
Equipment
Large pot (15- 19 Liters or16–20 quart)
Water bath canner
Food processer or Blender
Food mill or jelly strainer
Large spoon or ladle
Canning funnel
Jar lifter
Lid lifter
Half-pint canning jars with lids and rings
Fine sieve or cheesecloth
Dishwasher or boiling water for jar sterilization
Ingredients
For the Juice
Fresh red beets
4–5 medium (≈900 g / 2 lb)
Water
Enough to cover
For the Jelly
Beet juice
950 ml / 4 cups
Lemon juice (bottled or fresh)
240 ml / 1 cup
Granulated sugar
1.4 kg / 7 cups
Powdered pectin
1 package (≈50 g / 1¾ oz)
Preparation
Make the Juice
Cook beets
Wash beets, cover with water, and boil 20–30 minutes until tender.
Strain
Strain liquid to obtain beet juice. Peel beets and reserve for other uses.
Make the Jelly
Combine ingredients
In a large pot, combine beet juice, lemon juice, and pectin.
Boil
Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Add sugar
Add sugar all at once. Return to full rolling boil and boil 1 minute.
Fill jars
Pour into hot jars leaving 3 mm / ⅛ inch headspace.
Process
Water bath 5 minutes (adjust to 4–5 minutes extra at high altitude).
A vibrant ruby-colored jelly with earthy sweetness and citrus brightness