Making Mesquite Bean Jelly

[@HaphazardHomestead]

People have relied upon them for real food for so long. It's great that you are exposing people to the wonderfulness of the mesquite tree, in this video and at your Farmer's Market! And it's great to hear how well people have responded to it. You will have people bringing you mesquite pods for free from here on out! : )

[@PecanCorner]

+HChrisH200 - Haphazard Homestead , you are so right, there is abundant food all around that we ignore. I can't believe it took me so long to try them. Now we have an exciting new foodstuff to experiment further with :-) Tina

[@elizabethhill1458]

Loved your video ❤️ and very helpful. Talk as long as you want it makes a great video for people seeking information or tips for DIY. Telling stories while cook'n is what good folks here in Texas do! Bless you and please make more videos the way you want.

[@PecanCorner]

Aw thank you for the encouragement and the kind words! I hope you have a wonderful week! :-) Tina

[@BCampbellBrewer]

Well, you have me hooked. We have three mesquite trees in the yard. Usually every year I think I'm going to gather up the beans and take them down to the place that grinds the beans for you to make flour - never do BUT, I think this year, I will make the jelly. Actually, I was just getting ready to get rid of all my canning stuff because I haven't used it in about five years. just lost interest but you have given me some renewed interest! Yay! long story - so thanks for being part of my back to life story.

[@PecanCorner]

+B Campbell How FANTASTIC! This sounds like the beginning of a fun new journey - thanks so much for sharing it with us. :-) I have never eaten anything made from the flour but after tasting the jelly I am anxious to try it next year when I can gather more beans. It is great that you have them right there handy. I love trying "wild foods" and finding out how to incorporate them into our regular meals. I look forward to hearing how your own experiments turn out! God bless you ! :-) Tina

[@sagapa]

I you have a kind of electric powered coffee grinder, you can have small amounts grounded, it just take twice or time to grind coffee as espresso.

[@RoguePreparedness]

There are THOUSANDS of mesquite beans on the ground right now and I had no idea I could make jelly out of it! I knew it was edible, just didn't know about the jelly. I gotta go collect some now! Yum!

[@PecanCorner]

+Armed Rogue YAY!!! Hold your nose while boiling them LOL and have fun! I hope your jelly turns out great! :-) Tina

[@Ryanmonts]

dont pick the beans from the ground. only from the tree. ones fallen on the ground grow a bad bacteria that will make u sick

[@danielcastaneda3582]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@PecanCorner]

Hi Daniel, glad to hear it. Thank you for watching :-) Tina

[@PidasianHippie]

Very interesting process for making this mesquite jelly. Just proves you can make jelly out of just about anything.

[@PecanCorner]

+Pidasian Hippie LOL Amen!

[@BexarPrepper]

What a cool recipe, thanks for sharing. Blessings

[@PecanCorner]

It's getting that time of year again! Thank you for watching and commenting! :-) Tina

[@brr4762]

+Pecan Corner is it? I'm just learning about this, but everything I find says June is the best time to harvest. I'm in Az though.

[@PecanCorner]

That's interesting! Good to know that it may vary from place to place. The beans on whatever variety of mesquite trees ya'll have may ripen earlier. It is that way with Prickly Pears here - some plants actually ripen earlier or later, Thanks for sharing the info, it will help others. :-) Tina

[@MrSunny421]

Thank you!

[@PecanCorner]

You're welcome! :-)

[@PrepperPotpourri]

I've never had mesquite bean jelly.If it tastes like honey it must be delicious. Love your apron :)

[@PecanCorner]

+Prepper Potpourri Thanks - I found the apron at a yard sale for a quarter! LOL! Love those bargains! :-) Tina

[@massachusettsprepper]

Now that looks and sounds very good, but I have no mesquite trees where I live. thanks for sharing my friend.

[@PecanCorner]

+Massachusetts Prepper That is probably a blessing. They grow in drier regions and spread like weeds. :-) Tina

[@PidasianHippie]

I love your apron!

