The fruit of the beautyberry is edible in its raw form, but most people find that it’s not the tastiest snack. Raw berries can be quite grainy or mealy and do not taste like much. They can leave your mouth feeling dry.
The berries have antibacterial, antiviral, astringent, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 cups beautyberries
- 8 cups water
- 1 envelope of fruit pectin (like Sure Jell)
- 4 1/2 cups sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Find a nice grouping of beautyberry shrubs and pick the ripe berries. Make sure to pick when you’re ready to make your jelly because they over ripen quickly
- Wash the berries and remove any stems, leaves, and bugs. **Word of warning, I often find small spiders that like to make their webs on these
- Place berries in a pan and crush them with a potato masher or the like
- Pour the water into the pan, and boil for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally
- Use cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to strain out all the pulp. Squeeze as much of the liquid out as you can
- Place 3 cups of the liquid back in the pan add the sure jell, and the sugar. (You can make a second batch with the rest of the liquid)
- Boil this mixture for two minutes
- Skim off the foam that forms at the top
- Carefully pour into sanitized jars
- Place jars back in the pot to boil for 10 minutes to seal. Water should cover the jars
**Over or undercooking can cause the jelly not to set. Too little heat will not activate the pectin and too much will break it down. It happens to the best of us. Allow jellies to cool fully before you determine whether they have set or not. If they did not set, all is not lost. For each quart of jam or jelly to be fixed, mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin in a large pot and try again.