Mint-Lemon or Lime Jelly with Honey is a low-honey cooked jam made with Pomona’s Universal Pectin. Pomona’s Pectin contains no sugar or preservatives and jells reliably with low amounts of any sweetener. This recipe was created by Allison Carroll Duffy for Pomona’s Pectin.Allison says: “One of the things I really like about mint is that it’s extremely versatile, and can be used in both savory and sweet ways. Slather this jelly on a scone with a little bit of butter, or use it as a glaze for chicken or tofu in an Asian-inspired meal.”
Servings 5 cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh mint leaves and stems well packed
- 4½ cups water very hot but not boiling
- ½ cup lemon or lime juice bottled
- 4¼ teaspoons calcium water see step #1
- ¾ cup honey
- 4¼ teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin mixed with sweetener
Instructions
- Before you begin, prepare calcium water.To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well.Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
- Wash and rinse jars, lids, and screw bands. Set screw bands aside until ready to use. Place jars in boiling water bath canner with a rack, fill at least 2/3 of the way full with water, and bring to a boil. Boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize (add 1 additional minute of sterilizing time for every 1000 feet above sea level), then turn down heat and let jars stand in hot water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small pan, bring to a low simmer, and hold there until ready to use.
- Pick through your mint to be sure that it’s clean, and rinse it if necessary. Measure out 2 well-packed cups of mint leaves and stems. Transfer the mint to a heat-proof bowl and pour the hot water over the mint. Make sure that the mint is fully submerged in the water, and allow the mixture to steep for 20 minutes.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into another container, reserving the mint-infused liquid, and discarding the mint leaves and stems.
- Measure out 4 cups of the mint-infused liquid. (If you don’t have quite enough, just add a little bit more water.) Pour the measured amount of the mint-infused liquid into a large sauce pan. Add the juice and calcium water, then stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the honey and pectin powder. Mix well and set aside.
- Bring the mint-infused mixture up to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the honey-pectin mixture, then stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, still over the highest heat, to dissolve the pectin. Return jelly to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Remove hot jars from canner and fill jars with jelly, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims with a damp cloth, and put on lids and screw bands, tightening bands only to “fingertip tight” (until resistance is met, and then just the tiniest bit more).
- Place jars in the hot water, on the rack inside the canner. (Make sure jars are upright, not touching each other or the sides of the canner, and are covered with at least 1-2 inches of water). Place the lid on the canner, return the canner to a rolling boil, and boil for 10 minutes. (Add 1 minute additional processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.)
- Turn off heat and allow canner and jars to sit for 5 minutes. Then remove jars from canner.
- Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Then confirm that jars have sealed. Remove screw bands from sealed jars, rinse off outside of jars if necessary, label jars, and store for later use.
Shari
Would it be ok to use allulose or stevia instead of honey or sugar?
Shelby Collings
You sure can!
Edwards
How important is the lemon? Can ot be omitted?
Shelby Collings
The lemon cannot be omitted.
Deb Miller
How much mint tea leaves should be used instead of fresh mint? Also, does it matter what type of mint – spearmint or peppermint or… Thanks!
Shelby Collings
Hello Deb,
Great question! It is hard to say, as we have never tried it before. We would guess that it would be around 1-2 tablespoons of dried mint for 4.5 cups of water. The mint variety would be you choice. Happy jamming!
Grace
Can sugar be used in place of honey? How much?
Shelby Collings
Yes, you sure can! You would use 1 1/2 cups of sugar.
Maura
Can I use this recipe with other leafy herbs? Specifically lemon balm, but I’m also thinking about bee balm and other types of mint.
And does this recipe also work with other sweeteners?
Shelby Collings
Hello Maura,
We have not switched out the leafy herbs in this recipe, but we cannot think of why you wouldn’t be able to replace the mint with other herbs. If you decide to give it a go, we would love to hear how it turns out.
Yes! You can use your sweetener of choice.
Maura
It’s delicious! I used the lemon balm. I ended up putting a little more sugar in after the pectin has set up, (about a cup) but it came out perfectly.
Lynne
Far to much pectin. It jelled so hard.