the tops have tiny stickers and need to be removed with thongs. then wear gloves ans scrub with a sponge with a scrubber in the back side, You can get the instructions and the recipe for the jelly off the internet.
Good luck if you make some. I had to re-make one batch because it didn't set.

Ummm- I think you mean "tongs"??? The jelly sounds interesting. I canned some crockpot apple butter a few weeks ago- much easier by far!

I watched a pbs special on this last year. It was a tribal ritual to gather them and make jam from them. A very interesting program.
All that being said, I have seen the jelly in health food stores for sale. Not cheap for sure! But, after reading what all you have to go through to get the juice, it is well worth the price.

When I was a girl, we played with and ate the prickly pears, but rolled them in mud first to get rid of the little spines. I bet the jelly is delicious!

Prickly pear jelly - my all-time favorite! Yum!

This is a very timely post. My son mentioned prickly pear jelly recently and asked me if I had ever made any. He and the grandson picked some and tasted the fruit and said it was tart but they both liked it. We have an abundance of cactus plants here in Texas. I just might talk my son into harvesting some and I will try it. Thanks for jogging my memory.

Sounds interesting may have to make some next year .....(have too much on the plate for this year !LOL)

My Grate grandmother had prickly pear in her yard and would make jelly every yr. SOOOOOO Good

Timely post, for sure! I picked about 4 pounds today for my first attempt to make jelly. There's plenty more around our place, if I learn how to make it. Have everything ready in the kitchen to start in the morning. Scary - please wish me luck!

Thank you for answering my question. About the "thongs". Do I wear them when I pick the prickly pear fruit? haha Just kidding. I knew what you meant.