During the holiday season, pomegranate is really inexpensive.
In fact, I always see it in the quick-sale bins.
Once I mastered canning pomegranate jelly, I started picking up that cheap fruit every week!
If you’re in a hurry, you can use purchased pomegranate jelly. But once you make it yourself, you’ll never go back.
How to Can Pomegranate Jelly in a Water Bath Canner
This is a no-fuss jelly with a bright color and a tasty zing. It doesn’t take long to make it.
Equipment Needed
- Colander
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Bowl (that the strainer can fit in)
- Potato masher
- Fruit muddler
- Sharp knife
- Glass liquid measuring cup (ideally with a pourable edge)
- Whisk
- Stainless steel pan
- Spoon
- Six 8-ounce jars with lids and rings (for a full batch)
- Jar lifter
- Lid lifter
- Water canner
- Funnel
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 5 pounds of whole pomegranates (for a full batch)
- 1 package pectin
- 5 cups sugar
Step 1: Wash Your Pomegranates
Ripe pomegranates are a deep red color, and they feel a little bit squishy beneath your fingers.
Wash every piece of fruit by running it under very warm water for a minute or two.

Pay special attention to the crown of the fruit, as this rough surface may trap dirt and debris. It can fall into your jelly and add grit no one wants.
Step 2: Prepare Your Jars and Lids
I often reuse my jam jars, and while I store them carefully, they can get cracked and chipped in storage.
Damaged jars don’t seal properly. Sometimes, they can fall apart in the canner and ruin an entire batch. It’s heartbreaking.
Prevent this by running your finger across the top of the jar and feel for chips and cracks. Then, wash them in hot water with soap.
I place my jars in the canner and cover them with water. I turn the heat on medium and let my jars simmer while I make my recipe. With this step, I ensure my jars won’t break during processing.
Step 3: Juice Your Pomegranates
I’m working with whole pomegranates, and this step can get a little messy. However, it’s necessary for a good jelly.
Commercial pomegranate juice is loaded with sugar and preservatives that could ruin this recipe.
Start by rolling your pomegranates under moderate pressure on the countertop. You’ll soften the fruit a bit and allow the juices to start flowing.
Hold your softened fruit over your sieve, which is firmly placed inside a bowl. Cut straight down into the blossom end of the fruit, and turn it upside down into the colander.
Squeeze it between your hands, and the juice will pour into the bowl.
I like to get everything out of the fruit, so I take it apart. With a sharp knife, I cut the fruit into quarters.
Then, I use a potato masher and then a fruit muddler to press on the quarters and get all the juice out.

I start by muddling inside a colander, as the pips are too big to fit through the holes. Then, I pour the juice through a wire mesh strainer to remove anything left behind.
You can stop when you have 3 ½ cups of juice.

Step 4: Measure Your Ingredients
Jelly recipes move quickly, and I hate to scramble. That’s why I take a minute here to measure all of my ingredients, so I can dump and go without measuring.
Ensure that you have a full box of powdered pectin. I like to open it, so it’s ready to go.
Then, place 5 cups of sugar in a bowl for your recipe. I have a bowl with a pourable edge that I use for this purpose. It’s really handy!
Step 5: Cook Your Juice
Place your pomegranate juice in a stainless steel pan, and add the entire box of pectin.
With your whisk, stir in the pectin until it completely dissolves. The liquid should be completely clear at this stage.
With the heat on medium, warm up the juice until it boils. Keep stirring the entire time so the juice won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Remember that natural juice is filled with sugar, so it can burn and stick.
Step 6: Add Sugar
This is why measuring your sugar in advance is smart. At this step, you’ll pour all of the sugar into the pan all at once.
Keep the heat on medium, and keep stirring until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Keep cooking for one minute while constantly stirring.

Step 7: Test for Gel
A gel test ensures that your jelly will look like a condiment (not like a drink) inside your jars. It’s a very important step you won’t want to skip.
Place a cold spoon inside your cooked jelly and hold it up out of the juice. It should drip off the edge of the spoon, but it should also be thick enough that it sort of hangs off the edge.
When a drop seems to hang off the edge of the spoon, you’re done. If it doesn’t want to hang, keep cooking and check again in a minute.

Step 8: Fill Your Jars
With your jar lifter, remove your jars from the canner. Then, with your canning funnel, fill each jar with the prepared jelly. Leave ¼ inch of headspace.
You won’t need to remove trapped air, as the jelly will be completely liquid.

