I am your guest host for this week. And I thought I'd share what I am working on right now. I am the Summer Jam/Jelly Queen for my family and friends! Making your own is way so much better than buying that processed stuff in the stores. BTW. I love to make jam and jelly and always make too much.
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Why make your own Jam or Jelly?
- It is easy.
- It tastes good.
- It has no corn syrup or fructose added.
- It has no added flavoring.
- It has no added food coloring.
- It has no added chemicals to enhance flavor or added preservatives.
- You know the quality of the ingredients.
- You have the satisfaction of making something that cannot be bought in stores that is great!
Well, there are more reasons...like all the compliments from people who taste your product etc...etc....
First, collect your fruit. For me, this week, Blackberries are in season. My jelly making season starts in June(May this year) with Strawberries and this was a good year for Strawberries so I made jam in May.
We go to the State Shooting Range for our Blackberries. They grow wild in rural areas and people don't seem to have an interest in picking them for jelly. One shooter even told us we shouldn't eat them because deer urinate(not his word) on them....Fine, more for me.
Since we are there to practice at the range anyway...and since I don't see so well even after the cataract surgery(it has taken the fun out of shooting) I might as well pick berries.
Make sure you pick enough...5 cups smashed berries for jam, 3 1/2 cups juice for jelly and a lot extra for just eating! It is advisable to wear jeans with rubber bands around the ankles because of ticks. Also...Deep Woods Insect Repellent. The mosquitoes are desperate. I have no advise for the 93 degree temperatures.
Second: Rinse/Wash your berries/fruit well. There will be bugs.
Third: Prepare your equipment. You will need at least a 6 qt pot; measuring cups; a couple of large bowls; clean, sterilized jars and lids; canning wax; ladle; canning funnel; large metal spoon; pectin and sugar.
Fourth: Check the instructions for your jelly in the pectin box. You will need those exact measurements. Most jelly/jam recipes call for 5 to 7 cups of sugar. Do Not Short on the sugar or make half batches of jelly.
Fifth: Measure your fruit (Mash your berries if you are making a berry jam) and put it into the pot. Heat it and bring to boil.
Sixth: Add the pectin and stir into the fruit mixture thoroughly.
Seventh: Bring to a full-rolling boil before adding the measured amount of sugar. I recommend having the measured amount of sugar ready in a bowl because it is hard to add sugar in one cup measures and stir properly at the same time. Make sure you stir it all in until it is dissolved. Stir frequently.
Eighth: Bring to a full-rolling boil to bring it up to "jelling temperature". You can use a candy thermometer to find the "jelling temp" but I don't use one anymore. I use my stirring spoon to find "jelling temperature". Once that is reached boil for about 1 minute. Keep stirring. Turn off the heat or remove from heat and let it cool down. (Be careful to not let the jelly boil over....it is a real pain in the ....mess cleaning sticky jam off your stove!)
(How to find "jelling temp" with your metal stirring spoon:
When the mixture is boiling, dip the spoon in sideways and lift out. Notice the liquid will drip right off in a thin stream. As it cooks the drips will become thicker until they finally slough right off in a thick, almost sheet-like drip. You have reached jelling temp as soon as that happens. I tried to capture a picture of that happening, but it is not too clear. Let it boil for a minute after that happens. Really thick drips will be satisfactory for some spoons. You need a wide spoon...the long narrow ones don't produce the same effect.)
Ninth: Let your jelly/jam set/cool while you set out the HOT, Sterilized, jars.
Tenth: Skim off the foam that congeals on the top. The jelly will still be very hot. The foam is cellulose and other waste-type products..some seeds, leaves and ....?
Eleventh: Ladle the liquid into jars using your funnel. leave about 1/2 to 3/4 inch at the top.
I picked so much I made jelly and jam!!!!
Twelfth: Pour melted wax into the tops of your jars right onto the jelly.
Thirteenth: Put hot, sterilized jar tops on your jars and twist tight.
Fourteenth: If you use canning jars, wait for the jam to cool and listen to the jars making the "pop" sound that signifies seal! It is great to hear that "pop" sound meaning the jam is "sealed" tight!
Time : 1/2 hour!!!!!
You don't have to process in a canning pot to seal your jars since you are using wax and everything is very hot and sterile, but you can if you want to, 10 minutes should do it.
Fifteenth: Clean up and sample your jelly on your spoons and pots! If you clean right away...the jelly is jelled on the pot and the tasting is wonderful! It also cleans faster if you do it before it really hardens.
June is Strawberry(May this year) and Raspberry month.
July is Blackberry and Blueberry month.
August is Elderberry Month and oh, wow, the bushes really bloomed this year! It may be record breaking for me!
September is Apple/Crabapple month.
October is Hot Pepper month for me.
Anytime is Pineapple jelly month.
These are times for the Midwest where I live and, yes, I have been watching the seasons for fruit creep up earlier every year. September used to be Elderberry month, but not anymore. When I first started about 35 years ago, I would make my Elderberry Jelly on September 9th. This year looks like mid August. So 3 to 4 weeks earlier now.
Enjoy...making your own is worth it!
OK. IT'S YOUR TURN! What Are You Working On????
AND: Do you like jelly or jam?
Please share your current or recently finished projects, and share how you fit in time for your craft, in the comments.