Showing posts with label Jam-Jelly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jam-Jelly. Show all posts

Monday, August 5, 2013

Apple Jelly Without Added Pectin Water Bath Canning

Apple Jelly Without Added Pectin
Ingredients:
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method


Cooking Directions:
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups apple juice
(abt 3 lbs apples and 3 cups water)
2 tablespoons strained lemon juice -- if desired
3 cups sugar

To prepare juice. Select about one-fourth underripe and three-fourths
fully ripe tart apples. Sort, wash and remove stem and blossom ends; do
not pare or core. Cut apples into small pieces. Add water, cover, and
bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes
or until apples are soft. Extract juice.

To make jelly. Measure apple juice into a kettle. Add lemon juice and
sugar and stir well. Boil over high heat to 8 degrees above the boiling
point of water, or until jelly mixture sheets from a spoon.

Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly. Pour jelly immediately into hot,
sterile canning jars to 1/4 inch from top. Seal, and process 5 minutes in
a boiling water bath. 


This recipe yields 4 to 5 half-pint jars. 

EASY Apple Jelly

Apple Jelly
Ingredients:
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method


Cooking Directions:
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 can frozen apple juice - (6 oz) -- thawed
3 3/4 cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 tablespoon butter or margarine

Mix juice, pectin, butter, and water in a large pot. Stir constantly over
high heat bringing it to a full boil. Add sugar all at once stirring to
dissolve. Bring to a full boil again and let boil for 1 minute, stirring
constantly.

Pour into jars, seal, turn upside down for 5 minutes. Turn right-side up
and let cool.

This recipe yields 5 standard size jelly glasses.


WWW.CANNING-RECIPES.COM  *2008

Friday, July 12, 2013

Carrot Cake Jam



Carrot Cake Jam

Makes about 6 (8 oz) half pints

Sweetened with crushed pineapple and spices, this sunny fall jam tastes just like carrot cake. It makes a perfect gift for any occasion.

You will need:


1-1/2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
1-1/2 cups chopped cored peeled pears
1-3/4 cups chopped pineapple, including juice
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
6 Tbsp Ball® RealFruit® Classic Pectin 6-1/2 cups sugar
6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) COMBINE carrots, pears, pineapple with juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a 6- or 8-quart saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and boil gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring frequently.
3.) ADD sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
4.) LADLE hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
5.) PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

60 Second Jam












Courtesy of Gluten Free Expo
Homemade Jam in 60 seconds.

Fresh Berry Jam in 60 seconds. Simply toss 1 cup of your favorite berries into a blender with 1 tbsp of chia seeds, and a tsp of honey. Blend, poor into a jar and place in the fridge over night. The chia seeds create a lovely jelly like texture to the sweet berries and honey. Fresh, easy, and artificial sugar's and pectin free jam!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Lavender Chardonnay Jelly


Lavender Chardonnay Jelly

2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup dried lavender flowers
1/4 cup Chardonnay wine
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 pouch (3 oz.) liquid pectin
3 drops of red and 2 drops of blue food color for purple hue

In a large saucepan over high heat bring water just to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in dried lavender flowers, and let steep for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, strain mixture into a small dutch oven or pot, discarding the lavender flowers. Stir in sugar and wine; continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved. In a spoon drop the two colors and slowly swirl into the jelly.
Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil; add pectin. When the jelly solution returns to a hard rolling boil, let it boil for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Test for gel point using the plate or spoon method. For more information on these methods click here.

After boiling, transfer the jelly into hot sterilized jars. Fill them to within 1/4 headspace and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes. Make three 1/2 pints.

For the pansy's you need to just clean them before using them in the recipe. Here is the process; 

Cleaning Edible Flowers:
Shake each flower to dislodge insects hidden in the petal folds.
After having removed the stamen, wash the flowers under a fine jet of water or in a strainer placed in a large bowl of water.
Drain and allow to dry on absorbent paper. The flowers will retain their odor and color providing they dry quickly and that they are not exposed to direct sunlight.

