What are you canning now?

[Dragonfly Ranch]

We were suppose to can the 2 gallons of Mulberry juice from our first harvest last Thusday this weekend - but didn't get to it. Was too busy with getting my new art studio built. We harvested again yesterday and got another 2 gallons and an extra quart. So now I really need to get on it. Going to try at least one batch with my homemade pectin that I have had in the freezer.

Question - Does anyone know if Mulberries are high in the own pectin or do you think I sure add some extra?

For juicing all our berries (Boysenberry, Blackberry and Mulberries) we use a Back to Basic - Food Strainer and it works great.

http://www.everythingkitchens.com/back_to_basic_foodstrainer.html

There are 4 different screens specific to the type of fruit or vegetable. We really love ours and it makes short work of getting juice from our berries with NO seeds.

Sandee

 

[MissPrissy]

Peach Salsa!

http://bigredcouch.com/journal/?p=3276

 

[TipsyDog]

Quote:
All I can think is that the jars were no good. Maybe a bad batch from Ball - were they new ones? If not, I can't see how all the jars would be damaged. Strange indeed! But don't give up, try again as the water bath is generally very easy to do and gives you a safer product too.

 

[Opa]

Quote:
If I read this correctly you placed filled jars into water that was already boiling. That is why the jars broke. The jars need to come up to temperature with the water. I've been making jellies and jams for 50+ years and have never water bathed any of it. I always make it like your Grandmother did. Also you might be surprized with strawberry freezer jam. My sons prefer it over cooked jam.

 

[TipsyDog]

Quote:
If I read this correctly you placed filled jars into water that was already boiling. That is why the jars broke. The jars need to come up to temperature with the water. I've been making jellies and jams for 50+ years and have never water bathed any of it. I always make it like your Grandmother did. Also you might be surprized with strawberry freezer jam. My sons prefer it over cooked jam.

Yes, Opa has a point, but I assumed you put HOT jam into hot jars and then into the water bath. That's how it should be done.

 

[Kim_NC]

I'm working on 50 jars Cherry and Cherry/Apple Jelly for CSA and famers market customers for Saturday. I have all of the juice made, and half of the actual jelly. Tomorrow I'm finishing the jelly.

I also have an extra half gallon of the apple juice stashed in the freezer for other jam/jelly making this season.

 

[flgardengirl]

Hi I need some help lol. I did my first batch of strawberry jam yesterday.The jars look sealed and everything went well except... I've noticed that there are some teeny tiny bubbles throughout some of the jars. They aren't big air pocket type of bubbles, just teeny weeny ones. I skimmed the foam off like the recipe said there really wasn't any though (I used the 1/2 tsp margarine like the recipe said) and I used a plastic knife thingy to scrape around the inside of the jars to supposedly remove any bubbles before sealing them. Everything else was brand new and sterilized. I tried to be precise on the recipe etc. Why do they have tiny bubbles? Is this bad? Thanks so much for any one who can help

 

[CKMom]

Thanks Opa, I did put it in boiling water, but the jam was hot, the jars were hot, probably just too hot. The rest of the jam I made the old way, no water bath, and so far is ok. Thanks for your help.

 

[Dragonfly Ranch]

Quote:
Not sure this answers your question completely but may give you some insight. In my opinion it should be OK if the jars are well sealed.

Can anyone tell me why my jelly sometimes has bubbles in it after it has cooled down?

Bubble are trapped air or water vapor. When the jam is boiling, the bubbles rising from the bottom of the pan and air mixing at the surface become mixed in the jam. If the viscosity of the jam is high enough, the bubbles cannot break free. The foam produced is the portion that has the highest viscosity - this is when we suggest to skim off the foam. Many people add 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine to the jam before they start to cook it. This helps prevent the bubbles from forming. Exactly why, I can't tell you (it's been too many years since my fluid mechanics class in chemical engineering) - it probably has to do with disruption the surface tension or hydrophilic bonding; but the point is, it seems to work. Another method is to allow the jam to sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes after you remove it from the heat, then skim off the foam and jar the remaining jam and process it in your boiling water bath.

Sandee

 

[flgardengirl]

Quote:
Not sure this answers your question completely but may give you some insight. In my opinion it should be OK if the jars are well sealed.

Can anyone tell me why my jelly sometimes has bubbles in it after it has cooled down?

Bubble are trapped air or water vapor. When the jam is boiling, the bubbles rising from the bottom of the pan and air mixing at the surface become mixed in the jam. If the viscosity of the jam is high enough, the bubbles cannot break free. The foam produced is the portion that has the highest viscosity - this is when we suggest to skim off the foam. Many people add 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine to the jam before they start to cook it. This helps prevent the bubbles from forming. Exactly why, I can't tell you (it's been too many years since my fluid mechanics class in chemical engineering) - it probably has to do with disruption the surface tension or hydrophilic bonding; but the point is, it seems to work. Another method is to allow the jam to sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes after you remove it from the heat, then skim off the foam and jar the remaining jam and process it in your boiling water bath.

Sandee

Thank You so much for your reply

So hopefully it is still good. I will just keep an eye on it. I was afraid I would have to throw it out or something.