Fireweed is abundant in the northwest, it is a Native Plant, the polinators love it, and it makes a delicious jelly. I made this recipe with my family, and then with students, and it was a great opportunity to talk about plants, the connections between plants and their environment, fractions, and some simple chemistry. Here is the recipe and a quick video of my family making it. Included in the video is fireweed tea or “Ivan Chai,” which I will hopefully have time to share about in the future.

Materials

  • Jars
  • Potato masher
  • Ladle
  • Bowl of fireweed flowers
  • Water
  • Pectin packet
  • 3 cups of sugar
  • Lemon Juice

Instructions

  1. Put four cups of water and all the fireweed flowers into a pot on the stove and increase to medium heat. Stir occasionally until the flowers have lost all their color.
  2. At the same time use a large pot to boil all the jars and lids.
  3. Strain the liquid to remove all the fireweed flowers and place just the liquid back into the pot.
  4. Bring the fireweed tea to a medium heat and add sugar and pectin.
  5. Add lemon juice until the colour returns to a nice pink
  6. Remove jars from the boiling water and set aside so they are ready for the jelly, leave water boiling as you will use it again.
  7. Continue stirring the jelly until it is boiling even after you stir (no longer settling for a moment before the boiling starts up again)
  8. Allow it to boil for one more minute once step 7 has been achieved.
  9. Ladle equal amounts of jelly into each of the jars.
  10. Using an oven mitt, put on the lids and use the potato masher to carefully lower the jars into the large pot of boiling water.
  11. After 12 minutes of boiling the jars, use the potato masher to take them back out and place them on a tea towel on the counter. Do not move them until you’ve heard or seen them all “pop” and the jelly is wiggly.