While the canning funnel will protect you from spilling too much, you may experience a little splatter.
Removing it is critical, as it could keep your lids from sticking. Dampen a paper towel and run it across the top of every jar.
With your lid lifter, remove the lids from the saucepan. Place a lid on each jar, and place the rings on. Screw the rings down until they’re finger-tight.
Step 9: Process Your Jars

Place your filled jars inside the canner and ensure they’re covered with an inch of water. That water should be boiling already, but if it’s not, turn up the heat until it boils.
Process your jars for 10 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed.
Step 10: Let Your Jelly Rest
When processing is complete, turn off the heat and remove the lid from your canner. Leave the jars submerged for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, use your jar lifter to take the jars from the canner. Place them on a cutting board, and allow them to rest for 24 hours.
They will stabilize, so the lids will seal. And as they cool, you may notice that the jelly will harden a bit.

Step 11: Label and Store Your Jars
After 24 hours, remove the rings from your jars and push on the lids. They should be firmly affixed and not pop when you press on them.
Write the date on each lid. I like to put the rings back on the jars at this point, as it makes them easier to stack. However, this is optional.
How Long Does Homemade Pomegranate Jelly Last?
The USDA says all home-canned goods should be eaten within one year. You should check them before eating, regardless of the date.
Check the lids again before you use your canned goods. The lid should be hard to remove, and the contents should be clear and free of anything like mold.
Ideas for Using Canned Pomegranate Jelly
I always have pomegranate jelly on hand, as it’s really popular in my household. These are my favorite ways to use it:
- Spread pomegranate jelly on toast over a layer of fresh butter.
- Upgrade plain PB&J sandwiches with pomegranate jelly.
- With a whisk, mix jelly with olive oil for a quick salad dressing.
- Add pomegranate jelly to vinegar for a meat marinade.
- Stir jelly into cottage cheese for a zesty side dish.
- Drizzle jelly over cooked green beans.
- Mix with yogurt and surprise your friends at breakfast.
- Serve jelly with several types of cheese.
- Use pomegranate jelly as a finishing sauce for cheesecake or ice cream.

Equipment
- Bowl (that the strainer can fit in)
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 5 Pounds Whole Pomegranates
- 1 Package Pectin
- 5 Cups Sugar
Instructions
Wash Your Pomegranates:
- Rinse your pomegranates under warm water to remove dirt and debris, especially from the crown.
Prepare Your Jars and Lids:
- Inspect your jars for chips or cracks. Wash them thoroughly with hot, soapy water.
- Place jars in the canner, cover with water, and heat to a simmer.
Juice Your Pomegranates:
- Roll the pomegranates under moderate pressure to soften them.
- Cut them into quarters and use a potato masher or fruit muddler to extract juice into a colander placed over a bowl. Strain the juice with a fine-mesh strainer.
- Collect 3 ½ cups of pomegranate juice.
Measure Your Ingredients:
- Measure out 5 cups of sugar and open your pectin package. Have them ready for the next steps.
Cook Your Juice:
- In a stainless steel pan, combine the pomegranate juice and pectin. Stir until the pectin dissolves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Add Sugar:
- Once the juice is boiling, add the 5 cups of sugar all at once.
- Stir and bring to a rolling boil. Let it cook for 1 minute while constantly stirring.
Test for Gel:
- Test the jelly’s consistency by placing a cold spoon in the mixture. Lift it up and check if the jelly drips off the spoon, but thickens and hangs slightly. If it’s too runny, continue boiling and retest.
Fill Your Jars:
- Using a jar lifter, remove the jars from the canner.
- Using a funnel, fill each jar with the hot jelly, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.
- Wipe the rims with a damp paper towel to remove any jelly that could prevent proper sealing.
Process Your Jars:
- Place the jars back in the canner and ensure they’re covered by at least 1 inch of boiling water.
- Process for 10 minutes. Adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary.
Let Your Jelly Rest:
- Once processed, turn off the heat and let the jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes.
- Use a jar lifter to carefully remove the jars and place them on a cutting board to cool for 24 hours.
Label and Store Your Jars:
- After 24 hours, check the lids. If they’re securely sealed, remove the rings and label each jar with the date.
- Store in a cool, dark place. The jelly is best within a year.
Notes
- Juicing Tips: For maximum juice yield, roll the pomegranates to soften them before cutting.
- Gel Test: Don’t skip the gel test! It ensures your jelly thickens properly.
- Shelf Life: Homemade jelly is good for up to a year, but always check seals before consuming.
