Mint jelly recipe

Try this mint jelly recipe to enjoy with lamb - and use up a glut of mint leaves. You can adapt it to make basil jelly.

Mint leaves in a measuring jug in a kitchen

Ingredients

(Makes 2lb or 12 x 6oz jars)

  • 1 pint water
  • Half pint malt vinegar
  • Large handful of mint or basil leaves (235ml if you use a measuring jug), washed but not chopped
  • 1.3kg white or light brown sugar (6.5 US cups)
  • 250ml fruit pectin (for example a bottle of Certo, widely available in the UK)

You'll also need at least 12 x 6oz jars, plus wax discs, cellophane and elastic bands - or new lids.

Technique

  1. Mix the water, vinegar, leaves and sugar in a pan, then heat them to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, add the pectin.
  3. Heat to a full, rolling boil for 1 minute.
  4. Seal in hot, sterilised jars, covering with wax discs and cellophane (and elastic bands) or new lids. Don't add cold food to hot jars, or hot food to cold jars, because they can shatter.

How to sterilise jars

Choose from several different ways to sterilise jars:

In a dishwasher: Run the jars through a short cycle in a dishwasher.

In a microwave: Clean the jars, then microwave them (while still wet) for 1 minute.

On a hob: Place the jars in a large pan of water on top of a steaming rack (so they don't touch the bottom of the pan), and bring the water to a boil for 10 minutes.

In an oven: Rinse the jars, dry them, and place them on racks, without lids and without them touching each other, in an oven (350°F/180°C/Gas 4) for 20 minutes.

Always sterilise more jars than you anticipate using, because it is too late to start sterilising once you've made the jelly

Mint jelly in jars