Unlike many other fruits and berries, elderberries are not acidic enough to be safely canned for room-temperature storage unless sufficient sugar is added to be a preservative. (1,2)
Here is a recipe for elderberry jelly that I make and enjoy. This jelly can be safely preserved and stored at room temperature as long as enough sugar is used in proportion to the elderberry juice.
The added lemon juice is an optional flavoring that can be omitted if you like. I prefer to use the lemon juice, however. It adds a bright citrus sparkle to the mild-flavored elderberries.
The large amount of sugar in this recipe is required for safety. Do not reduce the amount of sugar in proportion to the juice. The recipe is not safe if made with other sweeteners, including honey. (1,2,3)
Elderberry Jelly (seedless)
Juice:
48 oz by weight (3 lb, roughly 4 qt) elderberries
Measure berries after stems are removed
4 oz by weight (1/2 cup) water
Of this juice, this recipe will use:
24 oz by weight (about 3 cups) elderberry juice
Jelly:
2 oz by weight (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice (optional, but recommended)
31.5 oz by weight (about 4 1/2 cups) sugar
Do not use less sugar. Do not use artificial sweeteners or honey.
1 box (1.75 oz by weight) Sure-Jell powdered regular pectin
Do not use low-sugar or no-sugar pectin
Make the juice:
Wash and destem the elderberries. Measure 48 oz (3 lb, about 4 quarts) of destemmed berries. Place berries in a 5-6 quart pan with 1/2 cup of water. Bring berries and water to a simmer over medium heat. After mixture is simmering, cook for another 8-10 minutes, mashing the berries with a spoon or potato masher while cooking.
Pour the mixture through a jelly bag or layers of cheesecloth, squeezing or pressing lightly, to harvest the juice.
Measure 24 oz (3 cups) juice for this recipe. Save any extra juice for another purpose. If there is not enough juice, add sufficient water or apple juice to bring the total to 24 oz by weight (3 cups.) Discard berries.
Make the jelly:
Wash 6 half-pint (one cup) jars or 12 half-cup jars and enough rings and lids for the jars. Prepare a water bath canner.
Put the measured amounts of elderberry juice and lemon juice into a 5-6 quart pan. Let the juice cool to lukewarm if needed.
IMPORTANT: Do not heat the juice until after the pectin is added!
Read pectin directions before use. Some pectin needs to be mixed with a small amount of sugar before it is added to the juice. If so, remove the recommended amount of sugar from the 31.5 oz total. Mix this sugar with the dry pectin.
Slowly scatter the pectin over the juice while stirring to minimize lumps and help the pectin to dissolve.
When pectin is dissolved into the juice and no lumps remain, turn on the heat and rapidly bring the juice-pectin mixture to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.
Add the sugar slowly while stirring. Rapidly return the mixture to a boil and boil hard for another 1 minute.
Remove jelly from the heat and ladle into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal with 2-part canning lids.
Process half-cup and half-pint jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation).
Once the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit undisturbed in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter and set on a towel on the counter.
Do not cover jars with a towel. Allow jars to fully cool undisturbed. After 12 hours, remove rings and check that the lids are sealed. Store any jars that did not seal properly in the refrigerator for immediate use. Sealed jars should be stored without rings in a dark, cool place.
The jelly will be at its best if used within 18 months after making. Flavor and nutritional quality will decline after that, although the jelly will remain safe to eat as long as the jars are properly sealed. Keep the jelly refrigerated after opening the jar.
Do not use this recipe for elderberry jam. The tested recipe for jam requires more sugar in proportion to the berry pulp so the jam is safely preserved for room temperature storage.
Notes:
(1) Elderberries: beautiful to look at, not for canning. Preserve It Fresh, Preserve It Safe: 2021, No. 4 (July/August). Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/hes141
(2) Perkins-Veazie P, et al. Fruit Composition of Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) Genotypes Grown in Oregon and Missouri, USA. Acta Hortic. 2015 Jan 12;1061:219-224. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1061.24. PMID: 27158182; PMCID: PMC4859753. Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4859753/
(3) Ashley Adamant. Elderberry Jelly. Creative Canning. Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://creativecanning.com/elderberry-jelly/
(4) u/Thousand_YardStare. Elderberry Jelly. r/Canning on Reddit. Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/Canning/comments/16wgebv/elderberry_jelly/
