Homemade Mulberry Jelly Recipe

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This Homemade Mulberry Jelly Recipe is just about the most frugal jelly you can make! With mulberries likely growing wild in your yard or neighborhood, getting your hands on these tasty little berries can be very easy and free!

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Mulberry jelly is the first preserved recipe I ever made. We lived in the city and our neighbor’s mulberry tree hung over our fence. We would gather loads of mulberries and make the most delicious mulberry jam! I remember my grandma asking me how I got all the little worms out of the mulberries…oh…what worms? Oops, extra protein jelly anyone?

Needless to say after that, I was sure to soak the mulberries for about an hour before I would process them into any sort of preserves! Sometimes there are worms, sometimes there aren’t!

How Do Mulberries Taste?

On their own, a mulberry is honestly an unimpressive fruit. Don’t get me wrong, my kids love to eat them and we have loads of them growing wild around here. Who doesn’t like free food? However, the flavor is neither very tart nor very sweet. It’s just a bit meh…

However, if you add some lemon juice and sugar, mulberries in jelly form are one of my favorites, maybe even beating out raspberry!

Equipment Needed

I used a food mill, I cannot recommend one of these enough! I use it when I make apple butter and applesauce. It separates the stems, seeds, and bits from the juice. You can use it to make salsa and just about any berry jam or jelly. It makes processing food so much easier!

If you cannot invest in one of those or a nice strainer, you can use a regular colander lined with cheesecloth.

• Food Mill with the berry strainer or Strainer set up
• Stockpot ( 3 qt or larger)
• Canning jars
• Large pot for water bath if canning

Ingredients Mulberry Jelly:

• 3 cups mulberry juice
• 2.5 cups sugar
• 1 packet pectin (usually 1.75 oz)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (don’t skip this, but you can use concentrate in the little bottles, it’s fine!)

Instructions for Homemade Mulberry Jelly:

These instructions go all the way through the process of water bath canning the jars. If you do not want to can the jelly and if you think you will use it up within a month you can store it in the fridge.

Also, if you wish, you could freeze the jelly as long as you leave enough head space for expansion in the freezer.

The lower-sugar version (shown below) may not last as long in the fridge.

1. Prepare the Mulberries:
   • Start by washing and sorting your mulberries. Remove any leaves. I always soak the berries for about an hour to get any little worms or bugs out.
   • To extract the juice, you can either use a food mill (I highly recommend getting one of these if you grow your own food) or cook the mulberries down and strain them through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. If you choose the latter method, place the mulberries in a large pot, add a small amount of water (just enough to cover the bottom of the pot), and simmer over low heat until the berries are soft. Use a potato masher to help break them down, then strain the mixture to obtain 3 cups of mulberry juice.
2. Prepare Your Canning Equipment:
   • Sterilize your canning jars, lids, and rings by boiling them in water for at least 10 minutes. Keep them hot until you are ready to use them.
3. Cook the Jelly:
   • In a large pot, combine the mulberry juice and lemon juice. Gradually stir in the pectin until it is completely dissolved.
   • Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
   • Add the sugar all at once, stirring to dissolve. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Test for Gel Point:
   • To ensure your jelly will set properly, you can perform a gel test. Place a small spoonful of the jelly mixture on a chilled plate and let it sit for a minute. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it is ready. If not, continue boiling for another minute and test again.
5. Jar the Jelly:
   • Remove the pot from heat and skim off any foam that has formed on the surface.
   • Carefully ladle the hot jelly into your sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace at the top.
   • Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.
   • Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings until they are fingertip tight.
6. Process the Jars:
   • Place the filled jars in a boiling water canner, making sure they are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
   • Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 10 minutes.
   • Remove the jars from the canner and let them cool on a towel or rack. You should hear the lids “pop” as they seal.
7. Store and Enjoy:
   • Once the jars are completely cool, check the seals by pressing down on the center of each lid. If it does not move, the jar is sealed. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a few weeks.
   • Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Your homemade mulberry jelly will last for up to a year.

Low or No Sugar Mulberry Jelly Recipe

If you want to make a lower or no-sugar version of this jelly, you will need to get your hands on this pectin. It is not always available at the grocery store, but our local Walmart did have it. Anything ratio lower than 3/4 cup sugar to 1 cup juice will need that special pectin.

• 3 cups mulberry juice
• 1 Cup of sugar or less
• 1/8 cup of lemon juice
• 1 packet no or less sugar pectin

Follow the same instructions as above.

What if My Mulberry Jelly doesn’t Gel?

This happens sometimes, usually due to not boiling it quite long enough. If this happens, don’t despair! Use it as a syrup instead, believe me, it is also delicious!

Enjoy your delicious homemade mulberry jelly on toast, biscuits, or as a sweet addition to your favorite recipes!