Cantaloupe Preserves


I live less than an hour's drive from two huge watermelon festivals; but those big green melons don't hold much interest for me. It's the cantaloupe that draws my attention. Most years, my garden produces as many as we can handle, and then some. Unfortunately, this year, the cows jumped the fence and got into my garden, demolishing every cantaloupe vine. Unwilling to give up my cantaloupes for the year, it now seems that I cannot pass a roadside stand without stopping. It's almost like there is a magnet drawing me to the stand that offers a pickup bed full of those delicious, juicy globes.

We eat them for dessert, we eat them for breakfast, we eat them as a salad, we eat them, and eat them, and eat them. And then I pickle them and make preserves out of what is left. If you haven't ever thought of making preserves out of cantaloupes, you are really missing a treat. They are delicious. Here is my recipe:

Cantaloupe Preserves

4 C cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and diced

3 C sugar

3 T lemon juice

1 box powdered pectin

Place cantaloupe and sugar in large non-reactive saucepan, stir well, cover, and let set for 6-8 hours. Add lemon juice and pectin and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, while stirring. Continue to stir while the mixture boils for 5-6 minutes, or until it thickens sufficiently. Ladle into hot jars and seal according to manufacturer's instructions. Makes 4 ½ Cups.

**Note: this is a good way to use up cantaloupe that has a strong flavor, but is not very sweet.

For more ideas on how to use those cantaloupes, check these out:

http://www.pierecipe.com/az/CantaloupePi... Cantaloupe Pie

http://cheese.miningco.com/library/weekl... Procsciutto Wrapped Cantaloupe

http://www.southseas.com/recipes/rec-fr-... Caribbean Fruit Salsa

http://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/old/... Cantaloupe Banana Slush

If you have questions, please post to the discussion area, or join our Preservers egroup at http://members.aol.com/preservers/group.... , where you will meet a lot of very helpful canners.....both experienced and not-so-experienced. And look for tasty recipes in which to use your garden produce in the other topic areas at www.suite101.com .

The copyright of the article Cantaloupe Preserves in Food Preservation is owned by Pier Jones. Permission to republish Cantaloupe Preserves in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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