[@PidasianHippie]

+Pidasian Hippie The more I look at it, is it hand painted?

[@PecanCorner]

+Pidasian Hippie It is screen printed but it does look hand painted! I was delighted to find it! :-) Tina

[@PecanCorner]

+Pidasian Hippie Thank you! One of those yard sale finds that we get to enjoy for years! :-) Tina

[@PidasianHippie]

Pecan Corner I love when you find something so awesome at a yard sale or thrift store.

[@cactuswren9771]

Me too!

[@pychohobo1832]

WAIT!!!! This video is dated October ( 2015 but not counting year). It June and they are late this year. Most years I have to harvest late April early May. I only have a week plus to harvest during that time. I do have to harvest while green, about 2 weeks early. Because they never make until ripe. Critters take them all. Now I have velvet not honey. But still. Took me 4 years to find they were ripe mid May. Kept looking in early autumn. Then late summer, then early summer. Then late spring. But by mid spring they had all been ate.

[@PecanCorner]

That's interesting - I guess it varies depending on where we live and the trees themselves. because here, the trees don't even start blooming until maybe July, and don't put beans on until August or Sept. I think a lot of it depends on the rain too. Thanks for the extra info, it's good to know that they may bloom and fruit so early in some places! :-)

[@pychohobo1832]

@@PecanCorner well honest you are most likely correct on area. My grow season is pretty much all but late December to mid Feburary/ mid March. Though summer months like to burn things up especially August and September. But that's also when we get 90% of our rain. I've been flooded in a few times over the years. Which for me is OK. Means no one is coming in and the " coyotes " don't run during that time. Not that I've ever had a problem with them or thier bosses.

[@lolalilley5896]

Thanks for the video I must try this! I have mesquite trees all around my house.

[@PecanCorner]

Oh cool! I have since found it is true that different trees each have a slightly different flavor to the beans. I hope you will like the jelly! :-) Tina

[@lolalilley5896]

Pecan Corner Thank you. I make wild plum jelly (my grandaughter won't eat store bought jelly lol) and I have made pickled beets my husband loves them. My beets haven't done very well in my garden the last couple of years so I may have to buy store bought beets this year and pickle them we are starting to run low.

[@PecanCorner]

@@lolalilley5896 I am hoping to grow beets this year. I grew them once and they did great, but the last time I planted them they did not "make" so I am trying different varieties this time. Would you mind sharing your recipe or your channel? I totally understand if you want to keep it private, but I love pickled beets, but only "homemade" ones :-) :-) Thank you! Tina

[@lolalilley5896]

Pecan Corner I don't mind at all but please give me a few days to find it lol. Its my mothers recipe and its very simple. Basically its vinegar and beets and sugar and clean sterilized jars.

[@PecanCorner]

That is great! I made them one year but Paul did not care for them so I want to try a different recipe this time - you know how that goes, just a little change in ingredients can make all the difference! :-) Tina

[@ford4life069]

I see that United bag. 👀🙂🙂 I'm in west Texas and definitely going to try this. I make prickly pear jelly too. What market did you go to? There's three good ones in and around Lubbock now that we drive up for. Heritage Market, Wolfforth Farmers Market, and Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market. I know this video is a little older but if you still make it I'd love to buy one.

[@PondRiverFarm]

I don't believe we have mesquite beans here in Kentucky, I've never seen anything like. The finished product is beautiful, it sort of reminds me of corn cob jelly, which also tastes a bit like honey. (I called it sunshine in a jar) I bet it sells well at your Farmer's Market - you'll have to give us an update and let us know how it sells! Great video as always Tina.

[@PecanCorner]

+My Old Kentucky Homestead It DID! We gave tastes and I sold the entire batch the first day I took it to market! People are hesitant to taste, then they are delighted with the flavor. I do not have access to red cob corn so I can't make corn cob jelly - I have always heard of it though! :-) Tina

[@genkiferal7178]

honey locust?

[@AusJackal]

plus could you please post the actual recipe below... ?

