South Dakota Chokecherry Jelly
A tart, deep-red jelly made from wild chokecherries that grow along South Dakota's creek bottoms and shelterbelts, set with pectin and canned for the pantry.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 40
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 50 kcal
Equipment
- •Large pot
- •Jelly bag or cheesecloth
- •Canning jars and lids
- •Water bath canner
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 50 kcal
- fat
- 0
- carbs
- 13
- protein
- 0
- calories
- 50
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the chokecherries. Place them into a large pot with the water.
- 2
Bring the pot to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, mashing the fruit occasionally.
- 3
Pour the mixture through a jelly bag or cheesecloth overnight. Let it drip without pressing so the juice stays clear.
- 4
Measure 5 cups of the strained juice. Pour it into a clean pot.
- 5
Whisk in the powdered pectin. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- 6
Add the sugar all at once. Stir constantly and bring back to a full rolling boil for 1 minute.
- 7
Skim off any foam. Ladle the hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch of space at the top.
- 8
Seal the jars with lids. Process them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- 9
Let the jars cool completely on a towel-lined counter. Check the seals before storing.
Chef's tips
Do not crush the pits when mashing the cooked chokecherries. Broken pits can give the jelly a bitter, almond-like taste.
Storage
Store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry up to 1 year; refrigerate opened jars up to 3 weeks.
Reheating
No reheating needed.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rushing the straining time, which leaves the jelly cloudy
- •Skipping the boiling water bath, which risks spoilage
Serving suggestions
Cooked South Dakota Chokecherry Jelly?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from South Dakota
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
