What are you canning now?

Quote:
Yum!!! Recipe??

Quote:
Yum!!! Recipe??

I just used the recipe that came with the Sure-jel box.

4 cups mashed blueberries ( around 7 - 8 cups unmashed berries)
4 cups sugar
1 box sure-jel.

Cook according to directions on box.
Then hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes 6 jars per batch

PIECE of CAKE. Easier to do the blackberries because you don't have to strain any seeds!

We have tomatoes rolling out of our ears, so I put up 19 pints of salsa yesterday. It turned out really good!!!!

We went strawberry picking today and have 5lb for jam, also 2 lb of blueberries ... might go back there next week once I have decided what combination of jams to make !!

Failed Jelly/Jam Help: (Found this in another forum and wanted to share it here)

HOW TO SAVE YOUR FAILED JAMS AND JELLY

Sometimes after you have bottled (canned) your jam or jelly and let it cool, you pick up a jar to check it or you open a jar, only to find it hasn't set properly and is "runny". If your jam or jelly turns out too soft or runny, don't despair, and don't throw it away! It can be fixed! Here's how!

If the jam is too thick: Before you put the jam/jelly in the jars, just heat 1 or 2 cups of UNsweetened grape juice (or any other fruit juice of similar or neutral taste, like apple or white grape) to boiling. Then, gradually add the juice and stir it in until you reach the desired consistency, then continue canning!

If the jars are already sealed / canned, then when you use them, just stir in a little grape juice until you reach the desired thickness.

If the jam turns out too loose or runny: This is a little different to fix. Here's how:


Step 1 -Determine how much jam or jelly needs to be remade

Measure the jam or jelly to be recooked. Work with no more than 4 to 6 cups at a time. Check all the jars from the batch - if one failed to set, most or all, probably failed. You can check by just turning them upside down and seeing how quickly the jam or jelly moves around in the jar.

Add up the volumes of all the jars to be reworked, to figure out the size of the batch (in quarts) for step 2.

1 qt = 32 oz = 2 pints = four 8oz jars = eight 4oz jars.

Open the jars to be fixed and return the fruit into a large pot.

Step 2 - Measure out additional pectin, water, sugar and lemon juice

If you are using powdered pectin:
For each quart of jam or jelly to be fixed, mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin in a large pot.

If you are using liquid pectin:
For each quart of jelly, measure 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons liquid pectin in a large pot.

Step 3 - Bring to a boil

Bring the pectin mixture to a boil while stirring. Add the jam jelly and bring to a rolling boil again, over high heat, stirring constantly.

Once it is at a rolling boil, boil hard for 45 to 60 seconds (1 minute) -- NO LONGER!

Step 4 - Remove from heat, skim and fill the jars

Remove from heat, and quickly skim the foam off jam or jelly.
Fill sterile jars (automatic dishwashers often have a sterilize setting, otherwise, wash and dry and add 5 minutes to the processing time), leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust NEW lids (do NOT reuse the previous lids, they are single use).

Step 5 - Process in the water bath

Waterbath for the amount of time specified for the original recipe, and your altitude.

Lessons learned

If the jam was too runny, then next time you might want to add about 20% more pectin to start with, or make sure you bring to a full hard boil for 1 minute (not less, and not more than a few seconds longer).

If it was too thick, add a little less pectin, and/or a bit of fruit juice before you cook it!

VFEM- -

I got on the computer tonight just for this reason!
I figured I would stop by here and see what was going on BEFORE I went and did an internet search for runny jam!

My first batch and third batch of jam came out great- -- -BUT not the second one.

I had a hundred interuptions while I was canning and it did not come out right....

THANKS so much for posting this information and I will be trying it out tomorrow!

Quote:
Looking for the recipe.....

I picked 2 huge bowls of plums from our red plum trees and made a batch of plum jelly today...yummy I love this stuff!

I'd like to take a try at Blueberry jam but they aren't in my store right now and we don't have any of those U pick farms around here.

Michelle

Hey all, long time no canning

I can add to the jelly not setting discussion -- be patient! We had a batch not set up last year and reprocessed all but 1 jar. that turned out ok, but not as clear and pretty as usual. Only to disover the one jar that wasn't redone - set up perfectly a day later! The batch just needed longer than usual to set up.

Also, Western Dressing was my daddy's favorite so I can help with that - it's somewhere between catalina and french. It has the orange color, but a little more zingy taste. I use it in a taco salad recipe from Schwann's. Just look for it on the salad dressing aisle, I believe it's by Wishbone.

Gardens got in late around here due to tons of rain and flooding. We aren't picking even berries yet, but hopefully soon! Can't wait to join the canning party again this year

Gearing up for the canning season again! My garden is officially planted as of Saturday. I planted 48 tomato plants this year -- that should be enough. Last year I planted 36 plants and could have used more.

I am canning rhubarb jam today and Michigan strawberries should be here soon!