American Beautyberry Jelly, Pudding and Pie

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a shrub native to the woodlands in southern United States. This beautiful plant has amazing superpowers. It’s crushed leaves repel biting mosquitoes and ticks. It’s berries are beautiful and edible. The plant is not poisonous to people or pets. When camp I always try to find a spot next to Beautyberry plants. To repel biting bugs, I simple rub crushed leaves on me. And if I am hungry, I nibble on a few berries. Wildlife love the berries too. Raw berries are somewhat sweet and have a mealy texture. But if you make jelly from the berry juice, the flavor is transformed into the best jelly ever. Amazing! It is similar to cranberry jelly, but milder, with a greater depth and complexity. If you want to drink the juice instead of making jelly, add sugar and a few drops of lemon or lime juice. The acidity of lemon or lime will greatly enance the flavor. The Sure-Jelly Pectin, in the recipe below, adds a slight lime flavor to the jelly.
Jelly Recipe
5 cups berries
3 cups water
3 cups sugar (adjust to taste)
1envelope Sure-Jelly pectin
12 small canning jar / lids
Collect 5 cups of ripe berries (I put a plate below each branch and carefully rub the berries loose)
Wash the berries, removing branches or twigs. Put clean berries in a large pot with 4 cups water.
Boil for 20 minutes, smashing the brown skin with a spoon.
Strain the liquid thru a sieve with 2 layers of cheese cloth (paper towel also works). Add 3 cups sugar and 1 envelope of Sure-Jelly pectin to 3 cups berry juice. Boil and continue stirring until dissolved. Put liquid into sterilized canning jars.
Pudding / Pie Recipe
2 cups of liquid from the jelly recipe above (use only 1 cup sugar)
3 Tbs cornstarch
1 can condensed milk (14 ounce)
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
Stir cornstarch into small amount cold water. Then stir in condensed milk and egg yolks. And finally pour into warm liquid from jelly recipe. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Turn off heat and add vanilla. Pour pudding into serving cups or baked pie shell.
Meringue
serving containers
pudding from above recipe
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Whisk egg whites in bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually wisk in cream of tarter and powdered sugar until egg whites form sharp peaks that hold shape. Spread meringue over pudding or pie. Bake in preheated 350 F oven until meringue topping is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
Videography by Ken Kramm August 25, 2020.

[@armyrabb1]

I considered the berry bushes nothing more than a weed. Now I’ve got a whole crop of them popping up. Guess I’ll be harvesting and making some goodie with them now.

[@KennethKramm]

Go for it

[@OldBlindDougArtist]

I sorry Ken I didn't get a notification for this video. It was great always happy to see you and Bob.

[@KennethKramm]

I understand

[@andi2234]

Every time I see you do anything with Beautyberries I want to go out and buy a bush and plant it in my backyard!! Great video Ken!

[@KennethKramm]

Love that!

[@RobbsHomemadeLife]

I saved this to my favorite recipe playlist, thanks Ken.

[@KennethKramm]

Very welcome

[@carolineflynn1799]

Thanks for the recipes! There grows a humungous set of Beauty Berry bushes that have emerged in a section of my yard from the woods this year. They have flowered, so I found your video, and plan to make those recipes. Can wait to try the drink, jelly and the pudding! It is very exciting to find new forageable edibles on my property!

[@myurbangarden7695]

I see these in the park all the time.

[@jhulin9018]

Made the jelly last night from berries I picked the day before (it was a little late in the season and thus the berries were a little past peak). Turned out great however and I want to thank Ken for the recipe and encouraging me to try it.

[@KennethKramm]

Sounds great!

[@woundeddove]

I have always wanted to make a jelly from this plant. LOVED THEM.

[@KennethKramm]

Go for it...

[@AtlasReburdened]

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding them around our area. They seem to love growing anywhere there's a clearing next to unkempt brush or woods., and the ones that are getting plenty of sun are going into full ripeness right about now. Sidenote: I'm not stalking, I just recognize you from comments on our local news so I figure you're around this way.

[@AtlasReburdened]

Nice, I just harvested mine a couple days ago and have them frozen, waiting for a bit of inspiriation.

[@KennethKramm]

Sounds great!

[@solo_fl_outdoors594]

I absolutely love your videos! I learn so much from you. Thank you, Sir.

[@KennethKramm]

You are very welcome

[@bluewaterpines8323]

Yes i love making this as jelly and Pindo Palm jelly too. The Pindo can be very tricky though. Thank you.

[@KennethKramm]

My pleasure 😊

[@billyjoedenny]

GOOD TO SEE YA OUT KEN, YOUR DESERTS LOOKED GREAT . NOW IM HUNGRY .. BILLY JOE

[@KennethKramm]

Thanks Billy Joe. Beautyberry may grow in your area if the winters aren't too cold

[@charlieduzan1645]

Sir ,I have really enjoyed your videos, I am a Honary Hobo and have played and written music since age 9. You have Awesome songs in your videos that have touched my soul. The bear went over the mountain was one my Grandfather use to sing while we were working on the farm. Others have really brought back memories "!

[@munchyy_]

I love your energy! you make this seem a lot less intimidating than I thought it was. I can't wait to try all of these!

