Pomegranate Jelly

There is a distinct attraction to pomegranates. Not quite sure I can put my finger on it. Is it the little scarlet red jewel seeds inside? Is it the unique flavor of the juice? Or is it the wonderful health benefits of the antioxidants? Actually, I believe it is all three plus a whole lot more. The pomegranate is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and was cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times. The pomegranate tree was introduced into California by Spanish settlers in 1769.

As a kid, I enjoyed pomegranates and would slowly pick the seeds out of the beautiful round fruit and eat them one by one. Once you bit down, a burst of sweet juice would awaken your mouth and left you wanting more. Today, I am fortunate that there is a company called POM Wonderful located in Southern California who produces a variety of pomegranate products. The actual fruit is being grown in the sunny region of central California. Imagine, an entire company dedicated to just one fruit – that is what makes them masters in their field.

Over the holidays, I was quite obsessed with canning. My mission was to create a wide variety of canned goodies to give to family and friends. While browsing through Jellies, Jams & Chutneys by Thane Prince, I came across page 171 which was a recipe for pomegranate jelly. Perfect - I thought to myself. I would run down to Safeway and pick up multiple bottles of POM Wonderful and begin my jelly making process.

The recipe was simple and I knew that the flavors of the pomegranate would be just perfect on a piece of toast or warm freshly baked scone. I decided to double the recipe to yield a large enough batch for my entire gift giving requirements. The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it year round since POM Wonderful is available all of the time.

Pomegranate Jelly

4 C. POM Wonderful Juice
5 Cups Granulated sugar
1 package powdered pectin (1.75 oz)
2 Lemons, freshly squeezed

Put all of the ingredients in a non-reactive pot, and bring mixture slowly to a boil.
When the sugar has completely dissolved, cook the mixture at a full rolling boil for 2 minutes, then test for a set. Once the setting point has been reached, ladle the jelly into hot sterilized jars, seal, process and label.