• Location: at work
• Mood: accomplished

Pineapple Guava Preserves

The latest fruit discovery in my backyard is a pineapple guava tree that is still throwing down ripe fruit after I've collected about 8lbs worth! Gotta make something from all that! My box of MCP powdered pectin "from the makers of SureJell" had recipes for a ton of fruits, but mostly jellies with juice-only vs. jam, so I tried using the fruit with the juice to see what happens...I'll let you know after they've fully cooled if they ever gelled, but they're still pretty warm at the moment...


Pineapple Guava, one cut to show cross-section



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Guava Jelly (no jam recipe in pectin package)

5 lbs guava
1/2 c lemon juice
3 c boiling water
1 package pectin
6 c sugar
supposedly yields ~7 cups = really yielded 7 half-pint jars, 1 smaller jar, plus 3 full marshmallow creme jars

Measure the sugar into a separate bowl. Prepare fruit with liquid. Add pectin & bring to a full rolling boil over high heat. Immediately add all the sugar, bring back to a full rolling boil, then continue to boil for 4 minutes exactly. Ladle into canning jars & seal.
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Cut each fruit in half across first, then start scooping


Hulling method with a normal size spoon


Pineapple Guava Scoop


Pineapple Guava Goop



Completed Pineapple Guava Preserves

Only a small amount of juice drained off into the liquid measurement, like 1/2 cup, since I'd have to mash it up or squeeze it to get more juice to come away from the pulp, so I put the lemon juice in first, added the guava juice I could drain off, then used the boiling water as instructed to fill up to 3.5c liquid. Even after following the instructions from the pectin box, it still seemed very syrupy vs. jam-like, so we'll see what I get when it fully cools. The syrup is tasty though!