Do you enjoy making Jams, Jellies and Marmalade's?

[quintinp]

I a have recipe for homemade pectin that I'd like to try. I know you can make jam, preserves, marmalades without sure-jel or pectin, but to my knowledge, you have to use some gelling product to make a jelly.

Well, I was told that with some fruits, sugar and the fruit's natural pectin was enough to make it gel.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I make most of my jams without pectin. Apples and mangoes are naturally high in pectin. I've done these without any pectin: Apple butter, Apple Jelly, Pear butter, Strawberry, Strawberry Rhubarb, Blackberry, Triple Berry, Mango lime, Mango Raspberry, Peach Melba, Nectarine, Cranberry/Apple/Pineapple, Raspberry, and I'm sure there's more.

I made a Carmel apple jam with pectin last year, I really want to try it without pectin this year. (Hopefully I'll get enough apples)

If a recipe calls for the pectin, I just leave it out - it takes longer to cook, but I haven't had much issue getting it to set. (except apple jelly, that one is tricky)

 

[PuffyChick]

Ohh I just recently discovered I have a LOVE for making Jelly!

I did the gleaner thing and found a nice blackberry bramble and made us up some of the most awesome jam ever! Oh wow I am totally addicted. I am now looking at everything wondering how to make it into a jam/jelly.

I really want to try a nice apple butter but I need to find a good/easy recipe. I got some red apples on sale awhile back and cored/peeled them and sliced them and froze them in bags with a little lemon water. ( I was thinking apple pies at the time)

I am also curious about 'savory' jams. Like Jalapeno? What else for savory? Onion? That might be lush on cheese and crackers.

 

[fultzie]

I really want to try a nice apple butter but I need to find a good/easy recipe. I got some red apples on sale awhile back and cored/peeled them and sliced them and froze them in bags with a little lemon water. ( I was thinking apple pies at the time)

I am also curious about 'savory' jams. Like Jalapeno? What else for savory? Onion? That might be lush on cheese and crackers.

for apple butter you can make it several different ways ..out on an open fire pit ..or right in the oven ..just pre cook the apples untill tender..a sour or more softer apple .like jonnathons..or mackintoch ..works well ..just blend your pre cooked apples in a blender ..so you have apple sause ...cook at 300 to 350 in oven ..(covered pan) surgar and liquid cinninamon ..sorry for the spelling lol ..cook down untill it thickens to a nice stiff spread..pour in jar while hot and seal !

 

[PuffyChick]

Thanks for the reply about apple butter. Do you need to water bath it?

I was looking around for various 'jelly' recipes today and ran across this and thought ..WHAT A HOOT!!

Corn Cob Jelly!

I am so going to try this!



http://www.food.com/recipe/corn-cob-jelly-50140

 

[TexasLisa]

Good Morning Puffy Chick!

I have jalapenos galore!! Here is a great recipe for Hot Pepper Relish. (This recipe is in the Sure-Jell Pectin box) It is good on bread, biscuits, and cream cheese!!

2 med. green peppers, 3 med. red peppers, 10 large jalapeno peppers. Protect hands with rubber gloves while preparing jalapeno peppers. Stem and halve all peppers; discard seeds. Finely chop peppers. You should have 4 c prepared peppers by the time you are done. Measure exact amount of peppers into 6 or 8 qt. pan. Stir in 1 c cider vinegar and a box of pectin and 1/2 t butter/margarine to reduce foaming (if desired). In separate bowl, measure 5 c sugar. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam.

Ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8" of tops. Put in water bath for 10 minutes. Let jars stand at room temp for 24 hours.

Lisa

 

[Back2MyRoots]

Well, I was told that with some fruits, sugar and the fruit's natural pectin was enough to make it gel.

I have had "jelly" made without pectin from several different folks. I was not jelly consistancy. It was super soft, like jam.... or runnier like thick, thick syrup. Jams work great without pectin because using the whole fruit allows for maximum pectin retention. Just the juice doesn't seem to gel as well, in my opinion, without some form of added pectin. lol, though maybe I just haven't had it done right yet!

 

[PuffyChick]

I scored at the grocery store today.

I was walking past my fruit/veg man right when he was going over the slightly bruised peaches and I was like ..Dont throw those away I make jam, cut me a deal!

So he did, he came to me with a beautifly wrapped bundle of about 4 lbs of ripe peaches! FOR FREE!! LOL Gotta luve em

I mixed a bit of apple juice in with them and made me jam/jelly got 16 jars! Hehe (half pint jelly jars)

I'll take a photo tomorrow.

I also made up some bread and butter pickles from the cukes in the garden. Fingers crossed they turn out good cause its my first time making them.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

I was thinking about the topic of making jam without any store bought goods (I've only made rasberry, and a bit of added apple made sure it set very thickly with no added pectin). But, recently I found out about chia (like the terra cotta animal cha-cha-chia) seed pudding. Chia seeds are awesome little things, very healthy, and they also have the ability to swell when introduced to liquid creating a thick gel. If you grind the seeds to a fine powder (I just did this with a coffee grinder), you can add that to jams to make it thick. Chia seeds will thicken liquid whether heated or not. For thicker jams, add more, thinner, add less. Generally people use about 3 parts liquid to one part seed. They don't add anything noticeable taste wise, and chia is pretty easy to grow and harvest. I looked it up, and people do use chia seeds to thicken jams, and it can even make a nice thick no-cook jam that won't laste long but might be good if wanting a quick, fresh snack.
http://www.eatingbirdfood.com/2012/05/easy-strawberry-chia-seed-jam/

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
If they use the fruit pulp, then it's jam. For jelly, you just use the juice and discard the pulp.

My apple jelly had the consistency of jelly. But I've also done jams with apples too.