[@PecanCorner]

THANK YOU so much for letting me know I forgot to post it! Yes, I will do that later today. I appreciate your feedback :-) Tina

[@mingosutu]

That is a useful video. Thank you very.We lots of Mesquite in Sudan people burn it. PLEASE, PLEASE do more videos. Did you add lemon juice twice?

[@PecanCorner]

Thanks, and thank you for the encouragement! I only added the lemon juice once, sorry if that was confusing. Mesquite makes great firewood and cooking wood. In Texas, it is in demand for smoking meats with. :-) Tina

[@robertdwillis61]

By the way, i enjoyed your video.. I made my first batch last weekend..first time making jelly.. I got impatient and didn't bring to a rolling boil that couldn't be stirred down, and my jelly didn't firm up... Thank you

[@PecanCorner]

hi Robert, you set a high goal for yourself making this jelly to start off with! Some jellies will take a week or longer before they set up, so it might still gel. Apricot and Prickly Pear jellies both also take a long time to set up. Jelly making is a science, and that high boil is essential to get the juice and pectin to the correct temperature to react properly with the sugar. However, if it does not thicken, you can still use it as a syrup - I have done that many times! :-) Tina

[@robertdwillis61]

Pecan Corner thank you for your time in replying.. Will keep in touch.. Just got a set of 3 stock pots in mail yesterday. Have 3 gallons of mesquite juice in freezer..

[@robertdwillis61]

What should the consistency of the jelly be if done correctly? Thank you again

[@PecanCorner]

Hi Robert, although it will be still liquid while you are ladling into jars, the bit on the spoon that has cooled will already have started to gel like jelly from the store. So you can test a little after you think it is done by taking a little on a spoon and putting a couple of drops onto a plate, and see if it solidifies as it cools. Jelly making is kind of a learned skill, and a little practice is useful. Before using up your mesquite juice, you might want to try making a batch of grape jelly or apple jelly using bottled juice. Those both gel easily and it will help you see what the consistency is supposed to be like. Also, the recipe for those jellies is on the instructions in the package of SureJell powder. Different brands and types of pectins can make a difference too, so be sure to use what the recipe calls for if at all possible. All best to you! :-) Tina

[@robertdwillis61]

Pecan Corner Thank you for sharing your knowledge.. Will keep following and learning..

[@robertdwillis61]

Im curious..could you pressure cook the beans and get more flavor from them ?

[@PecanCorner]

Hi Robert, I don't know if that would be worthwhile or not, because I have never tried it. It is also possible that simply doing a second boiling would still have good flavor too. :-) Tina

[@treffensaintjohnllc2913]

I live in Arizona. I will try this recipe but instead of making jelly I'm going to make "poor man's" mead. I'll try hopping a batch too.

[@PecanCorner]

How fun! Let us know how it turns out - it would be awesome if the honey flavor lasts through the ferment. I have discovered that different mesquite trees produce beans with different flavors so I keep the beans separate when I collect them now. :-) Tina

[@peterlynch1458]

Love the video! What does the lemond juice do to the process?

[@PecanCorner]

It is for safety, to increase the acidity , and to help it gel (the gel itself is also a safety process). It helps the flavor but does not taste like lemon. Here's some info from the National Center for Home Food Preservation: nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/jellied_product_ingredients.html :-) Tina

[@hendersonhives3844]

How much does this sell for at your markets? Great video! Thanks for taking the time!

[@PecanCorner]

I charged $5 for half pints and $8 for pints for all my jellies and jams. I always used brand new jars for things I made to sell, so about a dollar of that was to cover the cost of the jar. Unfortunately, our market closed down last year when our market manager quit and the Board decided not to continue sponsoring it, so I just make things for us and the family now. :-) Tina

[@TheAlpacaRose]

I just moved to west Texas and have been surprised to see the huge bean pods on the mesquite trees. The type of mesquite in New Mexico are much smaller. You mentioned that there are 3 kinds of trees in your area all with different flavors. Are they all considered the honey mesquite? How can I tell the difference to keep the beans separate?

