Homemade Prickly Pear Jam

Been wanting to do this for years just never have. Didn't want to mess with the hairlike stickers on them I've had a run in with them before Found a quick and easy way to handle that so yesterday after work I picked a little more than a gallon of the fruit from a neighbors place. Went to work de-hairing, cleaning, pealing, boiling out the juice, puree'ing the flesh and the worst part.... separating the seeds. I made 10 jars. Wife and kids gave me this look when I started Now they all can't wait to try it.

hair thorns taken off and cleaned


peeled


boiling


finished

What was the secret to getting rid of the hairs? Thanks in advance!

oh man its simple! never wanted to mess with them so much because of the pain that I always heard to make them ready to handle. I picked them with tongs giving them a twist then pull. Put them into a bucket or container. I got back to the house and then just ran them under water. Before I do anything you can already see thousands of the hairs (gochids) float to the top. While the water is running and it doesn't have to be strong but move them around somehow. Move the container around circular or stir them with the tongs. They just need to be aggitated adn those gochids come right off. As the water poured in I would agitate and pour out at the same time get rid of the water with gochids. When water was almost clean you can reach in and pick them up. Be careful sometimes a clinger hangs on.

you can also put them in a strainer and do the same thing but I wanted to do the whole kit and kaboodle at once so I left them in the large container.

Yes please. That is going to be good stuff.

Thanks TooLow. I was going to make the jelly but when I saw all of the flesh left from the fruit I couldn't make myself toss it out. It was a choir to remove the seeds but well worth it so I made Jam instead. Never seen so many seeds and they cling! Reality it only took me about 20-25 minutes probably less to separate them. Wished I would have taken pics of the seeds but I got them all out cleanly.

We used to eat those pears when we were kids, also bull nettle seeds.

I've picked a few bucket loads of them for my grandma to make jelly. Grandma wore leather welding gloves when she cleaned the stickers off.

try the water thing Dog. So much easier. I've tried those gloves before and those microscopic sons a bi****s still go through.

Thanks! Makes it way easier!

Don't forget you can also make prickly pear wine. If you try it, I recommend checking with a local brew store to get some professional advice and it is the place to buy the equipment you will need.

Oh man those look good. They are everywhere around here!

I've burned them with a torch before picking them.....looks like water works just as well....

Wow what a coincidence. While driving to work this morning in Midland. Saw a guy picking prickly pears with tongs. Made think about the last jar a friend gave me.

I have a cactus garden out back will have to give it a try