CRUSHED PINEAPPLE JAM


(1) 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple (sweetened)
unsweetened pineapple juice (see note)
3 cups white sugar
(1) 1.75 ounce box Sure Jell pectin powder
(or the equivalent of liquid pectin)

GET READY
1. Wash your jam jars and rinse well (dishwasher works well) keep jars hot.
2. Place your 2 piece jar lids in boiling water, then turn the heat to low and let
them sit in the hot water till you need them.
3. Measure 3 cups of sugar and set it aside.
4. Add enough pineapple juice to the crushed pineapple, to equal 3¼ cups. One 20 ounce can of un-drained crushed pineapple and one six ounce can of unsweetened pineapple juice equals 3¼ cups.
TIME TO MAKE JAM
Place the fruit + juice + pectin in a six quart, heavy bottomed saucepan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the sugar, all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil (one that can not be stirred down) stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and skim off (and discard) any foam that is on the surface of the hot jam.Ladle hot jam into jars, filling to within ¼" of the top.
With a clean, warm, damp cloth, quickly wipe off the rims of the full jars and put the two piece lids on. Process the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and cool on the counter.
http://coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/search/label/JAM%20RECIPES
NOTE: If you have concerns about the hot water bath step, check out the simple step-by-step instructions at: PICKYOUROWN.ORG
. 
NOTE: Recipe makes five cups of jam.
.
NOTE: I keep individual (6 ounce) cans of unsweetened pineapple juice in the pantry for cooking, rather than a big jug that spoils before it gets used up.
.
NOTEWe don't care for jam that has big (unspreadable) chunks of fruit in it, so I pulsed the pineapple in the food processor a few times before I started cooking the jam. The final product still had a pineapple texture, but no hard chunks. I think next time I make this, I will put in a few chopped maraschino cherries for fun & color.

ORANGE JELLY



I still remember the first time I bought marmalade for my family...they hated it. Well, they hated the "chunks" (and so did I), although the jam in between the chunks was tasty (does that make sense?). That is when I decided to create an orange jam that had no chunks...this is it.

it is not a marmalade.

4 medium oranges
2 medium lemons
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups water
5 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch Sure Jell liquid fruit pectin

Wash and dry the oranges and lemons. Using a very fine zester, remove the colored part of the fruit. Make sure you don't go deep into the fruit or you will get the white pith, which can be bitter. Set the zest aside. 
Peel and cut up the oranges and lemons, then pulse them in the food processor until they look like this, then set them aside.
Put the orange and lemon zest into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and add 1½ cups of water and the baking soda. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to a simmer, cover and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 20 minutes.
.
After 20 minutes, add the chopped oranges and lemons and simmer for another 10 minutes.
.

Put the cooked fruit-zest mixture through a fine mesh strainer and measure off 3 cups of juice.
.
Place exactly 3 cups of strained juice into a large heavy bottomed saucepan and add the sugar. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in liquid pectin and return to a full rolling boil for exactly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
..
Immediately pour into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8" of the top. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids and screw bands on tightly. Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.


This jam is not only great for your morning toast, but it works excellently for glazing chicken. 

NOTE: Because this is a citrus jam, it can take up to a week to full set, but it is SO worth the wait.

http://coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/search/label/JAM%20RECIPES

RED CURRANT and RASPBERRY JAM


The red currants really brighten up the raspberries and the combination is simply delicious (and gorgeous)!!

3 cups of crushed red currants (measure after crushing)
3/4 cup water
4 cups raspberries (frozen berries are OK)
7 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup liquid pectin (I use Certo)

Crush the red currants (I use a potato masher) and measure three cups into a heavy pan. Add 3/4 cup of water and boil for 10 minutes.  Strain the mixture with a sieve and return the juice to the pan (throw away the solids)

Add the raspberries and sugar to the currant juice and bring to a hard rolling boil (one that can not be stirred down); boil for one full minute minute exactly (stirring constantly).

Remove from heat and stir in liquid pectin until well mixed; skim off any pinkish foam (throw the foam away).  

