Prickly Pear Jelly.

Bought some in a store but never made any. Things are tight, time to make my own.
1. When do you cut the pears? Turn Brown? Wear gloves?
2. I don't want to can, will try a small amount- 2-3 jars that I'll keep in the fridge.
3. As I understand, peel, cut up, heat medium and mash into pulp, put through strainer sieve to get just clear juice, add lemon, sugar and gelatin and boil a few minutes and pour into jars. Sounds pretty easy.
What is a sieve? I am cooking challenged in many areas.

Any tips appreciated.

a sieve is used to strain out the pieces and pulp ... like a fine strainer, so all you have is fairly clear juice remaining.

below is my mothers homemade jelly recipe that I have used for years for all sorts of varieties of jelly (peach, apricot, mustang grape, plum, etc.) ... I would think you could use the same for prickly pear jelly for quantities and times.

~+~+~
1 qt. Plums (or any varieties of fruit)
1 qt. water.
5 1/2 cup juice from cooked plums
7 1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg pectin (sure jell)
1T butter

Remove seeds and cover with water and low Boil plums (fruit) till skin falls off fruit.

Strain juice to remove skin & meat of plum and save meaty portions for jam if desired.

Put juice in Dutch oven over medium to high heat, stir in pectin & butter and bring to full boil, while stirring constantly.

Add sugar and return to rolling boil. Rolling boil for exactly 1 minute. (note 1 minute on the dot, not 59 seconds and not a minute &1 second, this is the key for proper jelling)

Remove from heat, skim foam and put in clean jars while hot. Put lids on to seal and let cool.

My thread on making it

Again

Pick the pears between Aug-Oct depending on where you are and whenever they are ripe. Easier to burn the thorns/stickers when still on the cactus. Then remove, rinse, cut into 1/4’s and cook.

Buc-ee's sells a Prickly Pear Jam.

What's the difference between jelly and jam? I thought there was stickers inside the pulp so you had to use the sieve. As I said- total newbie.

Jelly should be fairly clear minimal pulp ... Jam has fruit included.