Fresh Mint And Watermelon Jelly Recipe For Canning
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This mint and watermelon recipe is the ultimate small-batch jelly. Do you have a watermelon sitting in your fridge and have no clue what to do with it? Don’t toss it! Turn it into a delicious watermelon jelly instead, just like the one in our recipe. We loved the flavor and texture of our latest creation so much that we had to share it with you, our canning friends. Not into small-batch jams? No problem—you can easily scale it up for a larger batch!
Just a heads-up: setting this watermelon jam is a bit tricky. Don’t skip or reduce the pectin. Also, expect the jelly to be looser than traditional ones. The jelly will still be perfectly spreadable and great for mixing with yogurt or ice cream.
Yield:
The specified in this jam recipe quantity of ingredients should yield enough jam to fill two 8 oz. (250 ml.) mason jars. The final yield may vary based on your preferred level of jam doneness.
Watermelon Jelly Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed watermelon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 packet 1.75 ounces powdered fruit pectin
- 2 fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper optional
Instructions
Prepare Watermelon and Mint Juice:
- Cut the watermelon into chunks, removing the rind.
- Use a food mill to puree the watermelon and remove the seeds.
- Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to extract the juice. Set aside
- In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup of watermelon juice and all of the mint leaves. Puree until the mint leaves are finely blended.
- Strain the mint puree through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to extract all the juices. Add to the already extracted watermelon juice.
- Add a dash of black pepper, all of the lemon juice and ½ cup sugar and mix everything.
Cooking the Watermelon Jelly:
- Bring the watermelon jelly mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir often to dissolve the sugar. Remove the foam forming on top.
- Once the jelly is boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 50 minutes.
- Mix sugar and pectin in a clean, dry bowl or cup. Gradually add the entire pectin-sugar mix to the cooking jelly and stir well till sugar and pectin dissolve completely in the cooking jelly. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 10 more minutes. We strongly recommend the chilled plate test to make sure that your jelly is ready. If your jelly is runny, add 5 more minutes to the cooking time.
- Once the jelly is ready, pour it into sterilized jars and process it according to your preferred canning method. *If you have difficulty setting your jelly, you can briefly put it into a fridge to help with the gelling process.
Frequently asked questions
How do I increase a batch size of this jelly?
To increase the batch size, simply increase the ingredients proportionally. Remember, you’ll also need a bigger pot to fit all the ingredients. Additionally, cooking time might be a bit longer for a larger batch, especially if your pot isn’t big enough to keep the level of jam the same as before.
Why my watermelon jelly didn’t set?
Getting watermelon jelly to set can be a tricky business. The main reasons why your jelly wouldn’t set are likely to be one of these:
- Insufficient Pectin: Pectin is essential for jelly to set. If you didn’t use enough pectin or used a low-pectin fruit like watermelon without compensating, the jelly may not set properly. Consider using Pomona or Sure-jell pectin, as well as natural sources, like lemon juice, to help with the gelling process.
- Incorrect Cooking Time: Jelly needs to be cooked for the right amount of time to reach the gel point. If it’s undercooked, the mixture won’t set properly.
- Improper Ratios: The ratio of fruit, sugar, acid (like lemon juice), and pectin is crucial for jelly making. If the ratios are off, the jelly may not set correctly.
- Not Allowing Enough Cooling Time: Jelly needs time to cool and set properly. If you pour it into jars too soon, it may not set correctly. Allow the jelly to cool undisturbed for the recommended time in the recipe.
- Altitude: High altitudes can affect cooking times and temperatures, which may impact jelly setting. Adjust cooking times or use altitude-specific recipes if you’re at a high elevation.
If your watermelon jelly didn’t set, you can try reheating it and adding more pectin or lemon juice before processing it again. Alternatively, you can use it as a syrup for pancakes or ice cream instead of a traditional jelly.
How to use this watermelon jelly?
There are many delicious ways to enjoy watermelon jelly. These are just some of the ideas we have for you:
- Mix with Yogurt: Not a fan of plain yogurt? Neither are we. How about stirring watermelon jelly into plain, full-fat Greek yogurt for a delicious sweet treat?
- Top Pancakes or Waffles: This will work especially well if your jelly doesn’t set too well. Simply drizzle watermelon jelly over pancakes or waffles as a tasty alternative to maple syrup.
- Dress Up Ice Cream: This is another idea for the watermelon jelly with a looser consistency. Spoon watermelon jelly over vanilla ice cream or use it to make a watermelon jelly swirl ice cream.
- Enhance Salad Dressings: Use watermelon jelly as a base for homemade salad dressings. Combine it with vinegar, oil, and herbs for a unique and flavorful dressing. We simply love this dressing over leafy salads like spinach and arugula.
We’d love to hear your creative ideas for using this mint watermelon jelly! Share your suggestions in the comments below to inspire our readers with new ways to enjoy this funky preserve.
Can you freeze watermelon jelly?
While we haven’t tested freezing this jelly, it’s generally possible to freeze watermelon jelly. If you plan to freeze it, ensure you use instant pectin instead of classic powdered pectin for better results.
Can you make watermelon jelly without pectin?
We don’t recommend skipping pectin in watermelon jelly recipes. However, if you’re set on avoiding pectin in your jellies and jams, you can use 8 cups of sugar to 8 cups of watermelon instead of the 1 ½ cups of sugar to 8 cups of watermelon we recommend in our recipe. Just know that your jelly will turn out very sweet and have a softer set compared to jelly made with pectin. Additionally, remember to increase the cooking time to about 60 minutes.
