Chocolate Mint Jelly

While I'm relatively new to the whole Jelly making process, I find it fascinating. To read how to make certain jellies, it sounds like a long drawn out process, but in actuality it's as easy as making tea.

One of the herbs I planted on the farm this year was Chocolate Mint. Chocolate Mint is one of my all time favorite herbs to grow for no other reason than it's flavor and fragrance. I read recently that chocolate mint is named more for it's chocolaty purple colored stem more so than it's flavor. I tend to disagree as the author of that article must not have ever tasted chocolate mint fresh off the vine. Chocolate mint has a strong mint flavor with a notably soft chocolate undertone that mellows out the strong mint flavor for a delectably unique taste.

Since Mint will grow like wild fire in any garden, yard, or farm once planted it's always a good idea to make use of the abundance of mint leaves.  Mint has a few good uses for all sorts of things. It's used in marinades, meat rubs, desserts, jelly and most commonly tea. It also has medicinal uses. A great example of this is using mint leaves to settle a nauseous stomach or to settle the nerves.

So here's how you make Mint Jelly:

You will need 1 1/2 cups firmly packed mint leaves

2 1/4 cups of water

2 tbsp. lemon juice

3 1/2 cups of sugar

1 pouch of liquid pectin

damp cheesecloth or jelly bag

food coloring


Wash mint leaves in cool water. Shake off excess water and finely chop the leaves.

In a large stainless steel pot, add water and mint leaves. Bring to boil over medium - high heat. remove from heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Pour liquid into a damp jelly bag or sieve lined with damp cheesecloth set over a large glass measure. Let drip until you have 1 3/4 cups of mint flavored liquid.

In a deep sauce pan add mint flavored liquid,lemon juice, and sugar. Stirring constantly bring to a full rolling boil, that can't be stirred down,over high heat. Add in pectin and food coloring and continue to boil hard for 1 full minute. Remove from heat. Skim off foam and ladle into hot jars. Seal jars and process in water bath canner for 10 minutes.