Do You Remember the Sweet Nectar of Childhood Memories?
Thanks to Shannon of Shannon’s Sweet Tooth Farm for this guest post on how to make honeysuckle Jelly!
Shannon says, “Mmmhmmm! Y’all have to try this recipe! It’s easy peasy and fun. Do you remember the effort we took as children to get a teaspoon of honeysuckle?!”
Okay then. Let’s dive in and create more sweet moments and memories!
How to Make Honeysuckle Jelly Recipe and Tips
It’s on! Honeysuckle season (more like days) is here! Honeysuckle don’t wait for anyone so you’ve gotta pick em fast. I’ve made honeysuckle jelly for a couple years now and have learned a few things.
1. Y’all hydrate and cover yourself. My honeysuckle grows in the woodline. There’s ticks there so I try to wear long sleeves. That’s why I hydrate before going, (to keep from getting overheated).
2. Watch for snakes!
3. Choose honeysuckle that you are certain hasn’t been sprayed with herbicide. If they’re not on your property you probably shouldn’t trust them. Since I have honeybees I’m on a ‘no spray’ list for the power company. They have to mow under my lines. You may be able to do the same, especially if you’re harvesting the food underneath the line.
4. Pick the flowers carefully to get the bulb at the base of the bloom. This is where all the nectar is. My thumbnail does all the work.
5. I do let my honeysuckle tea stay in the fridge overnight. It does make the jelly slightly darker but it’s worth it for the flavor in my opinion
6. Have fun and get the kids involved
Honeysuckle Jelly Recipe
A great way to capture summer sunshine in a jar is to make jams and jellies. A folk favorite is honeysuckle jelly.
Remember the childhood delight of discovering that sweet flavor of honeysuckle nectar on your tongue? Making honeysuckle blossom jelly amplifies and preserves that honeysuckle taste.
If you can save a jar or two for winter, just imagine the delight of biting into a piece of toast covered in honeysuckle jelly. That will bring sunshine and sweetness into any cold winter day!
Shannon adapted her own version of the honeysuckle jelly, and we've added our tips, that are a blend of Shannon's, our own experience and several other jelly recipe.
So this should get you started and you can increase and decrease quantities to suit your preferences.
Ingredients
- 6 Cups Prepared Honeysuckle Blossoms
- 2 Cups Boiling Water
- 4 Cups Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1 3-oz Pkg Liquid Pectin
Instructions
- PREP FLOWERS - remove any leaves, vine and the tiny green tip at the base of each blossom, being careful to snap it off without pulling out the the
- BOIL - bring water to boil in a large saucepan, then turn off heat and stir in honeysuckle blossoms. .
- STEEP - Cover pan and steep for ~45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
- STRAIN - Strain the flowers from the liquid into a 2 quart measuring cup.
- RETURN 2 cups of the infusion to the saucepan, and turn burner to high heat.
- ADD lemon juice and sugar immediately
- LOWER heat to medium high.
- STIR constantly.
- BOIL - Bring infusion to a hard boil
- ADD pectin and boil for 2 minutes.
- REDUCE heat if needed to avoid boiling over, as the sugar causes the mixture to heat quickly and rise into a boiling froth that can overflow, so best to use an over-sized pan.
Notes
- Rinsing the flowers is optional. Some do, some don't. We don't because flowers growing on the vine are up out of the dirt and are cleaned by wind and sanitized by the sun. We also don't want to wash away any of the flower flavor. So you do what works for you.
- Steeping time is approximate. For best results steep for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours, or until completely cooled, or even overnight in the fridge is fine.
- If you end up with less than 2 cups of the infusion, add a little water to round it up. If you have more, no problem.
Find Shannon’s Sweet Tooth Farm on Facebook!
Honeysuckle Jelly With Blueberries
Planting for Retirement Facebook group member, Debra Yvonne Mathis shared her photo above, and said:
“I’ve stashed 5 pints of honeysuckle tea in the freezer for making honeysuckle tea some time later. I really like the combination of blueberries with honeysuckle that I made with the last of my honeysuckle tea.”
I’m LeAura Alderson, a garden, herb and plant enthusiast with a passion for discovering the many edible and medicinal benefits of the plants all around us, including the weeds! I’m a writer, editor and media publisher for our family of websites.
While I was certified in fitness and life coaching, I am NOT a health practitioner. However, I’m a lifelong health enthusiast, with a keen interest in healthy, organic foods and making home remedies and the content we share is from our own experience and usage as well as that extracted from scientific research so that you can explore further on your own.
Always seek the advice and guidance of your health practitioners first and foremost.
As a family we’re steadily expanding our gardening, experimentation and knowledge around all things gardening, edible landscaping, fresh organic foods and self sustainability with farming in our future. I also own and manage iCreateDaily.com, a site all about transformation through creation, and the power of positivity, optimism and mindset.