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Fresh Mint Jelly

green mint jelly in a jar with crackers, a spoon, and a plate
Photo Credit
Rainbohm/Shutterstock
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
Makes about 2 pints.
Category
Pickles and Preserves
Course
Other
Side Dishes
Preparation Method
Boil

Mint Jelly is, of course, the traditional accompaniment for lamb—and oh, so good! Using fresh mint leaves makes a real difference. The store-bought version can’t compete with fresh jelly.

While mint jelly is excellent with roasted leg of lamb, it’s also a delicious garnish with other meats such as pork. Or, just use your mint jelly in homemade thumbprint cookies. Alternating mint jelly and raspberry jelly make for a festive touch!

Try your hand at growing your own mint! It’s easy, but we must warn you: it spreads like wildfire.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups packed mint leaves
2 ¼ cups water
2 tbsp lemon juice
3-1/2 cups sugar
1 pouch (3 oz) liquid pectin
optional: a few drops of green food coloring

Instructions

  1. Wash the mint thoroughly under cool running water. Shake off excess moisture and chop finely.
  2. Combine mint and water in a stainless-steel saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Pour liquid into a damp jelly bag or a cheesecloth-lined sieve or colander over a bowl. Let drip until you collect 1 ¾ cups of mint-flavored liquid.
  3. In a clean stainless-steel saucepan, combine mint-flavored liquid, lemon juice and sugar and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in liquid pectin, squeezing the entire contents out of the pouch. Boil hard, stirring for one-minute. Add a few drops of food coloring. Remove from heat and skim off foam working quickly because jelly may set.  
  4. Quickly ladle jelly into hot, sterilized jelly jars, leaving ¼-inch of headspace. Wipe the rims of jars and add a lid that has been washed and dried. Place screw band on jars and tighten finger-tip tight.
  5. Place jars on a rack in a boiling water bath canner and make sure they are completely covered with water (1-2 inches above the jars). Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
  6. Process ½ pint mason jars and 8 oz jelly jars for 10 minutes. Remove the canner lid after waiting 5 minutes, then remove the jars to a towel on the counter and cool for 12 to 24 hours. Test the sealing of jars by pressing lightly in the center of the lid and storing jars that have been sealed.  Any jars that don’t seal may be refrigerated and used.

About The Author
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...
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Comments

<span>Margaret</span> Wed, 11/15/2023 - 07:51
A friend served triscuit-type crackers as one (POPULAR) item at her wedding reception...topped with cream cheese, then that topped with this MINT JELLY you mention. It was a party favorite, and very, very inexpensive!
<span>Carolyn</span> Wed, 07/12/2023 - 23:11
Thanks for the recipes. P.s....just fyi, I keep seeing this repeated in these recipes, "...½ pints and 8 oz jelly jars..." 1/2 pints are the same thing as 8 ounces. A pint is 2 cups, 8oz equals 1 FYI, Thanks CZ
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 07/14/2023 - 08:57

Thank you!

We have made a note on the recipe.