Prickly Pear Jelly is a classic Southwestern delicacy made from the vibrant magenta fruit of the prickly pear cactus, known for its unique balance of sweetness and tartness. Traditionally prepared in late summer when the fruit ripens to a deep purple-red hue, this jelly captures the essence of desert landscapes in a jar. It’s a visually stunning preserve with a brilliant jewel-like color and a flavor that combines notes of watermelon and bubblegum. Beloved for its rustic charm and smooth texture, it’s perfect for spreading on toast, drizzling over pancakes, or pairing with cheese for a gourmet touch.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs prickly pears (purple red color, ripe)
- water (enough to cover the fruit)
- 2 pkgs Sure-Jell (pectin)
- 6 tbsp lemon juice
- 7 cups granulated sugar
Optional
- paraffin wax (for sealing jars)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Fruit
- Pick ripe purple-red prickly pears. Pour hot water over them to remove stickers. Rinse thoroughly.
Step 2: Slice and Simmer
- Slice the pears into small pieces and place them in a stainless steel pot. Barely cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 3: Strain the Juice
- Strain the juice through a cheesecloth, pressing gently to extract as much liquid as possible. Refrigerate overnight to allow sediment to settle, then pour off the clear juice, leaving the residue behind.
Step 4: Measure and Mix
- Measure 5 cups of clear prickly pear juice. Pour into a large pot and add 2 packages of powdered pectin and 6 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir to combine.
Step 5: Add Sugar and Boil
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Add 7 cups of sugar and stir until dissolved. Continue boiling until the mixture reaches a rolling boil.
Step 6: Test and Jar
- Boil hard for 3 minutes, then test for jelling by dropping a small amount on a cold plate — it should wrinkle when pushed. Pour the hot jelly into sterilized jars.
Step 7: Seal and Store
- Seal immediately and let stand until jelly sets. Pour a thin layer of melted paraffin over the top to preserve (optional for authenticity).
Tips
- A fine-mesh strainer can substitute for cheesecloth if double-layered.
- Add 1 teaspoon of lime juice for a brighter flavor.
- For a spicy twist, simmer one jalapeño with the fruit before straining.
- To reduce sugar, use low-sugar pectin and adjust sweetness to taste.
- The fruit typically ripens in late August or September, perfect for canning season.
Transcription of the Original Recipe
Read or copy the transcription
Prickly Pear Jelly
Pick the ripe fruit (purple-red)1 and pour hot water
over pears to remove stickers. Rinse. Slice the pears very
thin or cut them into small pieces. Place cut pears into
stainless steel pot and barely cover pears with water. Boil
25 to 30 minutes, strain juice from fruit - squeeze fruit to
be sure that all juice is removed.2 Let the juice set over
night in refrigerator and pour the juice off the next day
leaving the dregs behind. Measure five cups of juice, pour
it into a pot and heat the juice until it comes to a boil,
then add two packages of Sure-jell. Let this come to a boil,
and add six tablespoons of Real Lemon. Bring the juice to
a big boil and pour seven cups of sugar into the juice.
Stir until sugar is dissolved, and when juice comes to a big,
big boil, boil for three minutes and pour into jars.3 Let
it set until it jells, and then pour melted paraffin over the
top of the jelly to preserve it.
1. The ripened fruit will turn red first, but when it
is good and ripe it will be a purple-red. The fruit
normally ripens during the last half of September.
2. A cheese cloth serves as a good strainer and may
be used to squeeze the fruit to aid removal of the
juice.
3. Any small jar will do. Large baby food jars serve
the purpose very well.From Transcription to Instructions
This recipe is wonderfully to the point but a bit compressed, so we broke that quick note into smaller steps so you won’t have to guess the order: measure 5 cups of the clear juice, add the two packages of Sure‑Jell and 6 tablespoons lemon, bring that to a boil, then stir in the 7 cups sugar and boil hard for three minutes. The instructions make the jelling test and a sterilized-jar reminder explicit, which just helps you know exactly when to jar and when the jelly’s done.
Nutrition
Calories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 14gPotassium: 10mgSugar: 14gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 2mg
