Rootbeer Jelly

• 4 1/4 cups rootbeer soda
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 tbsp. powdered pectin
• 2 tbsp. bottled lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. butter

In a large dutch oven pot I mixed together the soda and the lemon juice. Then I brought it to a boil and let it go for one minute. Then I sprinkled in the powdered pectin  …not dumped like I did with the dandelion jelly… using a whisk to mix together. I added the sugar and brought it back to a boil, then added the butter and let it boil for one minute. 

While the mixture was cooking, my jars were warming in the Presto Precise digital canner. 

Using my canning funnel, I filled the canning jars to one inch head space, wiped down the rims with a cloth and hot water, put the lids on and finger tightened the rings. I was able to fill 13 four ounce jars with a smidgen of jelly left over for taste testing. 

Best I could find out, the lemon juice was needed to add acid to the mixture to help it set, and I was actually just going by several recipes that I’d found as I didn’t find one that said not to add lemon juice. This was the first time I’d ever added butter to help reduce the foam that normally forms on jelly, and I didn’t skim any foam off of this one. 

I processed the jars in the water bath cycle for 10 minutes. I removed them when the canner signaled that the cycle was done, and put them on the canning table to set for 24 hours. Going by the little bit of tasting sample left in the bottom of the pot, I knew that this jelly will set up nicely. 

 It certainly tastes just like rootbeer, and I am already thinking ahead about maybe making a rootbeer BBQ sauce out of it. It is pretty sweet so I will add some kind of vinegar, oil, and other seasonings to balance it out, and let you know how it comes out. 

I really appreciate you visiting my canning cellar. Talk soon. Stay safe.