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5 from 1 vote

Jewelweed Salve Recipe

Equipment

  • 2 quart Mason jars (additional small jars with a firm fitting lid will be needed to store the salve)
  • Quart Mason jar lid, and ring
  • Cookpot or double boiler
  • Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 cup jewelweed crushed or powdered
  • ½ cup carrier oil coconut, olive, or almond are my personal favorites
  • 1 tablespoon shea butter or coconut butter or a mixture of both
  • 2 tablespoons beeswax pellets or pastilles
  • ½ cup vitamin E
  • water
  • 5 pinches chopped broadleaf plantain optional but highly recommended
  • 10 drops essential oils for scent optional

Instructions

Directions

  • The jewelweed (and plantain, if using), have to be steeped in your chosen carrier oil for a minimum of two hours. It is vital not to introduce plant matter directly into the salve because it will cause it to go rancid rather quickly, prevent proper curing, and can cause contaminants to be filtered into the recipe mixture.
  • Fill the Mason jar one half to three quarters of the way full with the jewelweed and plantain pieces.
  • Fill up the rest of the space in the Mason jar with the carrier oil. Expect to use roughly three ounces of the oil during the steeping process.
  • Put a medium to large cook pot on the stove, and fill it just a few inches deep with water - or use a double boiler.
  • Turn the heat under the pot to low - only.
  • Place the Mason jar of plant parts into the cook pot.
  • Steep the jewelweed salve base for approximately two hours over low heat only. If the Mason jar glass becomes too warm to comfortably touch during the steeping process, turn down the heat.
  • Adding more carrier oil into the Mason jar to ensure the jewelweed and plantain parts remain covered during the steeping process might be necessary.
  • Strain the salve base mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth - discarding the plant parts but keeping the liquid - which should be a shade of greenish orange.

Salve Directions

  • Put the unused Mason jar in the cook pot with the several inches of water - add more water if necessary.
  • Pour the beeswax, shea butter or coconut butter, and carrier oil into the Mason jar.
  • Turn the stove burner under the pot on low heat again.
  • Stir the mixture as constantly as possible to ensure the ingredients do not get scorched while waiting for the beeswax to melt. This process can easily take five minutes. Using beeswax pastilles instead of the larger pellet form of the wax or grating small thin bits from a wax brick can help speed up the melting process. The beeswax melting point is 170 degrees F (77 C).
  • Once the beeswax has melted and is thoroughly combined with the other ingredients, turn off the heat and carefully remove the Mason jar from inside of the pot and the stove.
  • Add in the liquid you made from steeping the jewelweed and plantain, and stir thoroughly to combine.
  • Stir in the drops of essential oils and the vitamin E.
  • Pour the solution into the small storage jars and allow it to cool and harden completely overnight before using or storing.