[@PecanCorner]

Hi Sharon, and welcome to Texas :-) I have not had much luck figuring out the difference between the types, but what it seems like to me is that each individual tree seems to have a somewhat different flavor to the beans. Why, I do not know. Your County Agent may have more information. With me, it is just trial and error, and I remember which trees have the best beans, and go back to those each year! :-) Tina

[@richardhagee8695]

Thank you so much for your recipe ! I have started making mesquite bean jelly. ----However, I have added my lemon juice to the juice, and boil for 10 minutes. My jelly seems very watery. I 'm wondering if that is what makes it watery, is adding the lemon juice to only the juice. Also how to do you deal with the insect holes? thank you so much for your help!

[@AusJackal]

and what did you do with the pods after you boiled them.. can you use them as compost?

[@PecanCorner]

Hi, yes, they would be fine in compost. Since they've been boiled the seeds would not sprout, so no worries about a forest of mesquites coming up! :-)

[@AusJackal]

Forest of Mesquite tress.. that wouldn't be a bad thing...

[@PecanCorner]

Out here they go to great expense to clear them, so they won't take water from "real" trees! :-)

[@sagapa]

Mesquite provide shelter and nitrates for small trees around them, don't it?

[@robertdwillis61]

How long will juice last in freezer..and, can you freeze the beans after washing and snapping? I still have a gallon in freezer from last year.

[@cherylpugh8479]

I live in Camp Verde, Az and we have mesquite trees everywhere. I am looking forward to the beans getting ripe enough to make this jelly. Thank you for this very helpful, educational video. Have you made Corn Cob jelly? It tastes like honey also. Happy jam making, 😃

[@PecanCorner]

I have always heard of corn cob jelly but I don't think I've ever had it. Will definitely have to try it. Best wishes with your mesquite beans :-) Tina

[@robsilva6.]

So why do we have to pick them off the tree why can’t we just get them off the ground?

[@cactuswren9771]

How many jars of jelly does a batch make? I live in the Mojave Desert. Many of our mesquites all over the desert are dying because of the drought. But I'm learning to grow mesquites from cuttings and seeds. Want to keep them going! I'd LOVE to try this recipe! THX for teaching us how. COOLEST 25 cent apron I ever saw!! :))

[@PecanCorner]

It makes from 10 to 12 half-pint jars. So sad that your mesquites are dying. Here in Texas, they are very hard to kill. I guess we still have enough ground water that they can reach down to it. Best wishes with your project growing them! :-) Tina

[@tamrtab2273]

Rhyannon Lallatin.. They call this tree Mesquite or Devil Tree

[@rafajuchis]

Why did you add sugar?!! That only shows you don't know what mezquite is. The benefits of it is the sweetness without the glucose levels!

[@Ryanmonts]

NOT ONE DISLIKE!!?????? im soo tempted.. lmao. jk

[@PecanCorner]

LOL! Pretty funny! Maybe no one has had to smell how bad the mesquite pods smell while they are boiling yet! LOL! Thanks for watching :-) Tina

[@moonlitbreezes]

how do you filter out inpurities?

[@PecanCorner]

+moonlitdream , I used a tea strainer in this video (at about the 4:45 mark) and I also don't disturb any sediment at the bottom of the pot when pouring the liquid off. A jelly bag or a reusable coffee filter would also work. :-) Tina

[@moonlitbreezes]

I must have missed that part...kids & distractions etc...so sorry! TY for your reply. This looks so delicious.

[@PecanCorner]

+moonlitdream Oh I only mentioned it in case you wanted to look to see - sometimes people don't know what I mean by a "tea strainer" :-) I am tickled that you watched it. It is very very good, and such a surprise for people. :-) Tina

[@novastones8914]

Yes

[@AusJackal]

wow... that's a lot of sugar... can you add less?

