Beautiful jelly comes from tiny berries.
American beautyberries are tiny berries that make a beautifully-colored, delicately-flavored jelly.
The beautyberries areindigenousto theSouthern United Statesbut flower and ripen at different times bygrowing zones.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
The further south you are, the earlier beautyberries will ripen.
Making jelly from beautyberries is a magical process.
And then the magic happens: Adding sugar and pectin turns the mixture back into a lovely pink-purple hue.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
What Is a Beautyberry?
Abeautyberryis a tiny berry with a brilliant purple exterior when ripe.
There are many different variations of a beautyberry.
Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Many will either carry mature bushes or be able to source one.
Where Can I Find Beautyberries?
Because beautyberries are tiny and grow wildly, it may be hard to spot them.
To find them with crowd-sourced locations, try searching with thisInat mapfor sightings by the local community.
Remember to be respectful of beautyberry locations.
Tip:Check with friends in warmer growing zones.
Because the berries are hardy, shipping is a great option.
Can I Eat Beautyberries Raw?
While it may be tempting to eat beautyberries, it’s best not to consume them raw.
Birds and wild animals do eat the beauty berries and leaves.
The fruit and leaves aren’t poisonous, but their uncooked flavor is bitter and may cause stomach issues.
How Can I Store Beautyberries?
Can I Freeze Beautyberry Jelly?
Beautyberry jelly can be frozen.
However, the texture may change.
How long does beautyberry jelly last in the refrigerator if it hasn’t gone through heat canning?
If you store beautyberry jelly in the refrigerator, you should use it up within two weeks.
Remember to note this when gifting it as well.
What Does Beautyberry Jelly Taste Like?
Looking at the tiny beautyberry with its big bright coloing, you might expect a bold jelly flavor.
However, beautyberry jelly has a milder flavor, similar to a grape jelly.
When spread on toast or English muffins, it makes a lovely rose red treat for your eyes.
What Can I Do if My Beautyberry Jelly Doesn’t Set Up?
Sometimes, the jelly-making process fails.
If your jelly doesn’t set up, use it as a syrup or glaze instead.
Try it overmeatballs, incocktailsandmocktails, as a donut orcake filling, or over ice cream.
What can you do with beautyberry jelly besides spreading it on bread or English muffins?
you’re free to also use it as acheese plate accompaniment.
Why do you better make beautyberry jelly instead of jam?
By mashing, boiling, and straining beautyberries, you could create a smooth seed-free jelly.
Thank you toJones Valley Teaching Farmfor donating the beautyberries used for these photos.
Ingredients
2cups beautyberries, removed from the branches
2-4 cups water
1(1.75-oz.)
pectin, like Sure-Jell
2cups sugar
Directions
Remove beautyberries from shrub branches.
Rinse, dry, and place in a large bowl.
Mash beautyberries with a potato masher, ground beef masher, or mallet.
Add two cups of water.
Place beautyberry and water mixture into a large saucepot, and heat over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Watch for burning, and scrape down the pot sides to prevent any sticking.
The liquid produced will also be brown.
Don’t be concerned.
The original berry color will return.
Place a piece of cheesecloth over a large bowl.
Leave any seeds or debris in the cheesecloth, and discard the cloth and debris.
Then, add enough water to the strained liquid to make two cups of berry-infused liquid.
Place a second piece of cheesecloth in a large bowl, and strain the liquid through it.
Pour the two cups of beautyberry liquid into a saucepan over medium heat.
Add one package of pectin (like Sure-Jell) and two cups of sugar.
Stir to dissolve the sugar and pectin.
The liquid will begin to thicken and change color.
Remove any foam, if possible.
Boil the jelly mixture for 10 minutes.
Let the jelly cool, and store in the refrigerator for two weeks.
Alternatively, you might use the water-bath canning method to seal and can the jelly for longer storage.
