Read The Amish Canning Cookbook Online
Authors: Georgia Varozza
The Amish Canning Cookbook (9 page)
5 cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin
2 T. lemon juice
Crush berries and extract juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.” You can also heat the berries first, if desired.
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 3 pints.
Boysenberry Jelly with Powdered Pectin
3½ cups boysenberry juice (from about 3 quarts berries)
1 package powdered pectin
2 T. lemon juice
5 cups sugar
Crush berries and extract juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.” You can also heat the berries first, if desired.
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 2½ pints.
Cherry Jelly with Liquid Pectin
3 cups cherry juice (from about 2 quarts of sour or pie cherries and ½ cup water)
7 cups sugar
2 pouches liquid pectin
Stem cherries; no need to pit them. Crush cherries and place in large pot. Add the water, cover, and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes before extracting the juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Cherry Jelly with Powdered Pectin
3½ cups cherry juice (from about 2 quarts of sour or pie cherries and ½ cup water)
1 package powdered pectin
4½ cups sugar
Stem cherries; no need to pit them. Crush cherries and place in large pot. Add the water, cover, and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes before extracting the juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 3 pints.
Currant Jelly with Liquid Pectin
5 cups red currant juice (from about 5 pounds of fruit)
7 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Crush currants and then heat, if desired, to help extract the juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Elderberry Jelly with Liquid Pectin
4 cups elderberry juice (from about 3 quarts berries, stems removed)
7½ cups sugar
2 T. lemon juice
2 pouches liquid pectin
Heat berries before crushing, being careful not to scorch them. Crush berries and extract juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Elderberry Jelly with Powdered Pectin
3½ cups elderberry juice (from about 2½ quarts berries, stems removed)
6 cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin
2 T. lemon juice
Heat berries before crushing, being careful not to scorch them. Crush berries and extract juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 3 pints.
Grape Jelly with Liquid Pectin
4 cups grape juice (from about 3½ pounds Concord grapes and ½ cup water)
7 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Stem and then crush grapes. In a large pot, add the grapes and water, cover, and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Extract the juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4½ pints.
Grape Jelly with Powdered Pectin
5 cups grape juice (from about 3½ pounds Concord grapes and 1 cup water)
1 package powdered pectin
7 cups sugar
Stem and then crush grapes. In a large pot, add the grapes and water, cover, and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Extract the juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 5 pints.
1 cup chopped mint leaves and tender stems, packed tightly to measure
1 cup water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
3½ cups sugar
5 drops green food coloring
1 pouch liquid pectin
Wash and prepare mint leaves. Measure mint into a large pot. Add vinegar, water, and sugar; stir well. On high heat and stirring constantly, bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Add food coloring and pectin; return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for 30 seconds.
Remove from heat and working quickly, skim and then strain jelly through two thicknesses of dampened cheesecloth. Pour strained jelly into jars and process, following the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly”. Makes about 2 pints.
Pepper Jelly with Powdered Pectin
3 cups prepared pepper juice (from about 1 lb. hot peppers, or a mix of hot and bell peppers, including the vinegar and water used to prepare the juice; see below)
1 package powdered pectin
4 cups sugar
3 to 5 drops green or red food coloring, depending on the color of the juice (optional)
Stem peppers and chop, discarding seeds. Finely chop or grind peppers (you can pulse in a food processor or Vitamix) and measure 2 cups into a large pot. Add 2 cups water and 1 cup apple cider vinegar.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. You can use the juice including the bits of ground peppers or else strain the juice through several layers of dampened cheesecloth. Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 2½ pints.
4 cups plum juice (from about 4½ pounds plums and ½ cup water)
7½ cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
Cut plums into pieces; no need to peel or pit them. Crush the chunks of plums, add the water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to extract the juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Plum Jelly with Powdered Pectin
5 cups plum juice (from about 4½ pounds plums and 1 cup water)
1 package powdered pectin
7 cups sugar
Cut plums into pieces; no need to peel or pit them. Crush the chunks of plums, add the water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to extract the juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.”
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 3½ to 4 pints.
Pomegranate Jelly with Powdered Pectin
3½ cups pomegranate juice (from about 10 pomegranates)
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
If you are ever going to spring for store-bought juice, this is the recipe you want to purchase ready-made juice for. But if you choose to extract the juice from fresh pomegranates, first cut the pomegranates in half and then use a juice reamer (such as you use to juice a lemon or orange) to crush the berries and release the juice. Strain the juice through several layers of dampened cheesecloth, measure out 3½ cups, and proceed.
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 3 pints.
Raspberry Jelly with Powdered Pectin
4 cups raspberry juice (from about 3 quarts berries)
1 package powdered pectin
5 cups sugar
Crush berries and extract juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.” You can also heat the berries first, if desired.
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 3 pints.
Strawberry Jelly with Liquid Pectin
4 cups strawberry juice (from about 3 quarts berries, stems and caps removed)
7½ cups sugar
2 T. lemon juice
2 pouches liquid pectin
Crush berries and extract juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.” You can also heat the berries first, if desired.
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing; remember not to add the liquid pectin until
after
the cooking is complete. Makes about 4 pints.
Strawberry Jelly with Powdered Pectin
3½ cups strawberry juice (from about 2½ quarts berries, stems and caps removed)
4½ cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin
2 T. lemon juice
Crush berries and extract juice, following the instructions in “Preparing Fruit and Extracting the Juice.” You can also heat the berries first, if desired.
Follow the “Step-by-Step Directions for Making Jelly” for processing. Makes about 3 pints.
T
here is an enduring myth that Amish meals always include “seven sweets and seven sours.” While this isn’t accurate, it
is
true that Amish folks love to serve pickled foods to round out their meals and help fill up hungry eaters.
Pickling is one of the oldest methods for preserving food, and in many kitchens you’ll find cooks who have used a particular pickle recipe for many years and passed that favorite recipe down to the next generation. Now, thanks to modern testing and research, you can analyze these older recipes and decide if they are truly safe or if you will need to make changes to ensure that safety. Pickling prevents spoilage because the acidity of the canned food is high enough that harmful bacteria like
clostridium botulinum
can’t grow. Correctly processing your pickled food prevents the growth of those harmful bacteria.
There are two types of pickles:
•
Brined
or fermented pickles require several weeks of curing at room temperature, during which time the food changes color and flavor and lactic acid is produced, preventing spoilage.