Laura Walton

Blackberry Wine Jelly

It’s blackberry crazy time, y’all – we’re picking about a gallon every 1-2 days, and we’ve made everything from blackberry cobbler to wine and back. And today, I’m going to share one of my favorite ways to use a bumper crop of blackberries – wine jelly!

I used to think jelly was a waste of perfectly good fruit parts. And then, I had literal gallons of berries to process before they went moldy. We’d already made so much jam, and my aunt kept talking up wine jelly, so I decided to give it a shot.

I love this stuff because it has all the goodness of berries with a kick of wine flavor (but not enough to be alcoholic or boozy, at all). The wine boosts the sweetness and tartness of the berries, and it’s just plain more fun than regular jelly.

Mmm’kay, I’ve talked it up enough. Go forth and jelly some wine! Errrr, berries. Both. Yes!

Blackberry Wine Jelly

  • Servings: 5-6 cups
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I make this most often with Merlot, but your favorite red (or even white) wine will do.

you will need:

  • 10-12 c fresh blackberries
  • 1 c red wine, such as Merlot
  • ½ c water
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice or ½ tsp citric acid
  • 50 g powdered fruit pectin (about 5 tablespoons, or 1 standard package)
  • 5 c granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp butter or margarine (optional – this helps prevent foaming during cooktime)

Directions

  1. Prepare berry juice: gently wash and drain berries, and remove any stems. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine berries with wine and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and boil gently, stirring occasionally and crushing berries, until berries are softened, about 5-10 minutes. Transfer berry mixture to a dampened cheesecloth or jelly bag lining a colander over a deep bowl or pot. Let drip, undisturbed (do not squeeze bag) for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. You will need 3 ½ cups of juice to make the jelly recipe.
  2. Prepare canner, jar, and lids for hot-water canning (see my Pickled Okra post for a refresher). Measure out sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine berry juice and lemon juice, then whisk in the pectin until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add butter if using. Add sugar all at once, and bring back to a hard boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard (stirring should not bring the boiling down) for 1 minute. Remove from heat, skimming off foam if desired.
  4. Pour hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace in each jar. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and screw on bands until fingertip-tight.
  5. Place jars in canner, and cover with hot water by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and process jars for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.

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