[@PecanCorner]

All real jelly recipes call for more sugar than juice. From what I read, it is essential for the preservative properties. Sure Jell makes a "Low Sugar Pectin" but I don't have a recipe for this jelly that uses it. The up side is that we only eat about a teaspoon of jelly at any one time, so there's actually very little sugar in the "daily" amount! :-) Tina

[@AusJackal]

Thanks Tina.. my teeth and waist line won't thank me if I eat too much.. Once I get enough seed pods... I'll give it a try..

[@PecanCorner]

I hear you there! Have a great Saturday! :-) Tina

[@pychohobo1832]

Adding sugar to mesquite jelly is like adding sugar to moonshine. Just shouldn't be done. Just kidding. I was shocked when you said add sugar. Does it really need it? Mesquite is sweet by itself.. But you did make me think. Mesquite is a sugar/ starch. Sooooooooo, it can make alcohol.

[@pychohobo1832]

Ok so I looked it up. It makes vodka.. or at least that's what someone made. But that requires distilling it. So just cooking it. And fermenting will make a beer. Someone ask me in 2 months and I'll tell you what it taste like. So now I have to harvest. Dry them. Cook them ( for alcohol). Dry them again. Crush and make flour. Or Harvest, dry, cook to make jelly. Dry again. Make flour or cook. Ok for those wanting bathtub rum or bathtub beer. 1/2 cup sugar 1 gallon water ( distilled is the best) 1 teaspoon yeast. Cook water and sugar to a boil. Let cool. Add yeast ( any yeast will do INCLUDING BREAD YEAST) Bottle with a balloon. Burp daily for 30 days. ( DO NOT USE GLASS BOTTLE WITH SCREW ON LID about day 7 bottle will explode. Scare you at 930pm and make a huge mess all over the kitchen ) Now it ready to drink as a beer. For rum, distill it. ( sorry don't have a still, so can't tell you how to) For mead replace 1/2 cup sugar with 8 oz of honey. ( I imagine do the same with mequite jelly) Oh forgot. For shine. 50lbs of corn keep moist for two weeks until it all sprouted. Then add to 50 gallons of water simmer for 24 to 48 hours. Keeping water at same height the whole period. Bottle for a short beer in 2 weeks. Or sit for 30 days. Distill. Throw away first 1/4. Bottle 16 gallons. Give rest to hogs. You gave hogs the corn cookins 30 days before. Best to mix last month's bottom with this month's corn for hogs. No yeast or sugar needed. And let's not forget original shine. 50 pounds of tattors cooked until they mash easy. Add to 50 gallons of water. Follow above. This was the receipt pre potatoes famine. This was the shine George Washington was after to close down. Story is it changed to corn during potatoes famine. To the question. Yes I've made all these. No I'm not an alcoholic. I now may drink once a month if that. And it's mostly the bathtub beer. Made 5 gallons 2 years ago 1 gallon fell and bottles broke, over 2 gallons still in cupboard. ( I make my beer in a 5 gallon bucket)

[@PecanCorner]

I'm making Jelly. You can't make jelly without sugar. LOL I see your recipe! I don't drink so that sounds like slightly more trouble than jelly for me LOLOL! Thanks for the laughs, have a super week! :-) Tina

Good recipe, but very long-winded. It would have been better to do voiceover with images, so as not to waste people`s time. See Food Wishes as a good example of how not to waste people`s time...

[@PecanCorner]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm a bit of a chatterbox and enjoy "visiting with" my viewers. I don't have equipment to do anything but video, however, I have streamlined quite a bit since I started so my recent videos are a bit shorter. :-) Tina

[@madisonciowa3920]

This is a totally new thing to me. I wish we had those beans up here so I could try it. It looks good. :-)

[@PecanCorner]

+Madison C Iowa , if you ever visit Texas in August or September maybe you can collect some. The trees grow like weeds through most of the drier parts of the state. Makes me wonder what other "food from trees" I have been ignoring! :-) Tina

[@madisonciowa3920]

LOL It comes from trees? hahahaha I must have missed that part. Too Cool!

[@PecanCorner]

+Madison C Iowa Yes! Of all things! LOL! :-D