So, thinking about Christmas gifts and the fact that classes end the 12th of December. I might like to make some kind of jam or jelly or some such to give as gifts (a friend made pumpkin butter this fall - it was excellent and got me thinking about the possibility).
I know it’s not the best time of year to think about making stuff, but I can look at what’s available and decide from there if I’m going to do it. I’ve helped with making jellies and such before, so I can get that going. My problem is that i have no idea how to can stuff. I know, jars, the little two part tops and such. Beyond that…how?
I do a bit of canning throughout the year and make up little gift baskets as Christmas presents. There’s still plenty of time for apple butter, jelly and the like. I also like to make various relishes and chutney for a change of pace.
The best basic reference book I’ve found is the Ball Blue Book. If your local grocery carries canning jars they usually have the Blue Book as well.
Here’s a basic primer on jelly-making.
I also learned a lot from my copy of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook and Joy of Cooking. Both have sections on preserving.
I found it fun to get into making preserves and pickles and such. Once you get the basics down you can branch out and start experimenting with your own recipes. I did some brandy peach jam and Chambord peach jam one year that my family still mentions.
If this is relatively new to you, and you’ll be doing it solo, get yourself a copy of the latest Blue Book, by the Ball Company. They make one brand of canning jars, and their book is excellent. Very easy to follow directions, good line drawings and photos. If you follow the directions faithfully, you will be assured of a wonderful end product, perfect for gift giving. If you can bear to give any away at all. Consider strawberry or raspberry preserves, which can be made with frozen, unsweetened fruit. You can make jelly out of bottled Concord grape juice. Fruit butters are great, but burn easily, due to a longer cooking time. I hate commercial ketchup, but after making my own, I’m hooked on the stuff. Good luck.
I do a bit of canning throughout the year and make up little gift baskets as Christmas presents. There’s still plenty of time for apple butter, jelly and the like. I also like to make various relishes and chutney for a change of pace.
The best basic reference book I’ve found is the Ball Blue Book. If your local grocery carries canning jars they usually have the Blue Book as well.
Here’s a basic primer on jelly-making.
I also learned a lot from my copy of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook and Joy of Cooking. Both have sections on preserving.
I found it fun to get into making preserves and pickles and such. Once you get the basics down you can branch out and start experimenting with your own recipes. I did some brandy peach jam and Chambord peach jam one year that my family still mentions.
Pretty much any of the big, all-around cookbooks should have a section on canning. With zero experience, I tried it myself using instructions from a book, and the jam and pickles came out just fine. Stuff you’ve canned yourself tastes so much better than most supermarket jam! And especially pickles! Supermarket pickes are all salt and no flavor. I experimented with a basic peach jam recipe, using mangoes instead of peaches and lime juice instead of lemon juice, and a splash of rum at the end: presto! Mango daiquiri jam! Good stuff.
I just put up 3 bushels of apples last weekend - about 30 pints of Apple Butter.
Jellies are fun to do. You can easily put up 4 pints in an afternoon. If clarity isn’t a problem, you can easily substitute Splenda for sugar. It makes the jelly cloudy, but doesn’t affect the taste.
Recipe Alert!!!
Wine Jelly
2 cups wine (A strong red wine does good here)
3 cups sugar
3 ounces liquid fruit pectin
Combine wine and sugar in a good heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in pectin. Skim off foam.
Quickly pour jelly into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace; wipe off lip of jar with hot, damp clean cloth; cover with sterilized metal lids and screw on bands. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes. Yield: 4 half pints.
I love this recipe - quick, easy, and the jelly isn’t terribly sweet. And if you use real sugar, the finished jelly is jewel-like in color.
We did an inventory last weekend of all the stuff I canned since September. 357 jars of assorted sizes. Mostly jams, jellies, conserves and preserves but also some caccitore sauce, salsa, pickles and chicken soup. I have to admit, I am obsessed with canning.
I will have to say that the Ball Canning Book is my basic bible. You just can’t go wrong with the recipes inside. Just make sure you follow the recipes exactly until you get the hang of it. An do not substitute liquid pectin for powdered.
Wow, Lyllyan, can I worship you? I have aspirations, but I’m not together enough for that.
I’ve had good success with pepper jam and pomegranate jelly for Christmas presents. They’re pretty colors, unusual but easy, and the pepper jam tastes great on bagels w/ cream cheese.
The Ball Blue Book is good–but when I first made jam, I used the instructions inside the box of pectin. They worked wonderfully. I found the pectin in the baking supplies aisle, which was also near the spices. They also had things like pickling lime and parrafin. If you’re just going to make a single fruit jam for starters, that little leaflet is all you need. You should still read the Blue Book, though. Last year I made peach butter…mmmmm. Recipe in the Blue Book, absolutely delicious.
