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–+ servings
closeup of beautyberry jelly in jar with branch and loose berries in background
Melanie Lorick

American Beautyberry Jelly Recipe

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Beautiful and delicious, American beautyberry jelly is a light, floral, and subtly sweet jelly perfect for biscuits, toast, or stirred into your morning oats. Made from purple beautyberries, the finished jelly has a gorgeous jewel-tone vibrancy. Thickened with arrowroot powder instead of pectin, the texture is a lovely cross between jelly and a spreadable jam.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Dressings and Condiments
Cuisine: American
Calories: 52
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups beautyberries 238g
  • 2 cups water 498g
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 108g, add more to taste
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice 16g
  • 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder 6g, add more as desired for thickness

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Add the berries and water to a saucepan over low-medium heat, bringing to a simmer for about 20 minutes.
    2 cups beautyberries, 2 cups water
    2. Part of the 20 minutes includes bringing water to a simmer. Once the berries start turning pale and can be smashed with the back of a spoon or potato masher, you're ready for the next step.
  2. Use a large spoon or potato masher to mash the pulp of the berries.
  3. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the berries from their pulp. Rinse the saucepan and add the liquid back to the pot.
    4. Sustainability tip: Remember not to toss the pulp in the trash. Instead, add it to your compost as organic matter.
  4. Create an arrowroot powder slurry by stirring in a small amount of water until you have an arrowroot liquid.
    2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
  5. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Slowly add the arrowroot powder slurry, adding about half the mixture to start. Stir frequently to prevent the arrowroot powder from clumping.
    ½ cup granulated sugar, 4 teaspoons lemon juice
    6. Stir vigorously as you add the arrowroot slurry so it doesn't clump. I recommend slowly adding the mixture until you reach the consistency you like, allowing the jelly to simmer and cool slightly before deciding if you need more. The jelly will continue to set as it cools.
  6. Simmer for about 15 minutes until you reach desired consistency, adding more arrowroot powder if you'd like it thicker. Taste and add more lemon juice or sugar, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 52kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 0.01gFat: 0.05gSaturated Fat: 0.001gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 3mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 0.1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.01mg

Notes

This recipe makes about ½ cup beautyberry jelly. 
Nutrition Note: The FDA considers beautyberries foraged food and doesn't have a nutritional profile available for these berries. Please note the nutrients for the berries themselves are NOT included in the above nutrition calculation. 
Arrowroot powder: Add slowly to prevent clumping and over-thickening until stringy. 
Sustainability: 
  • Forage beautyberries responsibly and leave enough for wildlife. 
  • Opt for organic, regenerative sugar when possible. 
  • Compost leftover beautyberry pulp after straining. 
  • Repurpose leftover lemon peels, seeds, and zest. 
 

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