Canning (jam/jelly/preserves, etc.)

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Canning (jam/jelly/preserves, etc.)

Postby DjiboutiDan » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:24 pm

I recently bought some mason jars that I needed for storing loose leaf tea. The only ones I could find in the size I wanted came in a pack of 12. I only need 6 or 7 of them so I started to think of what to do with the rest. Then I had the idea of making my own jelly (jam in the Queen's English). I have never had this thought before in my life, so I have no idea where to even start. Does anyone here have experience with this? It seems like it would be a pretty simple thing to do. Fruit + sugar + a few other things + heat + time, but I'm sure there's more to it than that.
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Re: Canning (jam/jelly/preserves, etc.)

Postby sunglasses » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:26 pm

I think Notch or Jamish might know about this.
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Re: Canning (jam/jelly/preserves, etc.)

Postby Marcuse » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:28 pm

I've made jam with my wife a couple of times. It's really fun. You'll need a few things thing, a jam thermometer, a bigass jam pot, and either a type of fruit that contains pectin (like apples) or some artificial pectin in a bottle to add to your jam. Pectin is the thing that makes it set once it's heated so without that you'll have fruit mush. I found blackberry and apple was nice, especially so since we can pick them for free from a local piece of common land.

Also sugar, perilous quantities of sugar.

You'll need pots to put the cooked jam in, and usually those little wax lids to seal it in to help it not go off. If you're making anything other than a super small batch, you're probably going to be giving it away you'll have so much, so enjoy that.

Also might be worth investing in a jam strainer if you want smooth jam without bits in it.
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Re: Canning (jam/jelly/preserves, etc.)

Postby sunglasses » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:35 pm

Here's more links than you probably ever wanted:

Has recipes and instructions: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can7_jam_jelly.html

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/f ... c3180.html

The font on this website is horrible. We need to find someone willing to re-design this site for them out of pity for our eyes: http://www.pickyourown.org/jam.htm

And here's a recipe from Betty Crocker because I actually love their recipes. So sue me: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/str ... 1d4e723348
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Re: Canning (jam/jelly/preserves, etc.)

Postby jbobsully11 » Sat Sep 19, 2015 2:54 pm

^What they said. Wild raspberries grow all around my house, and we've made jam from them a few times. You'll probably need more sugar than you'd ever think, but overall, it's not too difficult.
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