Making Your Own Jams, Jellies, Or Preserves

[KatPw]

Anyone make their own preserves? My husband and I are attempting to make our own concord grape jam. I'm in the middle of peeling 5 quarts of grapes. We have made strawberry jam in the past and it came out great. This will be the first time we try water-bath canning the jars. I'm super excited about this.

[Dude!]

i'd like to hear if it ends up
tasting like Welch's

and if it is really worth all the effort

[Furtherman]

I can't jelly my coc... oh wait... this isn't a joke.

never mind

[RhinoinMN]

http://kidswereus.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/coccos.jpg

Lets go bowlin.

[ANC]

I would like to try making a jalapeno pepper jam... Mmmmm

[GregoryJoseph]

Chip196 is the resident expert. I haven't seen him around in awhile, but drop him a PM.

He'll set you on the right path.

[boosterp]

I would like to try making a jalapeno pepper jam... Mmmmm

I tried that but I either had a bad recipe or the pepers were too hot because it came out bitter.

I am not the best at canning, have not done it since canning fish via pressure cooker in the 90s. I will also be interested in hearing about this.

[Thebazile78]

I would love to make my own jams & jellies because I can't eat the high fructose corn syrup that's in the mass-produced brands. (Explanation is in the "Congrats..." thread in the Lounge.)

Maybe after I clean my kitchen ...

p.s. - Alton Brown did an Episode of Good Eats called 'Urban Preservation I: Jam Session (http://www.foodnetwork.com/good-eats/urban-preservation-i-jam-session/index.html)' (ep synopsis and recipe links are provided at that link.)

[ANC]

I would love to make my own jams & jellies because I can't eat the high fructose corn syrup that's in the mass-produced brands. (Explanation is in the "Congrats..." thread in the Lounge.)

Maybe after I clean my kitchen ...

Wow really? I knew about Honey, sushi, tuna and lunchmeat but not the HFCS. I don't think we were told about that by the doc..

BTW - Congrats again to you and Matty

[Thebazile78]

Wow really? I knew about Honey, sushi, tuna and lunchmeat but not the HFCS. I don't think we were told about that by the doc..

BTW - Congrats again to you and Matty

No, it's not a medical restriction; HFCS just makes me vomit.

[FrogSlayer]

When I was a kid I spent many hours in the kitchen with my gmother (after many hours in the garden with my gfather). she made jellies / preserves the most notable for me was the fig preserves... Awesome stuff made of fond memories.

[ANC]

No, it's not a medical restriction; HFCS just makes me vomit.

Ahhh.. gotcha

[FrogSlayer]

Ahhh.. gotcha

that has to be tough, Isn't that shit in everything?

[KatPw]

Update: Great Success! :thumbup:
We filled 12 8 oz. jars. And this stuff is tasty. Easy to make too, since it is a jam no pectin was needed for gelling. Next time we are going to use pectin and make a clear jelly (we just need to get a food mill). You can also make jelly using fruit juice (in that case no food mill is needed).
IMO I think it tastes better than Welch's/Smucker's. It is less sweet, which I like. Pricewise? It will never be as cheap as Welch's/Smucker's, but that is because I used real sugar and no HFCS (Bazile, I hear you about the HFCS I hate that shit and won't eat it). It worked out to be about $1.25 per 8oz. jar. That is still a lot cheaper than the Bonne Maman I usually buy.
I can't wait to try to make other types!
ETA: I will take pictures of all my pretty jars later, and maybe even an action shot of jam on homemade bread.

[Dude!]

save a jar for ESD

[KatPw]

save a jar for ESD

Nooooooo! No jam fucking :nono:

[lleeder]

its all about the pectin!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[joethebartender]

The bride and I go apple picking every year in Warwick, NY. (Masker's Orchards). We eat a few while picking, then at home we make pies, sauce, and I'll even bake a few on the grill in foil with butter,brown sugar, and cream cheese in the hollowed out core... (never made the butter though).

Picking your own apples is more for a day in the country rather than any kind of savings. (It'll cost us about $25 to pick 20lbs. A&P by my house has NY state apples for $1 a lb.)

The orchards are about 40 mins away so between gas, wine, cheese, and a baguette (picking fodder), the pies cost $20 each.:tongue:

Ideas on making/jarring apple butter? Maybe I'll go for another bag this year.

[ANC]

I'll even bake a few on the grill in foil with butter,brown sugar, and cream cheese in the hollowed out core...

I could smack you in the head for posting this......it sounds so good it hurts!!!!!! :laugh:

Ok sorry I had to get a hold of myself..

In our new town, there are a bunch of apple orchards. I can't wait to go a pickin'.

[KatPw]

The bride and I go apple picking every year in Warwick, NY. (Masker's Orchards). We eat a few while picking, then at home we make pies, sauce, and I'll even bake a few on the grill in foil with butter,brown sugar, and cream cheese in the hollowed out core... (never made the butter though).

Picking your own apples is more for a day in the country rather than any kind of savings. (It'll cost us about $25 to pick 20lbs. A&P by my house has NY state apples for $1 a lb.)

The orchards are about 40 mins away so between gas, wine, cheese, and a baguette (picking fodder), the pies cost $20 each.:tongue:

Ideas on making/jarring apple butter? Maybe I'll go for another bag this year.