Pour the hot jam into clean and sterilized jam jars, wipe the rims clean with a clean wet
towel and put on the lids. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
http://coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/search/label/JAM%20RECIPES



A NOTE  ABOUT  RED  CURRANTS
In the woods around our house, we have raspberries, red currants and high bush cranberries. My first jelly making "adventure" (a million years ago) involved high bush cranberries (they grow in profusion around here and they are a lot of fun to pick).
Thinking that I had hit the "berry mother lode", I was so proud of my huge harvest. It wasn't until I started cooking them that I realized they weren't red currants (high bush cranberries smell like dirty gym socks when you cook them). 

 A lot of people DO eat high bush cranberries, but they usually mix them with other fruit to help mask the strong "sock taste".  Let's just say I didn't make that mistake again, lol !!

So..... for my young Alaskan friends who are beginning to make jam, don't make that same mistake. This is what a high bush cranberry looks like:

A red currant is very different... they look like this:

NOTE: It is always a race between us and the birds for these red gems. If I wait until they are ALL ripe, the birds usually win, so I pick and freeze....pick and freeze, until I have enough for a batch of jam (these berries freeze VERY well).

NOTE: This recipe uses a liquid pectin called CERTO. I'm guessing that a powdered pectin would work well, but I've never tried it with this recipe. It takes 1½ pouches of liquid pectin (1½ pouches = 1/2 cup). If you use the powdered pectin, make sure you follow the cooking instructions on the box.

NOTE: If you've never processed jam in a hot water bath (it is super simple), go to this web site for some specific instructions:   http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/waterbath-canning-highacid-foods.html

APPLE PIE JAM



It really does taste just like an apple pie!!


6 cups diced granny smith apples (6 or 7 apples)
1/2 cup apple juice  (you can use water in a pinch)
1/2 teaspoon butter
3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best)
(1) small box (1¾ oz.) Sure-Jell Premium powdered pectin

Dice the apples, then put them in the food processor for just a (very) few pulses. You don't want the pieces too small.

Cook the apples, apple juice and butter (in a large heavy pot with tall sides) over low heat until the apples are soft but not mushy.

Stir in powdered pectin and bring to a full rolling boil (one that does not stop boiling when you stir it); stir constantly.
When it comes to a full rolling boil, add the sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir well and bring back to another full rolling boil.  Keep it at a full rolling boil (while stirring) for exactly one minute, no longer.

Remove from heat and skim off any foam from the surface of the jam(if there is any). Pour the jam into HOT clean jars, leaving 1/4" head space. Wipe the rims of the jars with a CLEAN wet cloth and put on the two piece lids (hand tighten). 

Process in a hot water bath:  half pints for 10 minutes; pints for 15 minutes.  This recipe makes (7) half pint jars.

NOTE: As with a lot of jams that have chunks of fruit, if you aren't careful, the fruit will "float" in the jar and it won't be evenly distributed throughout the jam. It doesn't change the taste at all, but it isn't "picture perfect" for gift giving either.

To avoid that:  After you take the cooked jam off of the heat for the last time, Sit it on a towel or a pot holder so that the pan stays as hot as possible. Let  the hot jam sit in the hot p an for five minutesbefore you put it in the HOT jars. Stir the hot jam every 60 seconds or so with a CLEAN spoon. After the five minutes is up, put the jam in the hot jars and proceed with the same directions.  This little trick will stop the fruit bits from floating to the top (see above photo).

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Homemade Muscadine or Scuppernong Jelly - Easily!

How to Make Homemade Muscadine or Scuppernong Jelly - Easily!

Making and canning your own muscadine or scuppernong jelly  is also quite easy. Here's how to do it, in 12 easy steps and completely illustrated. These directions work equally well for other types of fruit jelly: grape, raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry, dewberry, gooseberry, loganberry, tayberry, marionberry, youngberry, etc.; by themselves or mixed berry jelly. Any variations will be spelled out in the directions inside the pectin. 