[@pappy451]

these bushes grow wild and in numerous quantity here in Florida . i will harvest some and get my sister to make me some jelly from them . we do mulberry jam and jelly's now , i have a huge tree in my yard and just last year i did some air-layering and started 4 new trees . i also have a hybrid apple ( made for Florida ) , some other weird fruit tree ( it looks like a Bartlett pear but has a pineapple flavor ) and several Japanese plum trees . additionally , i have a small grape arbor set up ( 7 vines ) . my grand kids will be set up nicely as far as fruit goes .

[@TriStarArchive]

Kenneth, I hope your doing well! You've educated and entertained me and others for years. Thank you.

[@dumblady]

Thanks for the pie recipe in the description. I made it a couple weeks ago and forgot to put the vanilla in. It was still pretty tasty! Has some background notes of chocolate which tasted a little like a Yoo-Hoo drink. My family enjoyed the pie and I'll be making it again next year. I had also made beauty berry jelly from another recipe, before I found yours, which had too much water. It was almost a disaster, but after I ninja-picked more berries , added them to the pot it was better. It miraculously jelled and all turned out good. Pheewww!! Thanks again for the pie recipe. It's the only beautyberry pie recipe I could find anywhere.

[@KennethKramm]

Awesome

[@noslenarual]

That looks delicious!

[@KennethKramm]

So good!

[@maxpinson5002]

Thanks for the great video and the recipes. Good to see Bob again

[@KennethKramm]

Our pleasure!

[@runlevelzer0]

Thank you for making this video my brother! My beautyberries are in full show in my backyard and I like to add a handful of the berries along with some chopped walnuts to my oatmeal in the morning.

[@HersheyBARZ_]

Love these berries. Cheers Ken! Wonderful Pose lol

[@KennethKramm]

Thanks! The pose was a lot of fun. Not bad for a 75 year old guy. If only I were a few years younger I could hang on the tree with one hand like Jacob

[@andi2234]

@@KennethKramm I wanted to mention this too. What an amazing man you are Ken. You give me so much inspiration! I have had a very difficult life, but now....I want to have fun!! I'm not young, not in perfect health but I don't care. You always inspire me to go for it (with caution, but nonetheless.....to go for it)!!!!! Thank you :)

[@Narjestv55]

I benefited a lot from you

[@Bob808Knight]

Oh my God that looks good. I hope you made enough for everybody...😉😉

[@KennethKramm]

So good

[@RealNowTruth]

Always keep hiking, Ken.

[@maitlandmoore6426]

Awesome , can't wait to try it - for I might like it . Thanks

[@KennethKramm]

Hope you enjoy

[@jenniferapiary]

Thanks

[@redsorgum]

Awesome, Ken! I hope you are in good health. Peace...

[@KennethKramm]

Thanks Redsorgum. Much appreciated

[@dianabenobo]

For some reason I keep thinking of a big clear plastic bag containing sea water and made puffy with air sitting on a donut shaped mound of hot beach sand making me some water for cooking my beauty berries.

[@PHARRAOH]

looks great, one would expect the pudding and jelly to be almost purple by the berry color

[@KennethKramm]

Great comment. The juice is purple/red, as shown in the jelly jar. The jelly stays purple for years after canning. However, the pudding becomes brownish when condensed milk and cornstarch is added. They opaque cream color apparently overpowers juice color.

[@DrDennis]

Morning Kenn! Greetings from Austin.

[@KennethKramm]

Morning DrDennis

[@papajeff5486]

WAIT, LOOK, is that Jacob!? Looks like ‘em. Texas

[@KennethKramm]

Too funny...

[@ekhaat]

I need to try that yoga thing

[@KennethKramm]

Go for it!

[@minzmiami]

Yum

[@unnamedchannel1237]

My nephew said he won’t hug porcus because she may have termites. He’s 10. I’ll tell him to rub this jelly on him first .

[@NikonRules303]

Just like Jacob!!!!!

[@KennethKramm]

50 years ago....

[@papajeff5486]

Spittin’ image!!! Texas

[@orawanpoonsap7163]

Wowwww❤❤❤👍👍👍

[@barbiewinn9050]

I see this plant all over the piney woods. I was told it is poisonous to humans. Am I mistaking it with something else? You pin tea - is that from the youpon holly? Sassafras also grows around those parts- have you tried sassafras tea?

[@RalphReagan]

Later that evening... lol

[@KennethKramm]

Smiling ... The pie was calling me. I still have 1/2 the pie left. It keeps well in the refrigerator

[@marynick530]

Are there also red beauty berries?

[@KennethKramm]

Red usually; some are white

[@RalphReagan]

Wonder if it would make a good wine

[@KennethKramm]

Good ideal Ralph. I'm sure that it would! I suggest adding sugar and lemmon or lime juice. I will start a batch next week...

[@woundeddove]

How did you get the jelly to stay red?

[@KennethKramm]

The juice is red and stays that way when I make jelly or juice. I have several jars of jelly which were made last year and the color has remained red. When I make pudding/pie, the color changes to brown because I've added condensed milk, egg yokes and corn starch

[@rachelanne5751]

i have these berries where i bike soooo can i eat them raw?

[@KennethKramm]

You can eat them raw if you want. Ripe berries are semi-sweet with a mealy texture.

[@rachelanne5751]

KennethKramm thankyou this video helped a lot 😁😁 i’ll definitely give it a try 💕