Read The Amish Canning Cookbook Online
Authors: Georgia Varozza
The Amish Canning Cookbook (7 page)
(Note: Concord grapes have seeds, but they are a “slip skin” variety, meaning that you can pop the grapes out of their skins by gently squeezing them. Kids love to help! Concord grapes make wonderful juice, jelly, jam, and butter because of the deep purple color of the skins and great taste.)
2 quarts stemmed Concord grapes
6 cups sugar
Pop the grapes from the skins and set aside. Chop the skins in a food processor, chopper, or blender and add ½ cup water; cook the mixture of skins and water gently on low heat for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another pot, cook the now-skinless grapes until they are soft and can be pushed through a sieve or fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Work in batches when straining to get as much of the pulp as you can.
Combine the grape pulp, skins, and sugar and bring to a boil, following the directions in “Making Jam Without Added Pectin.”
2 quarts peeled and crushed peaches
½ cup water
6 cups sugar
In a large pot, combine the peaches and water and cook gently for 10 minutes. (The softened fruit is easier to crush.) Add sugar and then follow the directions in “Making Jam Without Added Pectin.”
2 quarts finely chopped pineapple (peeled and cored)
5 cups sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
2 cups water
In a large pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, following directions in “Making Jam Without Added Pectin.”
2 quarts crushed strawberries
6 cups sugar
In a large pot, combine strawberries and sugar and then bring to a boil, following the directions in “Making Jam Without Added Pectin.”
First of all, a note about packaged pectin: There is powdered pectin and liquid pectin. Powdered pectin has a longer shelf life, so if you buy a quantity of pectin when it comes on sale, powdered will last longer in your pantry. Just be sure to check the “use by” date because pectin does lose its jelling ability over time. Also, in general, powdered pectin is mixed with the unheated crushed fruit and liquid pectin is added to the cooked fruit and sugar mixture immediately after it is taken off the heat. Cooking time is the same for both products—4 minutes at a full rolling boil while stirring constantly.
Your results will be more consistent when you use pectin in your jam recipes, although there is always the chance that you will have a set failure. When that happens, call it syrup and use it on pancakes or ice cream. It will still taste good!
Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam
• Fill your water-bath canner halfway with water and set the heat on low to bring the water to a simmer.
• Wash and sterilize your jars and keep them hot until you need them, either in your heated dishwasher or by standing them up in your clean sink or a large pot and pouring boiling water over them to cover. When ready to use, make sure you drain the jars well before filling them with the jam.
• Put the screw bands and lids in a pot and cover with water. Bring water to a simmer—don’t boil!—and leave them there until ready to use.
• Prepare the fruit. A potato masher works very well for crushing most fruits. The goal is to have very small bits of crushed fruit as well as the juice that’s released during crushing without pureeing.
• Using a liquid measuring container, measure out the exact amount of prepared fruit and put it in a very large pot (at least 6 to 8 quarts). Stir in lemon juice or water if the recipe calls for it.
• If you are using powdered pectin, stir it into the crushed fruit now. If using liquid pectin, you will add it after the cooking is complete.
• Measure out the sugar that you will be using and set it aside for now.
• Bring mixture to a full rolling boil on high heat while stirring constantly.
• Quickly stir in the sugar and return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat. If using liquid pectin, stir it in now.
• Allow the jam to settle for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the fruit doesn’t float on top of the liquid. Skim off any foam using a metal spoon; this will make your jam prettier in the jar.
• Quickly ladle the jam into your clean, hot jars, filling to within ⅛ inch of the top.
• Wipe the jar rims and threads using a wet paper towel or cloth and cover with the two-piece lids, screwing the bands on tight.
• Place the jars in the canner, making sure there is a rack on the bottom of the canner to lift the jars off the floor of the pot. Water must cover the tops of the jars by 1 to 2 inches; add very hot water if needed.
• Cover canner and bring the water to a boil.
• Process jams as follows:
• When the processing time is complete, remove the jars from the canner and set on a folded towel or a board to cool completely. After the jars are completely cooled, check to make sure a seal was formed: the center of the lid should be down, and when you press the lid with your finger there should be no movement in the lid and it should not spring back up when pressed. If a jar didn’t seal properly, it will need to be refrigerated and used within about 3 weeks.
• Let the jars of jam stand at room temperature for 24 hours and then remove the screw bands. Check again to see that a proper seal was made and wipe down the lids and jars before storing. Some jams will take about 2 weeks to become fully set, but you can use it immediately if you wish.
Jam Recipes Using Added Pectin
Apricot Jam with Powdered Pectin
5 cups finely chopped or crushed apricots that have been pitted; leave skins on
½ cup lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
8 cups sugar
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing directions. Makes about 5 pints.
Blackberry Jam with Liquid Pectin
4 cups crushed blackberries
¼ cup lemon juice
7 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Crush berries and sieve about half of the pulp to remove some of the seeds if you desire. Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Blackberry Jam with Powdered Pectin
6 cups crushed blackberries
1 package powdered pectin
¼ cup lemon juice
8½ cups sugar
Crush berries and sieve about half of the pulp to remove some of the seeds if you desire. Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing. Makes about 6 pints.
Blueberry Jam with Powdered Pectin
3¾ cups crushed blueberries
1 package powdered pectin
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup water
6 cups sugar
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing. Makes about 4 pints.
Blueberry/Raspberry Jam with Powdered Pectin
3 cups blueberries
3 cups raspberries
¼ cup lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin
7 cups sugar
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing. Makes about 6 pints.
(Sour or Ground) Cherry Jam with Liquid Pectin
4½ cups ground cherries or pitted sour cherries, finely chopped and stems removed
¼ cup lemon juice
7 cups sugar
2 pouches liquid pectin
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
(Sour or Ground) Cherry Jam with Powdered Pectin
4 cups ground cherries or pitted sour cherries, finely chopped and stems removed
¼ cup lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing. Makes about 3 pints.
(Sweet) Cherry Jam with Powdered Pectin
3 cups finely chopped sweet cherries
½ cup lemon juice
4½ cups sugar
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing. Makes about 2½ pints.
4 cups crushed figs, with stem ends cut away
½ cup lemon juice
7½ cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Nectarine Jam with Powdered Pectin
5 cups nectarines, peeled, pitted, and finely chopped or crushed
½ cup lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
7 cups sugar
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing. Makes about 4½ pints.
4½ cups peeled, pitted, and crushed peaches
¼ cup lemon juice
7 cups sugar
1 to 2 oz. finely chopped candied ginger (optional)
1 pouch liquid pectin
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jam With Added Pectin” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Peach Jam with Powdered Pectin
3¾ cups peeled, pitted, and crushed peaches