Related directions:

Ingredients and Equipment

  • Muscadine or Scuppernong Grapes - 5 lbs of fresh muscadines or scuppernongs, preferably fresh, but if you want to start with grape juice (5 cups bottled or reconstituted from frozen, without sugar), you can skip to step 7.
  • Pectin (it's a natural product, made from apples and available at grocery stores (season - spring through late summer) and local "big box" stores. It usually goes for about $2.00 to $2.50 per box. You'll get best results with no-sugar needed pectin, whether you choose to add sugar or not! See here for more information about how to choose the type of pectin to use.
  • Large spoons and ladles
  • Jar funnel ($2 at Target, other big box stores, and often grocery stores; and available online - see this page) or order it as part of the kit with the jar grabber.
  • Sugar - About 4.5 cups of dry, granulated (table) sugar. For the no-sugar recipe, click here
  • Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)- Big box stores and grocery stores sometimes carry them; and it is available online - see this page. It's a tremendously useful to put jars in the canner and take the hot jars out (without scalding yourself!). The kit sold below has everything you need, and at a pretty good price:
     
  • At least 1 large pot; I prefer 16 to 20 quart Teflon lined pots for easy cleanup.
  • Jelly strainer - see step 6 - or a colander and cheesecloth.
  • 1 Canner (a huge pot to sanitize the jars after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores, sometimes at big box stores and grocery stores.). Note: we sell canners and supplies here, too - at excellent prices - and it helps support this web site!
  • Ball jars (Grocery stores, like Publix, Kroger, Safeway carry them, as do some big box stores - about $7 per dozen 8 ounce jars including the lids and rings)
  • Lids - thin, flat, round metal lids with a gum binder that seals them against the top of the jar. They may only be used once.
  • Rings - metal bands that secure the lids to the jars. They may be reused many times.

Optional stuff:

  • Foley Food Mill ($25) - not necessary; useful to mush up the fruit or if you want to remove seeds (for example, from blackberries) or make applesauce.
  • Lid lifter (has a magnet to pick the lids out of the boiling water where you sanitize them. ($2 at big box stores or it comes in the kit at left)

Muscadine or Scuppernong Jelly-making Directions

This example shows you how to make either muscadine or scuppernong jelly. (What is a muscadine?  It's a large type of grape, with large seeds and a stronger flavor.  They're more common in the deep South), You can use this recipe to make almost any type of jelly from the fruit juice; where there is a difference, I will point it out! The yield from this recipe is about 12 eight-ounce jars (which is the same as 6 pints).

Step 1 - Pick the muscadines! (or buy them already picked)

It's fun to go pick your own and you can obviously get better quality ones!
I prefer to grow my own; which is really easy - but that does take some space and time. Select grapes that are in the just ripe stage.
As mentioned in the Ingredients section; you may use either 4 lbs of fresh muscadines or 5 cups of grape juice (either bottled or reconstituted from frozen concentrate) without added sugar.  Using grape juice is especially useful if you want to make some grape jelly in December to give away at Christmas! Above and below are muscadines that I picked at a pick-your-own farm. If you want to pick your own, here is a list and links to the pick your own farms.

Step 2 - How much fruit?

Muscadine or Scuppernong jelly can ONLY be made in rather small batches - about 6 cups at a time - like the directions on the pectin say, DO NOT increase the recipes or the grape jelly won't "set" (jell, thicken). It takes about 5 lbs of raw, unprepared grapes per batch.

Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids

Now's a good time to get the jars ready, so you won't be rushed later. The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sanitize" cycle, the water bath processing will sanitize them as well as the contents! If you don't have a dishwasher with a sanitize cycle, you can wash the containers in hot, soapy water and rinse, then sanitize the jars by boiling them 10 minutes, and keep the jars in hot water until they are used.
NOTE: If unsanitized jars are used, the product should be processed for 5 more minutes. However, since this additional processing can result in a poor set (runny jelly), it’s better to sanitize the jars.
Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water (that's what the manufacturer's recommend) for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" to pull them out.
Leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until you are ready to use them. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot jelly.

Step 4 -Wash the muscadines!

I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the muscadines in plain cold water.
Pick out any stems and leaves that became mixed in!

Step 5 - Crush the muscadines

Then you just mush them up.  A potato masher is useful to help crush them. Even easier is to use a food processor, with the slicing blade and short pulses. (you don't want to chop up the seeds!)
Either way, to make jelly, we'll need to crush them well so we can extract the juice. You'll need about 6 cups of juice.


