Prickly Pear Jelly Recipe
A homemade prickly pear jelly requires careful harvesting and preparation of the fruit, followed by cooking and gelling to create a unique preserve.
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Instructions
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Carefully harvest prickly pear fruit, using a method to avoid thorns, and then burn off any remaining thorns over a flame.
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Trim the ends, peel the fruit, and chop the pulp into 1-inch pieces.
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Place the chopped pulp in a large pot and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring until it forms a soupy consistency.
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Strain the cooked pulp through a food mill or fine sieve, pressing to extract all liquid and pulp.
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Return the strained liquid to the pot, add sugar, lemon juice, and lemon peel as desired.
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Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring often for 40 to 60 minutes, until it reaches the gel point.
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Remove the lemon peels.
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Ladle the hot jelly into clean jars, seal, and refrigerate for storage up to 6 months.