Strawberry guava (Psidium cattleainum) produces small, round red fruits that are mostly peel and seeds. They can be eaten whole, or made into juice and jelly. This jelly recipe uses Pomona’s Universal Pectin, which jells without needing to use sugar. Pomona’s Pectin can also be used with honey, agave, sorghum, juice concentrate, stevia, or Truvia as sweeteners. Find out more in the Pomona’s Universal Pectin FAQ. Using pectin means a short, predictable cooking time, and a reduction in the natural astringency of the fruit.
Strawberry guavas have tannins that give it an astringency that can be pleasant when you are eating the fresh, whole fruit, and really unpleasant as a juice. Adding pectin reduces the astringency, so if you would like to stop at juice and drink it straight or blend into smoothies, try cooking the strawberry guavas with a pectin-rich fruit like apples, pears, or berries. Aim for the pectin-rich fruit to be at least 1/4 of the total amount of fruit.
Pick through the guavas and check for bug holes and mold. Clean the guavas well - rinse with water, then soak in water for a couple of hours to remove soil and bugs. Drain, rinse again, and then freeze if you will not be using it right away.
Make juice:
For each cup or 100 grams of whole fruit, I use 1 1/4 cups (about 300mL*) of water to make strawberry guava juice. I get about 1 cup of juice for every 100 grams of fruit. Cook fruit and water over medium-high heat until it begins to boil. Lower heat to a simmer. After simmering for a few minutes, crush the fruits in the pot with a potato masher or press against the sides of the pot with the back of a spoon (this will be easier if you froze the fruit first). Simmer for 5 more minutes. Take it off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Strain out the mashed fruit. I use a mesh strainer. If you want a clear jelly, strain through a few layers of cheesecloth.
Throw away the mashed fruit:
Strawberry guava is an invasive weed here in Hawaiʻi, destroying native forest habitats. Because of that, I don’t compost the pulp and seeds, as birds can (and do) get into my compost bins and could wind up dispersing the seeds. I throw the mashed fruit into the garbage.
Make jelly:
For each cup or 250 mL** of juice:
3/4 cup (150g) white cane sugar
1/2 tsp. Pomona’s Universal Pectin
1 tsp calcium water (use the packet and instructions included in the Pomona’s Universal Pectin package)
If you are planning to do hot water bath canning, add 1 Tbs. lemon or lime juice per cup of strawberry guava juice, and follow reliable canning instructions (such as the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning).
I don’t make batches with more than 4 cups (1 L) of juice. To make sure the jelly will jell, if I am making more than that I’ll do separate batches.
In a bowl, stir the pectin into the sugar. In a cooking pot, combine the juice and calcium water. Bring the juice to a full boil. Slowly add the sugar mixture, stirring it in completely. You want the sugar to dissolve into the juice. When it comes back to a full boil, remove the pot from the heat. Skim off foam with a spoon (I skim this into a small dish and eat it on toast later - it’s not pretty but it tastes just fine). Pour the jelly into clean jars, wipe the jar rims, and cover. Let cool, then store in the refrigerator. Eat within four weeks.
A note on measurements:
Some measurement conversions are approximate. This shouldn’t affect the final jelly too much, but if you want to be exact:
*1 1/4 cup of liquid is not 300 mL. If you want to be precise, it’s 296 mL.
**1 cup of liquid is not 250 mL. If you want to be precise, it’s 237 mL.
