Watermelon Jello Food

WATERMELON JELLO

Steps:

• Cut up a watermelon and place the pieces in a blender or food processor and blend until you have a liquid. Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag and you will need 3 cups of watermelon juice.
• Place the watermelon juice on the stove top on low heat. You simply want to warm it so that the gelatin will break down. When it's warm to the touch, remove from the stove and add the gelatin and mix thoroughly.
• Grease the mold with the 1 tsp of coconut oil and pour in the watermelon juice.
• Place in your fridge and let chill for 8 hours or until set.

SOUR WATERMELON JELL-O SHOTS IN A WATERMELON RIND

Steps:

• Using a large chef's knife, cut the watermelon in half lengthwise through the stem. Trim a small portion from the underside of each half so it can sit on the work surface without wobbling. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Scoop out most of the flesh with a large spoon into a medium bowl, leaving about 1/8 inch of flesh above the white part of the rind (this will help the gelatin to adhere).
• Transfer the watermelon flesh and any juice from the bowl and rind to a blender and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a coffee filter). Discard the solids and reserve the juice; you should have about 5 cups total.
• Measure 3 cups of the juice into a medium saucepan (save any remaining juice for another use). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, whisk the watermelon-flavored and unflavored gelatin with the citric acid together in a large bowl, then whisk in the warm watermelon juice until all of the gelatin has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the vodka until combined. Pour the gelatin mixture into the hallowed-out watermelon halves. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill until completely set, about 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Slice the watermelon in half lengthwise, then crosswise into small wedges. Serve chilled.

WATERMELON JELLY

Steps:

• Blend watermelon pieces in blender for about 1 minute on medium speed.
• In large kettle, mix melon, sugar, and lemon juice.
• Bring to a boil.
• Stir in liquid fruit pectin and boil fifteen minutes, stirring.
• Skim off the foam and pour into jars.
• Wipe rims, place lids, screw on bands finger-tight and process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.
• Remove to a protected surface to cool undisturbed.
• Note: this is an adopted recipe, and needs a bit of tweaking. I plan on making the jelly with a thermometer in the future to ensure that the results are consistent.
• Note #2: I've received questions about the 15 minute time listed in the recipe. Almost all of the watermelon jelly recipes I've found doing a search are for 1 minute. As this recipe has already been reviewed as is, I don't want to alter it too much. But as an alternative, I'd like to give you a recipe from Epicurious.com, whom I've found to be a reliable source. Watermelon Jelly, courtesy of Epicurious.com: 4 cups seeded, diced watermelon, 3 1/2 cups sugar, 2 Tbs lemon juice, 1/2 of a 6 ounce pkg of liquid fruit pectin (1 foil pouch). Instructions: Place diced watermelon in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until smooth (should have 2 cups watermelon puree). In a 6 to 8 quart kettle combine the watermelon puree, sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that cannot be stirred down) over high heat, stirring constantly with a long handled wooden spoon. Stir in the pectin all at once. Return mixture to a full rolling boil; boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove kettle from heat; skim off foam. Ladle jelly into clean, hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids. Allow to cool completely away from drafts, then store in cool, dark place. Makes 4 half pints.
• Note #3: from RecipeZaar user Foggy Kitchen come these helpful comments. "Mine did not gel and I had to research why not. Follow directions! Detail on the Pectin box distinctly separates fruit w/pectin -vs- bowl of sugar on side to be added LATER, then briefly fast boiled (the one minute reference).".

WATERMELON POPSICLES

Steps:

• Combine 1/3 cup sugar and dry lime gelatin mix in medium bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to 1/2 cup cold water to measure 3/4 cup. Add to lime gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate 25 min.
• Meanwhile, repeat Step 1 using strawberry gelatin mix but omitting the refrigerating step. Pour into 16 (3-oz.) paper cups. Freeze 20 min. Stir 1/2 tsp. chocolate chips into gelatin in each cup.
• Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar with mixer in medium bowl until blended. Stir in COOL WHIP; spoon over gelatin in cups.
• Pour lime gelatin over cream cheese mixture. Insert wooden pop stick into center of each cup. Freeze 3 hours or until firm. Remove pops from cups just before serving.

WATERMELON JELLY

Steps:

• Place watermelon in a food processor; cover and process until pureed. Line a strainer with 4 layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Place pureed watermelon in prepared strainer; cover with edges of cheesecloth. Let stand 10 minutes or until liquid measures 2 cups., Discard watermelon pulp from cheesecloth; place liquid in a large saucepan. Stir in sugar, vinegar, lemon juice and food coloring if desired. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Continue to boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. , Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into 5 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

WATERMELON FRUIT BOWL

Steps:

• Add boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 3 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water.
• Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened.
• Add fruit; stir. Pour into Watermelon Bowl. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

EASY WATERMELON JELLY

Steps:

• Wash, cut and dice (and remove seeds if using a seeded melon) melon into 1-inch chunks. Place diced watermelon in a blender or food processor.
• Cover and blend or process until smooth.
• It should reduce to approximately 2 cups of watermelon puree. That (2 cups after the blender) is the amount you will need for the recipe. Pour it into a large pot. Bring watermelon juice to a slow boil.
• Add the 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice to the pot.
• In a small bowl, mix the dry pectin with about 1/4 cup of sugar (or other sweetener). Keep this separate from the rest of the sugar. If you are not using sugar, you'll just have to stir more vigorously to prevent the pectin from clumping.
• Stir the pectin into the watermelon juice and put the mix in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning).
• It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to get it to a full boil (the kind that can not be stirred away).
• When the berry-pectin mix has reached a full boil, add the rest of the sugar (or other sweetener). I recommend using some real sugar or honey, as jellies made with no added sugar, or just Splenda turn our rather flat tasting and runny.
• After adding the sugar or sugar/sweetener blend, then bring it back to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Depending upon which type of jam you're making (sugar, no-sugar, Splenda, mix of sugar and Splenda or fruit juice) you will need to use a different amount of sugar and type of pectin.
• I keep a metal tablespoon sitting in a glass of ice water, then take a half spoonful of the mix and let it cool to room temperature on the spoon. If it thickens up to the consistency I like, then I know the jam is ready. If not, I mix in a little more pectin (about 1/4 to 1/2 of another package) and bring it to a boil again for 1 minute.
• IF YOU DO NOT OWN A CANNER/PROCESSOR -- While melon is coming to a boil, place 4-5 jars in a shallow baking pan and pour water to the half way point of pan. Place over electric eye (large) and bring to a boil. Place caps in small saucepan and cover with water and bring to a boil.
• Fill jars to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Continue to boil in pan for 10 minutes.
• Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.
• Once cooled, they're ready to store. I find they last up to 12 months. But after about 6 to 8 months, they get darker in color and start to get runny. They still are safe to eat, but the flavor and texture aren't as good. So eat them in the first 6 months after you prepare them!