Berry time will soon be upon us and the choice of uses for the excess fruit could be making jelly. Boysenberries are an easily grown vine fruit with a yield which has many uses. If you have an abundant fruit yield from your vines this year you may be looking for instructions on how to make boysenberry jelly. This guide page provides those instructions as well as links to other uses for your boysenberry crop. Once you have your boysenberry jelly planned, think about making [[how to make boysenberry jam|boysenberry jam[[, sauce, or freezing some for later use.

Boysenberries are a bramble fruit. Bramble fruit is a very sensitive fruit and is extremely perishable. You will need to pick the berries soon after they start to ripen but you must also have a plan for them once picked. Berries should be used within the week of picking but the sooner the better. http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/2066.htm

Boysenberries are related family wise to blackberries, loganberries, and raspberries so any recipe you have for these fruit can be used with your boysenberries. Jelly recipes may vary but typically include just berries and sugar. A diabetic version of boysenberry jelly can be made using a sugar substitute for at least a portion of the sugar in the recipe.

To make boysenberry jelly you will need the following

• Clean glass jars
• Rings and seals for the jars
• Slotted spoon
• Colander
• Cheesecloth bag

In years gone by cooks used to seal jars with paraffin or wax. This is not a procedure you want to try as there is no protection from mold. With today’s boiled jelly recipes there is normally no need to process jelly in a water bath. However, it is an added protection which takes minimal time. Myotoxins can grow on the surface of sweet jelly like foods on occasion so extra protections may be worth the time they take. http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=GH1461#with

1. Using 3 pounds of berries, wash completely before cooking and remove any berries with bad spots or soft mushy areas. Simmer the berries in enough water to cover them, for about an hour until they are soft.
2. Pour berries into a cheesecloth bag to allow the juice to strain through. If you can make a stand to hold your bag, the gravity will help the juice flow out sooner. Catch the juice in a container large enough to hold at least 4 cups. http://www.appropedia.org/Jelly_Making
3. For the clearest jelly do not press on the fruit enough to mash it up. The jelly draining process takes an hour or more. You may move the bag around some to get the juice to drain more. http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=GH1461#with
4. Using no more than six cups of juice at a time, combine with four cups to six cups of sugar. The amount of sugar should vary based on the sweetness you want in the jelly and in the sweetness in your fruit. Start with 4 cups and taste a small amount before adding more. When adding sugar, remove from heat, stir until dissolved and then bring back to a boil. http://www.appropedia.org/Jelly_Making

Once you have brought the jelly to a boil again you can use a candy thermometer to tell when it is done. If you are at sea level up to 1000 feet, boil the jelly til the thermometer reaches 220 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are above this level boil to 218 degrees.

If you do not have a thermometer you can drop a small amount of the jelly from a metal spoon. Raising the spoon from the jelly, let it roll off the spoon. If it starts to form and connect at the spoon as you roll it off, the jelly is ready.

When your jelly has reaching the gelling point, take it off the heat and skim the foam from the top using the slotted spoon. Using a funnel pour the jelly into hot jars. If you pour slowly there will be less air bubbles in the finished product. Leave 1/4 to 1/2 inch space at the top of each jar. Add seal and ring and don’t forget to come back later and see if each of them sealed. Any jar which doesn’t seal should be refrigerated and eaten without delay.http://www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/jelly-recipes.html