Anyone have a go-to recipe for prlckly pear jelly? Made some yesterday that didn't set, and re-made it tonight with almost 2x as much pectin before I got a suitable set on it.

Also, what is your preferred pectin? I've been using liquid but after this debacle I'm probably going back to powder.

did you get the temp too hot?

I've used the liquid before and haven't had much luck with it. I prefer the powdered version.

I didn't have a thermometer in it, but I used as directed: Bring to rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, ad pectin, return to hard boil for 1 minute.

I've never had luck making my own jelly. I've tried multiple times and it never seems to work.

I have never made that type of jelly but I make peach and cherry almost every year. I always have to boil longer and add a bit more pectin than the recipe calls for. I dont know why, but i get runny jelly every single time if I follow the recipe. Every now and the. I get a batch the sets harder than I like. But it still spreads and doesn't really effect the taste. I just boil until I feel resistant when I stir and the mixture forms up quickly when you take out a sample.

I always use powered and have had poor luck with the liquid.

FWIW, I was able to save this batch by adding citric acid to lower the ph.

Standard pectin jell requirements:

1. pH about 3.2 (lower than 3.5)
2. 65% soluble solids by weight (sum of sugar in the fruit & sugar added).
3. Suitable quantity of pectin.

Sounds simple, but the variability of the fruit or fruit juice within and between species as well as the amount of pectin may result in too soft or too firm final product.

As I recall, commercial products such as Sure-Jel attempt to include some citric acid and some buffering salts along with the pectin to cover most fruit species. Still possible to screw it up, however. Good Luck!