The Best Jelly in the World!

Mayhaw Jelly Recipe  (makes 60 oz.)

6 cups of prepared mayhaw juice

4 cups sugar

1 pkg. Sure Jell fruit pectin (PINK BOX FOR LOWER SUGAR RECIPE)

½ tsp. butter or margarine

1. Put juice in a  large heavy pot. Measure the exact amount of sugar into a separate large bowl. (DO NOT REDUCE THE SUGAR IN RECIPE SINCE THAT WILL RESULT IN SET FAILURES) We find the lower sugar recipe works best for mayhaws and allows for that delicious sweet, tart taste. 
2. Combine ¼ c. sugar from the measured amount with one pkg. Sure Jell for lower sugar recipe, in a small bowl. Stir into the juice. Add butter or margarine to reduce foaming.
3. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that does not stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. 
4. Stir in remaining measured sugar.  Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim any foam with a metal spoon. Jelly should be a clear red color, darkness depending on the redness of the berries before cooking. 
5. Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within ¼ inch of top, or lower if desired. Wipe jar rims and threads, cover with hot lids and screw bands tightly. 
6. Let sealed jars stand to cool for several hours. Lids will pop when vacuum is created by cooling jelly, making for a good seal. Store canned jelly in a climate controlled place for a year or more. Refrigerate after opening. 

Tips for jelly success:

1. Scald jars with boiling water before use. Set hot jars on a towel to dry while cooking jelly. Use a jar funnel to avoid getting jelly on the rim and threads of jars. Fill jars while they are sitting on the towel to help deal with sticky spills. You can use a variety of jar sizes, but we find the ½ pint  (8 oz. ) to work best. The  4 oz. size is also handy for gift giving.
2. Heat flat lids in a small pan of water while jelly cooks. Place hot lids directly onto  jars with a magnetic tool, then screw on bands tight. 
3. Follow the steps below for preparing the mayhaw juice for making jelly. 

Juicing mayhaws by hand:

1. Wash and remove excessive stems and leaves from picked berries, but it is not necessary to remove them all.  Place fresh or frozen berries in a large pot. (Frozen berries produce more juice than freshly picked and can be kept in the freezer for a year or more).
2.  Add water just until you can see it, not covering the berries. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes. Let cool.
3. Using a large bowl lined with a large square of cheesecloth, pour cooked berries and juice into the cheesecloth. Gather cloth around berries and squeeze until no juice comes out. Hang cloth with berries over the bowl for a while, if possible, for more juice to drip out. Discard berry pulp, seeds and stems. 
4. Measure juice into 6 cup batches for making jelly. You may add up to ½ cup water to make it exactly 6 cups per batch, but be careful not to add too much water per batch, or the juice will be weak and the jelly not as good.One gallon of frozen mayhaw berries yields approximately 7cups of juice.  If not making jelly right away, freeze juice in 6 cup portions for a year or more, then just take out and thaw in the pan over low heat before making jelly. 
5. If juicing a large quantity of berries, measure the total number of cups of juice you have when finished, and add enough water to be able to divide them into 6 cup portions for freezing. This gives you the option of easily making jelly whenever you need it, not just at harvest time 

There are pieces of canning equipment that make the juicing easier, including a cone strainer and rack with a wooden pestle for squeezing the juice, but it still needs to be filtered through cheesecloth. There are also alternative ways to juice the mayhaws other than by hand, including stove top steamers that collect the juice in a separate compartment. We happen to have a sausage stuffer, and use it to press the juice out of the cooked berries into the sausage tunnel, then let it drain into a cheesecloth covered bowl or bucket.