Recipe: How to Remake Soft Jelly

It is a very common problem with pepper jelly. It may take a month or a bit more to set. Give it time. Then, if still syrupy, remake like this:

Measure jelly to be recooked. Work with no more than 4 to 6 cups at a time.

TO REMAKE WITH POWDERED PECTIN:
For each quart of jelly, mix l/4 cup sugar, l/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin. Bring to a boil while stirring. Add jelly and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil hard l/2 minute. Remove from heat, quickly skim foam off jelly, and fill hot, sterile jars (see directions below for sterilizing jars), leaving l/4-inch headspace. Adjust new lids and process.

TO REMAKE WITH LIQUID PECTIN:
For each quart of jelly, measure 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons liquid pectin. Bring jelly only to boil over high heat, while stirring. Remove from heat and quickly add the sugar, lemon juice, and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for l minute. Quickly skim off foam and fill hot sterile jars, leaving l/4-inch headspace. Adjust new lids and process.

TO REMAKE WITHOUT ADDED PECTIN:
For each quart of jelly, add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice. Heat to boiling and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Use one of the tests described under "Standard or long-boil jelly" to determine jelly doneness. Remove from heat, quickly skim off foam, and fill hot, sterile jars, leaving l/4-inch headspace. Adjust new lids and process.

STERILIZATION OF EMPTY JARS:
To sterilize empty jars, place them right side up on the rack in a boiling-water canner. Fill the canner and jars with hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Boil 10 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 feet. At higher elevations, boil 1 additional minutefor each additional 1,000 feet elevation. Remove and drain hot sterilized jars one at a time as filled.

RECOMMENDED PROCESS TIME
FOR REMADE SOFT JELLIES
IN A BOILING-WATER CANNER: 5 minutes