Dee's Elderberry Mixed Fruit Jam

Submitted by Dienia B.

"I picked a bunch of elderberries and wanted to make a jam. I had little bits of all kinds of fruits. It really turned out well and I wanted to remember next year how I did it. The sugar is a guess because I did it by taste when I was cooking. This is good to drink before adding pectin and would be good for fruit dumplings. It has a long cooking time but I don't want to be accused of not enough; when the fruit is done it's done."

 

• Ready In: 5hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 26 1/2 pints

ingredients

• 8 cups elderberries
• 3 cups red grapes
• 1 cup white grapes
• water, enough to cover
• 5 lbs sugar
• 1 1⁄2 lbs brown sugar
• 1 1⁄8 cups strawberries
• 2 cups raspberries
• 8 cups pitted cherries
• 1 (3 ounce) package Sure-Jell
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry Jell-O gelatin dessert
• 1 (3 ounce) package cherry Jell-O (black)

directions

1. Cook the elderberries and seeded grapes with enough water to cover, until mushy and well cooked, about 1 hour is how long I cooked it.
2. Remove mixture and put through strainer.
3. Put juice back into pot.
4. Add sugars.
5. Stir and bring to a boil.
6. Add rest of fruit.
7. Cook down until mixture coats the back of a spoon.
8. Sprinkle in the Sure-Jell and two packages of Jell-O.
9. Cook on low, stirring as needed, for another hour. If water gets too low add more.
10. When thickened enough, pour into 1/2 pint jars and seal.
11. This made 26-1/2 pints for me.