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Guava-Vanilla Bean Jelly

Source of Recipe

From "The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving"


Recipe Introduction

"If you come across fresh ripe guavas, buy them right away and make this amazing traditional Caribbean jelly. You will not be disappointed!"

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 pounds guavas
â—¦ 5 ½ cups water
â—¦ Cheesecloth
â—¦ 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
â—¦ 4 cups sugar
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


Recipe

Remove ends of guavas. Cut lengthwise into quarters, and then crosswise into thin slices. Combine guava slices and water in a 4-quart stainless steel or enameled Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Line a fine wire-mesh strainer with three layers of dampened cheesecloth. Place strainer over a bowl. Pour guava mixture into strainer. (Do not press mixture.) Cover and let stand 2 hours or until collected juice measures 4 ½ cups and mixture no longer drips.

Scrape seeds from vanilla beans. Combine vanilla bean seeds, vanilla beans, guava juice, sugar, and citrus juices in same Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until gelling point. Remove from heat. Remove and discard vanilla beans. Skim foam, if necessary.

Ladle hot jelly into a hot jar, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band, and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Makes about 6 (½-pint) jars



• Perfect Pairing:
Guava jelly is quite versatile and can be used on everything from toast to cheese plates, but try it as a glaze for roast or grilled pork and chicken. Thin it out with a little warm water and spread it on intermittently during cooking.