Mulberry Syrup

Mulberry Syrup

This recipe was inteneded to make mulberry jam, but the jam never set up so I'm calling it syrup.

2 pounds mulberries (both ripe purple berries and unripe red or green berries)
2 pounds sugar
2 tbs lemon juice




Wash mulberries in cool water and drain. Prepare sterilized jelly jars, lids and bands if you plan to can the syrup.


Combine the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large sauce pot and cook over medium heat stirring constantly. It will look like entirely too much sugar at first. Use a potato masher or spoon to smash the berries.


Cook and smash until the sugar is dissolved and the berries have all been smashed, about 10 minutes.

After the berries have released their juice and the seeds and other chaff is floating on the surface of the juice, it is ready to strain.


Strain through several layers of cheese cloth, or a fresh paint strainer bag squeezing to get as much juice as possible. Return the juice to the pot and continue to cook until the syrup sheets from a spoon. Ladle into prepared jelly jars and process in a boiling water canning bath for 5 minutes. Remove from canner and listen for the pops to know the jars have sealed.


My Notes:
* My jelly never gelled so it is more like a very thick syrup, which is delicious on pancakes, french toast or in oatmeal.
*I made a second batch with Sure Gel fruit pectin, but that did not gel either.
*Internet research indicated that it might gel better if I add more sugar, but I don't want to use that much sugar. I'm happy enough with a syrup.
* I added 2 tbs mulberry syrup to my 7-up and it was delicious.