Elderberry Jelly

Ingredients

Directions

1. Stem the elderberries.

   Rinse the clusters well, then rake the berries off the stems with your fingers or a fork over a large bowl. Use mostly fully ripe berries (a few green ones help the jelly set); you need about 3 lb (8 to 10 cups) stemmed berries.

2. Cook and strain.

   Crush the berries in a large pot with a potato masher and bring to a boil over medium heat, crushing as they heat. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, then pour through a fine sieve or 4 layers of cheesecloth and let drip for 1 hour.

3. Sterilize the jars.

   Heat 5 to 6 rinsed 8-ounce jars on a baking sheet at 200°F (95°C) for 10 minutes. Pour boiling water over the lids in a shallow bowl.

4. Boil the juice with pectin.

   Put 3 cups of the juice in a wide 8-quart pot with the lemon juice and pectin (save any extra juice) and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the butter and return to a boil, lowering the heat slightly if it foams up too high.

5. Boil hard for 2 minutes.

   Once it reaches a rolling boil that doesn't stop when stirred, boil for exactly 2 minutes. Take off the heat and fill the jars to ¼ inch from the rim.

6. Seal and cool.

   Wipe the rims, put on the lids and rings, and let cool. You'll hear the lids pop as they seal.