Last year at an auction I bought a jar of homemade Chardonnay Jelly, and a few weeks ago, I finally opened it. Wine jelly sounded fancy and intriguing; wine jelly tastes sweet, delicate and delicious--after one piece of toast, I was sold.

In the last two weeks I’ve tried and succeeded at canning my own wine jelly: merlot and white zinfandel. The recipe is easy and seems pretty foolproof. I did quite a bit of research and settled on the recipe a friend gave me. I like the wine to sugar ratio (several of the others I found call for more sugar, but I think they would be too sweet). The jelly retains the flavor and body of the wine, but no longer contains the alcohol or sharpness.

Wine Jelly:
(This recipe was handed down to me from a Sunset Magazine clipping).

Makes 1 ½ - 2 pints

2 cups wine (White Zinfandel was my favorite, though Merlot and Chardonnay are also lovely)
3 ¼ cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin (I used Ball brand as it seems to be the most consistent)

 

1. Wash, rinse and sterilize canning jars, lids and rings according to manufacturer’s directions.
2. In a large pan, bring wine and sugar to a full, rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to a boil and cook for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Ladle mixture into jars leaving 1/4 –inch head space. Wipe the rims clean and put lids and bands on jars.
4. Process the jars using the boiling water method for 10 minutes. Remove from water and place on a towel to cool. Check jars for seal. Store sealed jars for up to one year. Put any that did not seal in the refrigerator for use.

I hope you try your hand at making some jelly. There is something very satisfying about filling the pantry with jars of home-canned food. Let me know how it goes!

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