Prickly Pear Jelly and Syrup

[slayr]

While out at the lease this weekend I picked a few ripe prickly pears and took a shot this afternoon at making some jelly and syrup from them. Hopefully it’s edible....going to try it out tomorrow night. Only bad thing was could only find 32oz jars!

[eastxhunter]

Excellent report back post taste test

[Walker]

Love that stuff. My aunt used to make it way back when.

[sailor]

Sounds great...….. Let us know...…………..
My all time favorite...….. Bar none, is
Mesquite Bean jelly...…………….

Do you use Pectin in your jelly...…….????

[slayr]

Sounds great...….. Let us know...…………..
My all time favorite...….. Bar none, is
Mesquite Bean jelly...…………….

Do you use Pectin in your jelly...…….????

Never tried mesquite bean either....sounds intriguing.

Yeah, I did use Pectin. Recipe called for 2.5 cups of prickly pear juice/extract, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 18 tsp of Pectin, and 5 cups of sugar....it’d make about 34oz of jelly.

[waterdog]

Recipe. please

[bownut]

I made this last year. Turned out great. Hope yours does as well.

[Aric]

We spent the weekend at our lease. My wife and kids picked prickly pears as well and made some jelly today. Hopefully yours turns out well Slayr.

[sharpstick35]

my wife makes and sells jellies online and at a feed store in rocksprings. she just made 32 cases of 8 oz. jars

[RifleBowPistol]

I have been curious about the flavor of those since I was a kid. My grandmother and I boiled some, one time, when I was about 6 years old, with intentions of making something with them. I don't remember if she planned on a jelly or just to cook and eat them. But she took a bite of one, after being boiled. She did not like it at all, so whatever we were going to do with them did not happen.

A buddy of mine told me to got down to his place and pick a bunch of them and make wine out of them. Still wanting to do that, just to see what it's like.

How did you get rid of the thorns? Knife or something like a potato peeler?

[BuckRage]

makes great jam.

[diamond10x]

Make jelly/jam and syrup every year at this time. I actually made 48oz of syrup this afternoon. Got stained fingers to prove it haha.

Is it the lighting or is your prickly pair a different color? It’s usually a deep red/purple when I do it and have seen others made.

[diamond10x]

I have been curious about the flavor of those since I was a kid. My grandmother and I boiled some, one time, when I was about 6 years old, with intentions of making something with them. I don't remember if she planned on a jelly or just to cook and eat them. But she took a bite of one, after being boiled. She did not like it at all, so whatever we were going to do with them did not happen.

A buddy of mine told me to got down to his place and pick a bunch of them and make wine out of them. Still wanting to do that, just to see what it's like.

How did you get rid of the thorns? Knife or something like a potato peeler?

IMO one of the best tasting fruits. Sweet but not too sweet, tastes sort of similar to dewberries kinda.

Cut top off water bottle, place open end over the tuna, squeeze and twist. Suggest putting in hard bucket while picking. After I pick them I’ll put them in a feed sack or something similar, shake them around a bit to knock off a lot of the thorns. Dump out of sack and pick up with tongs, run each tuna through a flame to singe all the thorns off. To peel, cut the ends off, take paring knife or potato peeler and take a strip off one side the whole length of fruit. Then pull off the skin with fingers, I’ve found that to be much quicker than trying to slice the skin off all the way around.

[sailor]

Never tried mesquite bean either....sounds intriguing.

Yeah, I did use Pectin. Recipe called for 2.5 cups of prickly pear juice/extract, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 18 tsp of Pectin, and 5 cups of sugar....it’d make about 34oz of jelly.

Follow your recipe with mesquite bean, just the same..
The trick to Mesquite Bean, is picking the beans at the right time...
They have to be picked, when there is a pink stripe on the inside,
and no hole...…one grocery sack, to each boil...…...
The tiny hole is from some kinda worm...It means the bean is dead..
No lemon.... Just beans,...……
You'll love it...….
btw--- when your picking the beans...…
Watch out, for the thorns on the limb...…
And the Rattler under the tree...…..

[Texas Grown]

Slayr, since you were named after me, I demand a ransom of 1 jar.

The fish are biting, and there's hogs to be kill-t. Gotta go!