Step 6 - Measure out the sugar

Check the directions with the pectin; typically, with regular pectin, it is 7 cups of sugar to 5 cups of grape juice and one box of pectin. If you use the low-sugar or no sugar pectin, you can reduce or eliminate sugar.  Personally, I find that using about 4 cups of sugar with the no-sugar pectin works best for flavor, calorie reduction and appearance. The precise measurements are found in each and every box of pectin sold. Remove 1/4 cup of sugar from this and mix the dry pectin with it; Keep this separate from the rest of the sugar. If you are not using sugar, you'll just have to stir more vigorously to prevent the pectin from clumping.

Step 7 - Heat the crushed muscadines on the stove

We just want to bring the muscadines to a boil to help release the juice and break down some of the fruit to help it pass through our jelly strainer. Put the crushed muscadines in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning) for until it starts to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.           

Step 8 - Sieve the cooked muscadines

You can either put the soft cooked muscadines through a jelly strainer (about $9.00, see ordering at right) which results in the most clear jelly and is easiest to use, or pour them through cheesecloth in a colander. Or if you don't mind chunky jelly, just let the juice stand for 20 minutes, and Decant (pour off) the clear liquid to use and leave the solids behind.
You may also want to run the crushed cooked muscadines through a Foley food mill  (about $20 - see this page) BEFORE the jelly strainer - it helps to extract more juice and jet out the large skins that will clog the strainer.
If you need a stopping point and want to finish up the next day, this is a good place. Sometimes, jelly gets crystals, called tartrate crystals, forming in the jelly.  They're not harmful and don't affect the taste, but some people don't like the appearance.  If so, pour the cool juice into glass containers and set in refrigerator. The next day strain the juice through the cloth jelly bag. Do not squeeze the bag.

Step 9 - Add the pectin to the hot strained juice and bring to a full boil

Stir the pectin (with 1/4 cup sugar) mix into the grape juice and put that in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning). It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to get it to a full boil (the kind that can not be stirred away).
Notes about pectin: I usually add about 20% more pectin (just open another pack and add a little) or else the jelly is runnier than I like. With a little practice, you'll find out exactly how much pectin to get the thickness you like.
Another tip: use the low sugar pectin. It cuts the amount of sugar you need from 7 cups per batch to 4 cups! And it tastes even better! On the other hand; I have never had success with the No-sugar pectin. It always turned out runny and bland. You might want to try using the low sugar recipe with a mixture of sugar and Splenda; that could work.
Is your jelly too runny? Pectin enables you to turn out perfectly set jelly every time. Made from natural apples, there are also natural no-sugar pectins that allow you to reduce the sugar you add by half or even eliminate sugar.!
Get them all here at the best prices on the internet!
 

Need lids, rings and replacement jars?

Step 10 - Get the lids warming in hot (but not boiling) water

Lids: put the lids into a pan of hot water for at least several minutes; to soften up the gummed surface and clean the lids.

Step 11 - Add the remaining sugar and bring to a boil

When the grape-pectin mix has reached a full boil, add the rest of the sugar (about 7 cups of sugar per 5 cup batch of grape juice; 4 cups of sugar if you are using the low or no-sugar pectin) and then bring it back to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute.




Step 12 - Testing for "jell" (thickness)

I keep a metal tablespoon sitting in a glass of ice water, then take a half spoonful of the mix and let it cool to room temperature on the spoon. If it thickens up to the consistency I like, then I know the jelly is ready. If not, I mix in a little more pectin (about 1/4 to 1/2 of another package) and bring it to a boil again for 1 minute.

Step 13 - Fill the jars and put the lid and rings on

Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled jelly off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water canner!
This is where the jar tongs come in really handy!

