Anybody ever done anything with prickly pears?

[Mylo]

I just havested about 10 lbs of the suckers. I think I'm going to mush them through a strainer and freeze the puree.

I'm thinking of adding them to the secondary of a lambic... Think I need pectic enzyme? Those things are notoriously slimy, gooey, jellylike.


Mylo

[RedRory]

I tasted a mead at this years 1st round NHC that I think Gordon made. It had gorgeous color and tasted fantastic. But I didn't get a chance to ask how it was made.

[rhino777]

Yeah Papazian has a good prickly pear mead recipe in the back of his first book....

[dminnery]

I think there was a recipe in Zymurgy within the past couple years.

[BDawg]

I don't even want to imagine what JP does with them.

[alan_marks]

In checking this out, you probably should use some type of enzyme to break down the pectin from the prickly pear. As a side note, prickly pear pectin is being studied as a treatment for people with high cholesterol. I would think there would be quite a bit if it is being considered for research.
HTH,
Alan

[Bugeater]

Have I ever done anything with them? Yes. I have rolled in them (while falling off my dirt bike ). And I have eaten them many times. The fleshy leaves can be baked like potatoes for a starch for your meal. The fruit is incredibly good. A lot like a pomegranate. I would love to try a fruit beer or melomel made from those, but it would be an incredible pain in the ass to find and prepare that many.

I've not tried using the flesh in a beer, thought there are recipes floating around.

Wayne

[straight cash homey]

i've used the fruit in margaritas but they're deceiving, the deep purple color seems like it should have a huge flavor but they're so mild they almost have no flavor