Homesteaders

[wyoDreamer]

I wonder if the looser cover is allowing too much water to evaporate and therefore forming more crystals ... just a thought.

You can strain through a coffee filter or doubled up cheese cloth to remove the crystals.

 

[rancher hicks]

The only recipe I've read about Crystalizing is Grape Jelly.

I did run it through two sheets of cheesecloth before putting it in the fridge. Just like the recipe says. Well I ran it through the first time, squeezing the bag and then a second time.

You'd be surprised how much settles to the bottom.

If I make Apple Jelly I also let it sit overnight in the fridge. No crystals but sludge in the bottom. The same with Cranberry jelly. I recommend letting it sit overnight for a clearer jelly.

Jelly is different from jam.

I'm hoping for a lot of Currants and gooseberries this year so I need to empty out the freezer.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I would love to hear how you make your gooseberry jelly. I have tried it a couple of times, I cannot make anything worth eating. I have heard it is an acquired taste so perhaps it is simply that.

 

[MoonShadows]

From someone who does this for a living (see my sig)...Many factors can cause crystals, and grape jelly seems to be one of the more vulnerable ones for forming crystals. It may be caused by too much sugar or not cooking the mixture long enough for the sugar to fully dissolve. Another cause may be cooking the jelly too long or too slowly, and ending up with too much evaporation of liquid. Once the jelly is made, allowing it to stand uncovered may also result in evaporation of liquid and the formation of crystals on top of the jelly.

 

[rancher hicks]

I would love to hear how you make your gooseberry jelly. I have tried it a couple of times, I cannot make anything worth eating. I have heard it is an acquired taste so perhaps it is simply that.

I HAVE made Gooseberry jelly and it was sour/tart. Too tart for my liking. I do have recipes for Gooseberry/Raspberry and Gooseberry Currant and they're better.

Like Marmalade I suppose some people would like it. This weeks column of " Ask Marilyn" addressed the fact that some folks are genetically predisposed to having different taste buds. Some folks have more taste buds than others. Hence the reason I don't like mushrooms and DW doesn't like onions unless they're cooked.

From someone who does this for a living (see my sig)...Many factors can cause crystals, and grape jelly seems to be one of the more vulnerable ones for forming crystals. It may be caused by too much sugar or not cooking the mixture long enough for the sugar to fully dissolve. Another cause may be cooking the jelly too long or too slowly, and ending up with too much evaporation of liquid. Once the jelly is made, allowing it to stand uncovered may also result in evaporation of liquid and the formation of crystals on top of the jelly.

I think you've misunderstood. I have it in my recipe that crystals will form.

Tartaric acid (found in Grapes, Bananas, Mangos and other fruit) form granules after the fruit is cooked that can cause jelly to crystalize after it sets.

Step three of the recipe says Refrigerate liquid for 24 hours to allow granules formed by tartaric acid to settle to the bottom. There were also crystals on the side of the pitcher. So I used a ladle and carefully took out as much liquid as I could.

So I know crystals will form. I just wondered why juice in containers with plastic wrap didn't form as many crystals as that not covered with plastic wrap?

The crystals are all along the side of the pitcher.

I want to make sure my juice doesn't contain any of the crystal causing tartaric acid.

If you've made grape juice what is you method of keeping the juice overnight? Is there a container you like to use? Do you cover it with anything or just leave it open?

I have two recipes one calls for 10 cups of grapes and 3 cups of water. The other calls for 14 cups of grapes and 2 cups of water.

The batch that calls for 14 cups has 4 cups of wild grapes and 10 cups of concord grapes in it.

Too, I will be researching how to take cuttings from grape vines as I only have one and it's base is in the neighbors yard but hangs over to mine.

Wild grapes if you remember have male and female vines. I have male vines on my side but I haven't found any female vines.

 

[MoonShadows]

When we make it, we do what is called a "hot pour" method. The mixture is poured into jars at about 200 degrees. Twist caps are applied, and as the jelly begins to cool, a vacuum is created and that makes an airtight seal. This is the commercial way of canning.

What I would recommend that you try in your case is to let the finished product stand overnight in a cool place, then strain it through a couple of layers of damp cheesecloth to remove any crystals. You should be good to go. Hope this helps.

