Damson & Port Wine Jelly - fab with lamb!
Ingredients:
3lbs damsons
1½ pints water
3lbs jam sugar (with pectin added)
3 tbs port
Method
- Break damson skins with a sharp knife
- Put damsons + water into large saucepan or preserving pan
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for up to an hour until the fruit is really pulpy – you can also gently ‘mash’ the fruit to extract all the juice
- Spoon the fruit pulp into a jelly bag or cloth tied to the feet of an upturned stool and leave to strain into a large bowl for at least 12 hours
- Compost the pulp
- Measure the juice extract (expect around 2¼ pints) and return to the preserving pan
- Add the sugar (adjust quantity if less/more extract)
- Heat gently to dissolve the sugar
- Bring to the boil, and boil rapidly for 1 minute or until setting point reached
- Remove any scum with a slotted spoon
- Add the port
- Bottle in clean hot jars