Alright, let’s talk about this prickly pear jam, you know, the stuff that some folks call jelly. I ain’t no fancy cook or nothin’, but I can make a mean jam, and this prickly pear kind? Well, it’s somethin’ special.
First off, you gotta get yourself some of them prickly pears. Now, watch out, them things got stickers somethin’ fierce! You gotta be real careful peelin’ ’em. I mean, real careful. I wear my thickest gloves, the ones I use for gardenin’, and even then, them little stickers find a way to get ya. I seen folks try all sorts of fancy tricks, but the best way I found is to just take your time and use a good sharp knife. And don’t go rushin’, or you’ll end up with a hand full of stickers, and trust me, that ain’t no fun.
So, you peel them pears, right? Then you gotta chop ’em up into small pieces. Not too big, not too small, you know, just right. I put ’em in a big ol’ bowl, the one I use for makin’ potato salad. It’s big enough to hold a whole mess of pears.
Now, some folks, they like to add water to their jam. Me? I don’t see the point. Them pears, they got plenty of juice in ’em already. Why water it down? I just put the chopped pears in a big pot and let ’em cook down. Low and slow, that’s the key. You can’t be in a hurry when you make jam. You gotta let it simmer, and stir it every now and then, so it don’t stick to the bottom.
How long to cook it? Well, that depends. Sometimes it takes a while, sometimes it don’t. You just gotta keep an eye on it, you know? And keep tasting it and keep stirring it. You want it to get thick, like, real thick. When you think it is thick enough, you put a little bit on a cold plate. And then if it wrinkles up, it’s ready. If it’s too runny, then you need to keep cooking it.
Once it’s thick enough, you gotta add the sugar. Now, some folks like their jam real sweet, some folks don’t. Me? I like it just right. Not too sweet, not too tart. I usually start with a cup of sugar for every two cups of pears, but you can adjust it to your own taste. And don’t go usin’ that fake sugar neither, you want that real stuff, the white granulated kind. After you add the sugar, you gotta keep cookin’ it for a little bit longer, just to make sure the sugar dissolves and the jam gets nice and thick. And if it gets a little scum on top, just scoop it out with a spoon.
Then, you gotta put it in jars. Now, you gotta make sure your jars are clean, real clean. I wash mine in hot soapy water, then I boil ’em for a bit, just to make sure there ain’t no germs or nothin’. And you gotta use new lids, every time. Don’t go tryin’ to reuse them old lids, they won’t seal right, and your jam will spoil.
Pour the hot jam into the jars, leavin’ a little bit of space at the top. Then you put on the lids and tighten ’em up real good. And then, you gotta process the jars. Now, I got myself a big ol’ canner, but you can just use a big pot of boilin’ water. You put the jars in the water and boil ’em for a while. How long? Well, it depends on how big your jars are and how high up you live. There’s charts and stuff for that. But if you ain’t sure, just boil ‘em for a good long while, like, maybe twenty minutes or so. Better safe than sorry, I always say.
Once the jars are done, you take ’em out of the water and let ’em cool. And then, you wait. You gotta wait for them to seal. You’ll hear a little pop when they seal up good, but if they don’t then you need to put them in the icebox and use them up quick. And then, you got yourself some homemade prickly pear jam. It’s good on toast, it’s good on biscuits, it’s even good on a spoon. I like to give it away to my neighbors and my grandkids. They all love it.
Now, some folks say that prickly pear jam tastes like candy. I guess it kinda does. It’s sweet and tart, and it’s got a little bit of somethin’ extra that you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s just plain good eatin’. You can freeze it too, put it right in them freezer containers. Lasts a long time that way. I heard some folks pickle the pads, but I ain’t never tried that. And you gotta be careful, ’cause some folks say eatin’ too much prickly pear can give ya a tummy ache or worse. But I ain’t never had no trouble with it. Just don’t go eatin’ a whole jar in one sittin’, and you’ll be fine.
So, there you have it. That’s how I make my prickly pear jam. It ain’t fancy, but it’s good. And it’s made with love, and that’s the most important ingredient of all. You should try making some yourself. It ain’t hard, and it’s a good way to use up them pears if you got ‘em growin’ on your property.
- Prickly Pear Preparation: Carefully peel the pears, avoiding the thorns and needles. Chop them into small pieces.
- Cooking the Jam: Simmer the chopped pears on low heat until they thicken, stirring occasionally.
- Adding Sugar: Mix in sugar to your desired sweetness and cook for a bit longer.
- Jarring and Processing: Pour the hot jam into clean, sterilized jars, seal tightly, and process in boiling water.
And that’s it. Enjoy your homemade prickly pear jam!
Tags：[prickly pear, jam, jelly, recipe, homemade, cactus, fruit, canning, preserving, dessert]