Quince Jelly

To make quince juice, quarter approximately 10 fresh raw quinces. Put the fruit into a large pot and cover with water. Bring them to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. You want to cook the fruit until it is soft. Cooking time should be over ½ hour and if the fruit is quit hard, could take some time. Once the fruit is soft, take the pot off the heat. Strain mixture either in a jelly bag, or through cheese cloth and a colander. Do not press the fruit. Discard the fruits (throw them in your compost, google some crazy chutney to make with them….) and reserve the juice. Once you have your juice you could refrigerate it or freeze it until you want to make jelly. When ready to make the jelly, wash your jars and sterilize them either in boiling water, the dishwasher, or put them into a 200 degree oven for at least 10 minutes. I do the later. I like keeping my jars hot in the oven as I cook the jelly and only remove them one at a time to fill with jelly. (This recipe makes around 9-10 cups of jelly, so that could be 4 - ½ pint jars plus one smaller 4 ounce jelly jar, 3 pint jars plus one small jelly jar, or any combination that you like, just make sure you have one or two extra sterilized jars in case you need them. You will probably get some small amount of jelly in one jar that is not full, this you can just put into your fridge for immediate use.) Things to get ready before you start: Sterilized and hot jars Get your water bath canner ready, or a large pot deep enough to cover your jars A large pot for cooking the jelly Put the sealable lids into a small pot of simmering water Set your rings aside Get out a dish cloth for the area on your counter that you will set your hot jars on, get a clean wash rag ready to wipe the jar lips if needed A clean fork or tongs for retrieving jar lids A dish towel or hot pad for grabbing hot jars A small ladle or spoon for skimming scum A bowl or dish for the extra scum A clean plate or large spoon rest for you spoons and ladles A canning funnel if you have one A plastic measuring cup or ladle for putting jelly into the jars A big spoon for stirring the jelly, and a metal whisk if you like