Mayhaw Jelly

By á-47820

Mayhaw is the name given to the fruit of three species of hawthorn that are common in wetlands throughout the southern United States. Mayhaws grow in moist soil in river and creek bottoms under hardwood trees. I remember having mayhaw jelly with our big weekend breakfasts; so, having it now always brings up fond memories.

Ingredients

• 2 Gallons whole, ripe Mayhaw berries (or 4C mayhaw juice)
• 1 Pkg Sure-gel or Pectin
• 5 C sugar
• 1 tsp butter
• 4-5 Prepared Pint jars with lids & rings

Preparation

Step 1

First, the juice:
To a large pot, add 2 gallons mayhaw fruit and enough water to cover the fruit by no more than 1 inch. Boil mayhaw till tender. Strain off pulp and seeds in colander, catching the juice in another container. Now pour juice through small mesh strainer till fairly clear. Some folks add a drop or two of red food coloring just to give it a brighter color and make it look pretty.
In a 5 -7 quart saucepan stir 1 box/packet Sure-Jell/pectin into 4 cups Mayhaw Juice, adding 1 teaspoon of butter to reduce foaming. Bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in 5 cups sugar and return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with a spoon.

Immediately ladle the mixture into prepared jars, filling to 1/8″ below the tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with the 2 piece lids (the bands and the flat top) and screw the lids on tightly. Place jars in canner/stockpot. Make sure to cover jars with water at least 1-2 inches over the tops (add boiling water if necessary). Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Process 5 minutes.

Remove jars and place upright on a towel and allow to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lids with finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed; either reprocess or store in refrigerator to consume immediately.

This makes approximately 4-5 pints of jelly.