My 1,500 Post and a New Jelly Recipe Using the 2015 Herb of the Year!

I just don' t know what happened to the first post I did earlier in the day.  I thought it posted when it really didn't!  I think I have too many devices at the moment.  Too confusing! So I made my first harvest of summer savory last week and I kept it in a Chinese takeout soup container until I could make the jelly today.  So with thanks to The St. Louis Herb Society Cookbook for inspiration, here is my take on Savory Grapefruit Jelly.

Savory Grapefruit Jelly

(Makes four 8 oz. jars)

4 tablespoons of fresh or 2 tablespoons of dried summer savory

2 cups of ruby red grapefruit juice (1-1/2 cups of flavored juice)

3-1/2 cups of sugar

2 tablespoons of lemon juice (Will also try white wine vinegar or rice

  vinegar)

1 pouch of Certo

Wash jars, lids and rings.  Boil jars in a pot of water for 10 minutes.  Place lids in hot water.  You don't need to boil them.

Place 2 cups of juice and herbs in a 3-1/2 quart saucepan.  Bring to a boil and count to ten.  Take off the burner, cover and steep for 15 minutes.  Taste and steep longer if necessary.

In the meantime, measure 3-1/2 cups of sugar and the lemon juice or vinegar of your choice in another 3-1/2 quart saucepan.  Cut open the pouch of Certo and stand in a measuring cup until you need it.  Add 1-1/2 cups of juice (The rest is good with a bit of ice for the cook!) to the sugar and lemon juice or vinegar.  Bring to a boil that can't be stirred down.  Take off the burner and quickly add the Certo, put back on burner and boil for exactly 1 minute.

Remove from burner and let stand while you get the jars and lids out of the water.  Then with a tablespoon skim off the layer of foam until you have a clear top.  Pour into the jars.  Use a teaspoon to clear the bubbles on top and put on the lids.  Place in the water bath and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from water and let jars cool.  You should hear a pop on each of the lids.  If they do not seal, refrigerate the unsealed jar and use promptly.

I have never used Sure Jell instead of Certo, but a reader has asked about substituting Sure Jell for Certo.  I don't think you can do it in the same proportions.  Here is what I would try if you are using Sure Jell:

Savory Grapefruit Jelly Using Sure Jell
(Makes five Maybe six 8 oz. jars)

3-1/2 cups of grapefruit juice with 1/3 or 1/2 cup of summer savory
2 T. of lemon juice or vinegar of your choice (white wine or rice vinegar)
4 cups of sugar
1 box of Sure Jell

I think because the juice amount has been increased, I would increase the amount of summer savory.  Four tablespoons is a 1/4 cup, I would try 1/3 of a cup of herb maybe a 1/2.  Do the same as above in heating and steeping and then measure out 3 cups of flavored juice.  Add Sure Jell to the flavored juice in a large saucepan.  Bring to a hard boil and add sugar.  Again bring to a hard boil and continue to boil for l minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and skim off foam.  Pour at once into hot, sterilized jars and seal in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  I would guess that this mixture would produce an extra jar at least.  I would wash and sterilize at least six 8 oz. jars to be sure.

Would winter savory substitute for the summer savory?  I would say yes, but winter savory is a bit stronger so I would steep it 10 minutes not 15 and see how it tastes and then go from there.  If it needs more time you could add it.

I would use this jelly as a glaze in the last 15 minutes of baking pork or chicken and the cookbook mentioned fish.  I would also use it with thumbprint cookies and as a quick appetizer with a block of cream cheese and putting some of the jelly on top of cream cheese with crackers.  So it is still raining here and we are just doing whatever we can when we can.  Hope you had a great day.  Talk to you later!

Savory Grapefruit Jelly