Garlic or Shallot Jelly
Submitted by peta123
Garlic or shallot jelly made from infused white wine vinegar, sugar, and pectin. Sweet, savory, and tangy with subtle alliums. Perfect with cream cheese or roast meats.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
25 minREADY
24 hrsSavory jellies are the secret weapon of charcuterie boards, and this garlic or shallot version is one of the most versatile. Spoon it over warm Brie. Glaze pork loin or roast chicken in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Stir a tablespoon into pan sauces for instant umami sweetness.
The trick is in the infusion. Raw garlic or shallots simmered in white wine vinegar for 15 minutes, then steeped for a full day, extracts deep flavor without the harsh raw bite. The resulting vinegar tastes savory and complex, almost wine-like.
Pectin is the gelling agent that makes this technically a jelly rather than a syrup. Liquid pectin needs a brief 1-minute boil after the rolling boil starts, while dry pectin needs 2 minutes. Get this timing wrong and the jelly won’t set.
The sugar ratio (6 cups to 2 cups liquid) sounds extreme but is correct for pectin chemistry. Less sugar means a softer set or no set at all. The sweetness balances the vinegar and the assertive alliums into something more elegant than the sum of its parts.
Pro Tips
- Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for 10 minutes. Unsterilized jars are how a beautiful jelly turns into a science experiment in the fridge.
- Skim foam from the surface before jarring. Foam looks unappetizing and traps air bubbles.
- Process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for shelf-stable storage up to a year. Otherwise refrigerate and use within a month.
- A few drops of food coloring (red for shallot, yellow for garlic) makes the jelly visually distinct on a gift table. Optional but classic.
Variations
- Swap white wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar for a sweeter, fruitier base.
- Add a sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme to the infusion for an herbed jelly.
- Substitute hot pepper for some of the garlic for a sweet-heat pepper jelly hybrid.
Ingredients
Directions
In a 2 to 2½ quart pan, combine garlic or shallots and vinegar.
Simmer gently, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and pour into a 1 quart glass jar; cover and let stand at room temperature for 24 to 36 hours.
Pour flavored vinegar through a wire strainer into a bowl pressing garlic or shallots with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible; discard residue.
Measure liquid and add vinegar if needed to make 2 cups.
To use liquid pectin: In a 5 to 6 quart kettle, combine flavored vinegar, water and sugar.
Bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat.
Stir in pectin and bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down.
Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
To use dry pectin: In a 5 to 6 quart kettle, combine flavored vinegar and pectin.
Bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat, then stir in the sugar.
Stirring constantly, bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down, and boil for 2 minutes.
If desired, stir in 2 drops red, yellow or orange food coloring.
Skim off and discard foam, then spoon hot jelly into hot sterilized ½ canning jars to within ¼ inch of rim.
Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth; top with scalded lids and bands.
Place jars on a rack in a canning kettle and cover with boiling water.
Bring to simmering and simmer for 10 minutes.
Lift jars from canner and set on folded towels to cool.
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