Wash, sort, and stem buffalo berries.

Place berries in a deep saucepan or jelly kettle with 1/2 cup of water.

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Simmer for 10 minutes, then mash with a potato masher.

Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Run the mixture through a food mill or jelly bag.

Mash the juice out of the jelly bag to extract as much juice as possible.

You should have about 2 cups of milky juice.

Measure the fruit juice.

Add boiling water through pulp to reach a total of 2 cups.

Pour the juice into a deep pot.

Add sugar and stir well to dissolve.

Add butter to reduce foaming.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

If using pectin, add it once the mixture has begun to boil.

Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Ladle the hot jelly into hot canning jars.

Apply lids and rings.

Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Note: The jelly will darken during processing, ranging from peach to orangey-red, and will have a honey-like consistency.