I have never seen mint jelly in a shop in rural Andalucía. The stuff they sell on the coast is bright green — that lurid, artificially coloured version that looks more like a novelty than a condiment. Mint jelly should be amber, not traffic-light green. Natural is the only version worth making.
The second problem was pectin. I cook for one, I don't preserve in industrial quantities, and liquid pectin simply isn't a product you find easily in rural Jaén. That changed when a lovely returning traveller from the UK thought to bring me some as a gift. A small bottle of liquid pectin. I love her.
This is a genuinely easy jelly — no thermometer required, no jam-making experience needed, and about forty-five minutes of mostly patient waiting. The colour is the colour of good English tea: clear amber, with a proper mint flavour rather than the aggressively artificial version.
A note on mint: I don't have a measurement for "bunches" that translates reliably to grams. Pack two bunches fairly loosely into a 500ml jug and you're in the right area.
INGREDIENTS for fresh mint jelly recipe
- 2 bunches fresh mint, stems included
- 250ml water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 100ml apple cider vinegar
- 250g Demerara sugar
- 60ml liquid pectin
METHOD
- Add the mint and stems to a blender with the water. Pulse to chop — you're not blending to a smooth paste, just breaking it down enough to extract the flavour.
- Pour into a pan and bring to a fast boil. Remove from the heat immediately and leave to steep for 45 minutes.
- Strain through muslin or a fine sieve into a clean pan, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Add the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a fast boil and hold it there for one minute.
- Add the liquid pectin and boil for a further minute.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour into sterilised jars and refrigerate to set.
Serve with lamb. Obviously.
If you're a mint condiment person, my Nearly Coleman's Mint Sauce is worth a look too — fresher than the jar.
This fresh mint jelly recipe is featured in my Sauces, Salsas & Dressings Hub, a growing collection of homemade condiments, dressings, and sauces from the Casa Adora kitchen.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper sauces, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef
Hi
I have peppermint in the garden, will that work?
TIA
Hi Molly. Peppermint will give you a very strong, medicinal flavour — more toothpaste than condiment, unfortunately! You really want spearmint for mint jelly. It's worth grabbing a plant from a garden centre — it grows like a weed once it's in. Best wishes, Phil