Step 14 - Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Keep the jars covered with at least 2 inches of water. Keep the water boiling. In general, boil them for 5 minutes, which is what SureJell (the makers of the pectin) recommend.  I say "in general" because you have to process (boil) them longer at higher altitudes than sea level, or if you use larger jars, or if you did not sanitize the jars and lids right before using them.  The directions inside every box of pectin will tell you exactly - and see the Table below for altitude differences. The directions on the pectin tend to be pretty conservative. 
Note: Some people don't even boil the jars; they just ladle it hot into hot jars, put the lids and rings on and invert them, but putting the jars in the boiling water bath REALLY helps to reduce spoilage! To me, it makes little sense to put all the working into making the jelly and then not to process the jars to be sure they don't spoil!
Table 1. Recommended process time for Muscadine Grape Jelly in a boiling water canner.
 Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of PackJar Size0 - 1,000 ft1,001 - 6,000 ftAbove 6,000 ft
HotHalf-pints
or Pints
5 min1015

Step 15 - Remove and cool the jars - Done!

Lift the jars out of the water with your jar lifter tongs and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.
Once cooled, they're ready to store. I find they last up to 12 months. But after about 6 to 8 months, they get darker in color and start to get runny. They still are safe to eat, but the flavor and texture aren't as good. So eat them in the first 6 months after you prepare them!


Other Equipment:

From left to right:
  1. Jar lifting tongs to pick up hot jars
  2. Lid lifter - to remove lids from the pot of boiling water (sterilizing )
  3. Lid - disposable - you may only use them once
  4. Ring - holds the lids on the jar until after the jars cool - then you don't need them
  5. Canning jar funnel - to fill the jars
You can get all of the tools in a kit here:
 

Summary - Typical Cost of Making Homemade Grape Jelly - makes 12 jars, 8 oz each**

ItemQuantityCost in 2005SourceSubtotal
Grapes
4 lbs
$1.00/lbPick your own$4.00
Canning jars (8 oz size), includes lids & rings12 jars$7.00/dozenGrocery stores, like Public, Kroger, Safeway and sometimes, Big Lots, local hardware stores and big box stores$7.00
Sugar4 cups$2.00Grocery stores, like Public, Kroger, Safeway and sometimes, Big Lots, local hardware stores and big box stores$2.00
Pectin (low sugar, dry)1 and a third boxes *$2.00 per boxGrocery stores, like Public, Kroger, Safeway and sometimes, Big Lots, local hardware stores and big box stores$2.70
Total$15.70 total
or about $1.30 per jar
* pectin use varies - blackberry jelly needs very little, raspberry a little more, grape the most.
** - This assumes you already have the pots, pans, ladles, and reusable equipment. Note that you can reuse the jars and reduce the cost further; just buy new lids (the rings are reusable, but the flat lids are not)!

Can't find the equipment? We ship to all 50 states!

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Answers to Common Questions


Ball home canning kit water bath canner
  

Home Canning Kits

Features:

  • Everything you need to get started with waterbath canning (fruits,pickles, jams, jellies, salsa, sauces and tomatoes)
  • 21-1/2 qt. enamel water bath canner
  • Funnel, jar lifter, lid lifter, bubble freer spatula
  • Ball Blue Book
This is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jellys and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce. This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars and lids (and the jars are reusable). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here!
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
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Canning books

Canning & Preserving for Dummies
by Karen Ward
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The Ball Blue Book of Preserving

This is THE book on canning! My grandmother used this book when I was a child. It tells you in simple instructions how to can almost anything; complete with recipes for jelly, jellies, pickles, sauces, canning vegetables, meats, etc. If it can be canned, this book likely tells you how! Click on the link below for more information and / or to buy (no obligation to buy)
http://www.pickyourown.org/muscadinejelly.htm
 
 

Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go - weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and crops!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Apple Butter N Crock Pot






Slow Cooked Apple Butter
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes 
Servings: 16 • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons 
  • 2.5 lbs (6 large) apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped (I used honeycrisp and gala)
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Place the apples in a slow cooker. Top with sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and mix well.

Cover and cook on low 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.

Uncover and puree with an immersion blender. Cook on high uncovered 1-2 hours.
Spoon into sterile jars, or containers and refrigerate.
Makes 2 cups.
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/11/slow-cooked-apple-butter.html