t it so satisfying to see those jars lined up with jewel-like goodness inside?
September 10th, 2008 at 5:39 amIt looks gorgeous Kelli! Glad the recipe turned out well for you. Such a beautiful color, isn’t it? How fun having your friends help. I always thought that canning was a good ‘family’ project. Always much more fun doing it with others. Congratulations!!
September 10th, 2008 at 5:49 amCanning is a wonderful thing to do, but I do agree it’s too hot here in Arizona to be doing that right now. I’m glad you were able to use the prickly pears in this way though and will appreciate all the work you put into it later.
September 10th, 2008 at 5:56 amNiiiiiice! Thanks for the photos of the process. I’ve been curious about working with prickly pear fruit and now I feel educated. Looks delicious.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:49 amWow. I’m really curious what prickly pear jelly tastes like.
Okay, now you have Def Leppard (I’m hot, sticky and sweet)stuck in my head, so thanks for that.
And hello. You failed to mention that young Mr. Aussie was also a hottie. Although I’m probably closer in age to his dad. Nevermind that I’m happily married.
And on a competely different note, I keep forgetting to ask, how was Saturday night at the museum?
September 10th, 2008 at 7:04 amWell, that is just awesome. I totally want to take up canning, but chicken out every year. However, I have a bag full of green guava in the freezer, and I might just try making some jelly after seeing your success story.
And I might wait til it’s not steaming hot around here, after reading your timely tip.
September 10th, 2008 at 7:16 amThat looks so pretty..Great job!
September 10th, 2008 at 7:55 amIt’s so pretty - and I bet it’s really good, too. Glad to see you had some helpers there!!
September 10th, 2008 at 8:54 amHmm…wonder if I have enough prickly pear fruit left?
September 10th, 2008 at 9:16 amyummy! wow. prickly pear. i’ve never had that. maybe in a mixed drink in san antiono? but never as jelly/jam. does it taste similar to something else? don’t say chicken!
September 10th, 2008 at 9:57 amKelli that looks so yummy! I’ve never heard of a ly pear though. Great job, you’re a canning !
September 10th, 2008 at 10:35 amGreat job! It looks really good
September 10th, 2008 at 12:03 pmOooohh, nice! Anybody in the west valley have prickly pears?
September 10th, 2008 at 12:44 pmVery awesome. Glad it was a success. Mmmm, looks good. I may have to try prickly pear jelly AND a margarita soon! ~D
September 10th, 2008 at 12:57 pmYou are amazing. Your neighbors must love you. I’m so impressed.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:03 pmLooks delicious. The sad thing about canning is that it’s so hot out when there’s produce available to can. My mom had a whole 2nd stove for canning set up our basement when I was a kid - made the canning bearable.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:02 pmOh, you really got me with this one! I’m making some very soon!!! I think the local Mexican food grocer carries tunas.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:05 pmI’ve just canned over the past week for the first time ever! It’s so much easier than I ever imagined.
Thanks so much for sharing!!!
kelli, you never cease to inspire… this has got domestic goddess all over it!!
i have been really wanting to try canning and jam-making lately. maybe it’s a wish to hang on to the last of summer!
September 10th, 2008 at 6:35 pmxo
I just love watching your recipes come together. The pictures are fantastic.
Unfortunately, over here in Blacksburg, VA (Home of the college Football Team VA Tech Hokies) I’ve yet to find any prickly pears here. And this area has a wonderful diversity of cultures and food available in the stores, especially Kroger.
We have a nice international market here though with a lot of oriental and India foods. I remember when one of the really fresh crabs got out onto the floor and was chasing everyone that walked by. It was still very much alive and kicking from the box and refused to be ignored. Love those moments. Wish I had a video camera with me at the time.
September 11th, 2008 at 5:08 amIt looks both pretty and delicious!
I wouldn’t mind having that cute blue pot, either. I love that color.
Enjoy the sharing…
September 11th, 2008 at 8:10 amhow cool that you finally canned! it looks like it was a great success as well. it also makes me wonder what that jam would taste like. i have never had a prickly pear and have no idea what kind of flavor it has. what’s it like?
September 11th, 2008 at 7:16 pm