Preserving
Rowan & Crab Apple Jelly
A sharp amber jelly for roast lamb and strong cheese, made from the bright berries most people walk straight past.
6 October 2026 6 min read Serves 12
Foraging notes
Bright red rowan berries after the first frost, plus tart crab apples for pectin.
Rowan berries on their own are bitter; crab apples balance them out and supply the pectin that makes the jelly set.
The result is one of the prettiest jellies of the year, and a classic beside game, lamb and sharp cheese.
Best months
Ingredients
- 1kg rowan berries, stripped from stalks
- 1kg crab apples, roughly chopped
- 1.2L water
- 450g granulated sugar per 600ml strained juice
- Squeeze of lemon juice
Method
Stew the fruit
Simmer berries and apples in the water for 40 minutes until the fruit is soft and broken.
Strain
Drip through a muslin bag overnight without squeezing, so the jelly stays clear.
Boil with sugar
Boil the measured juice with sugar and lemon to a rolling boil for about 10 minutes, skimming the scum.
Pot
Test for a wrinkle set on a cold plate, then pour into warm jars and seal.
Kitchen tip: If a tree is thin on berries, leave them for the birds. One good tree with full clusters gives you a jar.
