Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Make Jelly Beer

Beer jelly or jelly beer combines two popular tastes: sugar and alcohol. Easy to make and fun to eat, jelly beer is great with dessert, breakfast biscuits and toast. It also makes a quirky and economical holiday gift. The final taste of the jelly will very much depend on the flavor and brand of beer used in the process. The alcohol and not the flavor evaporates during the cooking process. Be sure to pick your favorite brew to make a delicious final result.


Instructions


1. Cut the lemon into slices with a sharp knife and put to the side while you prepare eight half-pint jelly jars. After washing in soapy dish water, boil the jars and lids in hot water. Allow to air-dry on a clean kitchen towel.


2. Open the boxes of gelatin and tip into a mixing bowl. Add 5 oz. water and stir with a wooden spoon, or follow dissolving recommendations on the back of the gelatin packet if they differ.


3. Combine beer, ale and sugar in Dutch oven or large cooking pot and bring to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent sugar from sticking to sides. Boiling sugar can burn, so work with caution.


4. Slowly mix the gelatin in with the beer mixture and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.


5. Pour the beer mixture into the jelly jars, ensuring each glass is two-thirds full. You can use a plastic funnel to ensure no jelly drips onto the outside or the rim of the jar, or just work carefully. Consider pouring the mixture into a spouted pitcher before filling the jars.


6. Place a slice of lemon into each jelly jar. Be careful not to disturb the jelly. Use tongs for hygiene.


7. Use a whisk to whip up the remaining beer mixture before pouring over the lemon slices in the jars. Allow to cool before screwing on lids.


8. Serve in the next few days or seal the jars by screwing lids on tightly and standing the jars upright in boiling water for five to seven minutes.







Tags: beer mixture, jelly beer, jelly jars, lemon into, mixture into