Recipe Archives->Preserving->Kudzu Jelly

Kudzu Blossom Jelly

4 cups Kudzu blossoms
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar

Separate the flowers from the stem as you only want the purple
blooms. Wash the blossoms in cold water, place them in a large
bowl, and pour the boiling water over the blossoms. Refrigerate
overnight or at least 8 hours.  Pour blossoms and liquid through
a colander or sieve in to a large cook pot, discarding blossoms.
The juice that is left over is a grayish color but when you add
the lemon juice will turn deep maroon. Add lemon juice and pectin.
Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Stir in sugar and return to a full rolling boil that can't be
stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil for exactly 1 minute.
Remove from heat, skim off foam and quickly pour jelly into hot,
sterilized jars, filling them to 1/4" of the top.  Wipe jar rims,
cover with canning lids and screw on bands.  Process in boiling
water bath 5 minutes. Cool.  This recipe should make 6 half pints.
Due to the low acid content of these blossoms I've used the following
rebatch method. I usually rebatch two batches of the jelly at once
as it works pretty well.

Jelly too soft:

When recooking and using powdered pectin, for each QUART of soft
jelly or jam, measure 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and 4 teaspoons
of powdered pectin. Mix the pectin and water together and bring to
a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add the soft jelly/jam and
sugar. Stir thoroughly. Bring to a full rolling boil over high
heat, stirring constantly.  Boil mixture hard for 1/2 minute. Remove
from heat, skim, pour into clean, hot containers and seal using
new lids.

Note:

I use two batches of the kudzu jelly and double the "rebatch recipe",
using a whole box of powdered pectin.  The resulting jelly is a
firm jelly. If you like a little softer jelly, cut back on the
pectin.  

Printable version: kudzu-jelly.txt.