Rose Hip Jelly

Rose Hips

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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 80 servings

This fresh rose hip jelly recipe is easy to make and just as delicious. A rose hip is the seed pod of roses left after they have finished blooming.

So where do you get fresh rose hips? You probably won't find them in a grocery store, not even a gourmet store. You'll have to rely on your own roses or those of a friend or neighbor as long as they have never been treated with a pesticide that is not labeled for use on edibles.

As far as pectin goes, that's much more easy to find. Look for it wherever canning supplies are sold, usually available in most major grocery stores.

Ingredients

  • 4 quarts rose hips

  • 2 quarts water

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

  • 1 package pectin crystals

  • 5 cups granulated sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large stainless-steel saucepan, simmer rose hips in 2 quarts water until soft.

  3. Crush to mash in the pan and strain through a jelly bag or several layers of dampened cheesecloth. You should have about 4 cups of rose hip juice.

  4. Return rose hip juice to the pan and add lemon juice and pectin crystals. Stir until mixture comes to a hard boil. Immediately add sugar, then bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

  5. Remove jelly from heat and skim off foam with a stainless steel spoon.

  6. Pour jelly into hot sterilized jars and process in a water bath, freeze for longer storage, or store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Tips

  • Don't use an aluminum pan, because it will discolor the jelly and leave a metallic taste.
  •  If you can't find fresh rose hips, soak a cup of dried rose hips in 2 quarts of water for a few minutes, then cook till soft and continue with Step 2 of the recipe.

Harvesting and Cleaning Rose Hips

  • The best time to harvest rose hips is after the first frost. They should still be firm and have good color. Don't pick the shriveled or dried ones.

  • Trim off the stem and blossom ends. Slice each hip in half and remove the inner seeds. Rinse off the deseeded hips and use in your favorite recipe.

Source: "Native Indian Wild Game Fish & Wild Foods Cookbook" edited by David Hunt (Fox Chapel Pub.)

An Alternative to Rose Hip Jam

Before your roses have finished blooming, instead of making jelly with the hips, try making rose petal jam. The rose flavor is more pronounced when you use the petals. But, as for rose hip jelly, make sure the petals you harvest have never been sprayed with a pesticide that is not labeled for use on edibles. That's another good reason to grow roses in your own backyard.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
86 Calories
0g Fat
15g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 80
Amount per serving
Calories 86
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 27mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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