Rowan Jelly

Name: Rowan Jelly
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 900 g fresh rowan berries; 900 g crab apples; 1200 ml cold water; 800 g granulated white sugar; 30 ml Fresh lemon juice; 1 piece lemon peel; 2 whole whole cloves; 1 pinch Fine sea salt

A glowing amber jelly with a bittersweet tang, made from autumn rowan berries and crab apples to accompany roasted game and lamb.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· Scottish Borders and Dumfries

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 60 min
Total: 80 min
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 130 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

900 g fresh rowan berries — rinsed and stripped of thick stalks
900 g crab apples — washed and roughly chopped, including cores and skins
1200 ml cold water — enough to just cover the fruit
800 g granulated white sugar — measured at 450g per 500ml of strained juice
30 ml Fresh lemon juice — strained
1 piece lemon peel — pared strip with white pith removed
2 whole whole cloves — lightly bruised
1 pinch Fine sea salt — to balance acidity

Equipment

•Large heavy-based preserving pan
•Jelly bag and stand
•Measuring jug
•Sterilised jam jars with lids
•Sugar thermometer

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 130 kcal
fat: 0.1 g
carbs: 33 g
fibre: 0.4 g
protein: 0.2 g
calories: 130 kcal

Instructions

1
Pick over the rowan berries, removing large stems, leaves, and any damaged fruit.
2
Wash the crab apples thoroughly and chop them roughly, keeping the skins and cores intact.
3
Place rowan berries, chopped crab apples, and water into a large heavy-based preserving pan.
4
Add the lemon peel, cloves, and a pinch of salt to the pan.
5
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 40 minutes until completely soft.
6
Pour the hot fruit pulp into a scalded jelly bag suspended over a clean bowl.
7
Allow the liquid to drip undisturbed for at least four hours without squeezing the bag.
8
Measure the strained liquid and return it to the cleaned preserving pan with lemon juice.
9
Add 450g of granulated sugar for every 500ml of measured juice.
10
Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly until setting point reaches 105°C.
11
Skim off any surface froth using a slotted spoon.
12
Ladle the hot amber jelly into warm sterilised jars and seal immediately.

Chef's tips

Never squeeze the jelly bag or the preserve will turn cloudy rather than jewel-clear. Picking rowan berries after the first frost softens their bitterness, though freezing them overnight beforehand achieves the same effect. Always use high-pectin crab apples to guarantee a firm, glossy set.

Ingredient substitutions

crab apples → Bramley cooking apples (peeled, cored, and roughly chopped with pips tied in muslin)
granulated white sugar → preserving sugar or golden caster sugar

Storage

Store sealed sterilised jars in a cool, dark cupboard for up to twelve months; once opened, keep refrigerated and consume within six weeks.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature directly from the jar; do not reheat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Squeezing or pressing the jelly bag, which forces pulp through and turns the jelly murky.
•Boiling too rapidly before the sugar granules have completely dissolved, causing crystallization.
•Over-boiling past the setting point, which destroys the delicate fruit flavour and darkens the amber colour.

Serving suggestions

Spoon generously over hot roast haunch of Scottish venison or game casserole.Serve alongside roast Border lamb chops and buttery mashed tatties (potatoes).Pair with strong mature Scottish Cheddar and oatcakes on a cheese board.