 

[flocktastic]

because you can is the best dang reason I have herd yet. And that's the same reason I have. As for thinking I could never be a country girl, nope I've always wanted property with a garden and animals. However my parents were all city and my ex husband was Army so having a farm was not an option. Now I'm loving life.

You sound like me! I was originally raised in the city with the exception of summers on my uncle's farm in Oregon. I ALWAYS loved it there - never wanted to go home to "the city" but my parents would drag me back at the end of each trip. My entire life, I said I'd one day live in the country...have land, animals, my garden, etc.

My ex husband was also military - marines. We eventually divorced and he took off to start HIS version of his "new life" (which included choosing to terminate his rights to our two children & high tail it out of state for a very materialistic city life elsewhere, if you can imagine that)

As a single mom, I finally made the decision to move and follow MY dream since noting was holding me back at that point. I moved out of state all by myself (not knowing a soul where I was going) with my children who were 2 & nearly 4 at the time. It was scary and exhilarating all at once. I don't regret it. By chance I met my current husband not too long after I moved - really wasn't ready or wanting to meet anyone serious at the time but man he stuck around like a thorn in my side lol (thank goodness because he's amazing!) my children are nearly 7 & 6 now...& we have a 19 month old together...I have 3 step kids & a big garden...chickens...horses...cows...we have a lot of plans & dreams ahead of us. And I finally feel like I'm where I belong.

 

[rancher hicks]

You sound like me! I was originally raised in the city with the exception of summers on my uncle's farm in Oregon. I ALWAYS loved it there - never wanted to go home to "the city" but my parents would drag me back at the end of each trip. My entire life, I said I'd one day live in the country...have land, animals, my garden, etc.

My ex husband was also military - marines. We eventually divorced and he took off to start HIS version of his "new life" (which included choosing to terminate his rights to our two children & high tail it out of state for a very materialistic city life elsewhere, if you can imagine that)

As a single mom, I finally made the decision to move and follow MY dream since noting was holding me back at that point. I moved out of state all by myself (not knowing a soul where I was going) with my children who were 2 & nearly 4 at the time. It was scary and exhilarating all at once. I don't regret it. By chance I met my current husband not too long after I moved - really wasn't ready or wanting to meet anyone serious at the time but man he stuck around like a thorn in my side lol (thank goodness because he's amazing!) my children are nearly 7 & 6 now...& we have a 19 month old together...I have 3 step kids & a big garden...chickens...horses...cows...we have a lot of plans & dreams ahead of us. And I finally feel like I'm where I belong.

Imagine it? I lived it, but mom didn't do as well as you. Of course she had eight kids to deal with.

As for TX, my DD couldn't get a teaching job here in NY and now teaches in the Conroe area. She and her husband like it there. It's a bit busy for me but I like the warmer weather. I sent DW there and she seemed to do better, but I think it was because she was so active. Walking more. Not so much here.

Me I guess I just wanted simple. Not all the complications of city life. Peace and quite. I lived in the city for a few years. Not like NYC but city just the same. I like a peaceful Sunday. Anyhow I just wanted a small house and just enough land. Which is basically what we've got. Not quite city or country but enough I suppose.

 

[MoonShadows]

Like you Flocktastic, I was raised right outside a big city (NYC). We used to travel down to my grandparents' big farm in Culpeper, VA every summer when I was a kid. I fell in love with the farm and rural life, and knew I always wanted to live that way of life. My dream was to eventually live on my grandparents farm, but many years and many travelled roads later it wasn't meant to be. Now, the old farmstead home has been split off, remodeled and sold. What used to be a beautiful back field with crops as far as you could see there now stands a huge rehabilitation center. All that fertile field covered with asphalt and concrete. It makes me shed a tear every time I think of it. Instead, 20+ years ago we bought our little "farm" of 15 acres here in PA, and this is where I will spend the rest of my life.

Rancher Hicks, I know just what you mean when you say simple, peace and quiet.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

When we make it, we do what is called a "hot pour" method. The mixture is poured into jars at about 200 degrees. Twist caps are applied, and as the jelly begins to cool, a vacuum is created and that makes an airtight seal. This is the commercial way of canning.

What I would recommend that you try in your case is to let the finished product stand overnight in a cool place, then strain it through a couple of layers of damp cheesecloth to remove any crystals. You should be good to go. Hope this helps.

Ok I wondered why I could not remember crystals being a big issue