8cups(2 litres) fireweed blossoms and buds, lightly packed
5cups(1.2 litres) waterplus more if needed
¼cup(60ml) lemon juice
2packages(57gms/2 oz. each) powdered pectin
5cups(1 kg) sugar
Instructions
Put the fireweed blossoms and the water into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Let this mixture cool. (It can be covered and chilled overnight at this point if you can't get to jelly-making that day.) The mixture will be a dull purple or muddy brown colour at this point. Don't worry - the acid in the lemon juice will bring all the vibrant colour back again.
Prepare 7 half-pint (250ml) jars for canning; wash and sterilize them (either in a boiling water bath, in the oven at 225°F/110°C, or run them through the dishwasher on the hottest setting). Put the matching snap top lids into a small saucepan of hot water and keep them warm on medium-low heat on the stovetop.
Strain the blossoms through a nut bag, several layers of cheesecloth, or a clean piece of cotton muslin cloth or tea towel. Squeeze as much of the liquid out as you can and discard the spent blossoms. Top up the fireweed juice with water to make 4 cups (960ml).
Add the lemon juice to the fireweed liquid and watch the glorious magenta colour from the flowers come back again; a bit of natural magic.
Pour the now-beautiful pink liquid into a large pot. Add the pectin and whisk to dissolve any lumps. Bring the liquid to a boil, then add all of the sugar. Bring it back to a rolling boil and boil the jelly hard for one minute.
Pour the jelly into the sterilized jars (try not to get any on the rims), wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth, add the snap lids and rings and seal them finger-tight (only as tight as you can get them with your thumb and forefinger).
For added insurance against spoilage, you can process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Then set them onto a tea towel on the counter and leave them undisturbed until they're cool.
Makes 6 to 7 half-pint (250ml) jars.
Notes
To harvest the fireweed blossoms from the stems of the plants, first shake the flower stalk to remove any little critters or bugs that may be hiding there. Then pinch your thumb and two fingers around the stem of the plant, just before where the open, fresh blossoms begin on the stem (you don't want the shriveled, spent blossoms) and pull upward, stripping off the blossoms and buds right to the tip of the flower stalk. You can use all these blossoms, buds, and attached little stems for making fireweed jelly. (Discard the main stem.)Pick your fireweed blossoms in a location far from roadways and the possibility of exhaust fumes from vehicles, so there is no need to wash the flowers before using them in this jelly.See How to Sterilize Canning Jars, and How to Process Jars in a Boiling Water Bathin this post.