I found this recipe on my knitting board and I thought it looked easy:

6 c Sweet apples, peeled, sliced
1 c Apple cider
1 T Ground cinnamon (optional)

Place apples and cider in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook,
stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Lower heat and
simmer, stirring frequently, for about 1 hour, or until apple slices
have disintegrated and butter is thick. Remove from heat. Stir in
cinnamon, if desired. Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 in.
headspace. Cap and process in 10-minute boiling water bath. Makes 4
1/2 pint jars. (from S.O.A.R., the searchable online archive of recipes)

be sure to check the oven method detailed in post #4! Save your arms from burning volcanoes of applesauce!
(I would also add at least 1/2 cup of brown sugar to this recipe, it seems just a little bland to me. ….You can also add ground cloves, or allspice. For this quantity of apples I wd try 1 tsp allspice…, but be careful, a little clove goes a LONG way.)

And here is the method the poster is referring to:
sooo… the OVEN method
my tip on doing butters I got years ago from an Organic Gardening magazine. Use yr favorite recipe for apple, pear, plum, peach (etc, etc..) butter.
Cook the fruit and sugar down to like ‘standard sauce’. (Just where it starts to make those little boiling volcanos that ouch erupt ouch and burn your arm when you’re stirring).
Heat yr oven to 200 degrees (150 if it will go that low).
Put your spices (and vinegar if yr recipe uses it) in yr sauce.
Pour the sauce into a large lasagna pan or non-reactive roaster pan, and pop it in the oven. Check the pan every half-hour or so by stirring it up and pushing the back of a spoon into the center… if liquid fills in the spoonmark you are not quite done….
Once you have got it reduced enough, put it into sterilized jars and boiling water bath for 10-12 minutes. I tellya, no more scorched pots or burned arms! (I went from “I am NEVER AGAIN making apple butter to: Oh, apple butter is no problem”.)
p.s., the only time this failed was when I asked the (cough, ex) husband to keep an eye on it while I ran some errands… he didn’t check it for 2 hours and the whole batch actually burned…

ETA: the oven is just for REDUCING THE BUTTER.
Once the butter has reduced, spoon it hot into sterilized jars and process with a boiling water bath for 10- 12 minutes, or whatever is safe for your altitude!

We buy a ton of different apples from a local Nursery in the fall, and my local green grocer gets a wide variety so I think I am going to try this method.

[joethebartender]

I could smack you in the head for posting this......it sounds so good it hurts!!!!!! :laugh:

Ok sorry I had to get a hold of myself..

In our new town, there are a bunch of apple orchards. I can't wait to go a pickin'.

(It's good for not letting the charcoal go to waste after you cook dinner. When the steak/chicken/whatever comes off... the apples go on and dessert is ready when you want it.)


We buy a ton of different apples from a local Nursery in the fall, and my local green grocer gets a wide variety so I think I am going to try this method.

Thanks!
I'm gonna give it a shot too. I use the stuff year round so I think it'll be worth the extra effort. It's the best stuff on waffles, toast or pork. I even use it in a BBQ sauce I make.

NYS Apple Ripening Schedule (http://www.maskers.com/chart.html)

[KatPw]

In a BBQ sauce you say? My interest is piqued. We just made our own ketchup and are planning on trying BBQ sauces in the future. The ketchup was okay, the recipe we used was a bit too sweet for my taste. But we are going to use it as a baseline and play around till we get it to the point we want it.

[joethebartender]

In a BBQ sauce you say? My interest is piqued. We just made our own ketchup and are planning on trying BBQ sauces in the future. The ketchup was okay, the recipe we used was a bit too sweet for my taste. But we are going to use it as a baseline and play around till we get it to the point we want it.

I got a little wordy, but here's my take on making BBQ sauce:

Ketchup is a big part of the sauce. (usually 1cup ketchup to 1/2c vinegar) then brown sugar, and molasses- (2-3 Tbs of each...this is also where I figure the apple butter in, less sugar if using the AB) followed by your spices. dry mustard, a shake or two of worchestershire sauce, cayenne, blk pepper, sage, cumin, pinch of cinnamon and pinch of all spice.

If I'm using a rub on the meat, I always make sure to keep some of the rub on the side to season the sauce (sometimes in place of some of the spices I listed).

Reduce it while tasting... too sweet-shoot it with some pepper sauce/ too hot- mix in more brown sugar and check your flavors (apple or whatever)

Thin some of the sauce out with a little vinegar for mopping or in a squirt bottle during cooking. Use the thick stuff to glaze near the end of cooking. Put the rest of the warm stuff on the table for folks to spoon it on.

I've made apple, pineapple, peach, orange sriracha, and espresso BBQ sauces. My peach sauce sucked... (don't ask):annoyed:

[KatPw]

I got a little wordy, but here's my take on making BBQ sauce:

Ketchup is a big part of the sauce. (usually 1cup ketchup to 1/2c vinegar) then brown sugar, and molasses- (2-3 Tbs of each...this is also where I figure the apple butter in, less sugar if using the AB) followed by your spices. dry mustard, a shake or two of worchestershire sauce, cayenne, blk pepper, sage, cumin, pinch of cinnamon and pinch of all spice.

If I'm using a rub on the meat, I always make sure to keep some of the rub on the side to season the sauce (sometimes in place of some of the spices I listed).

Reduce it while tasting... too sweet-shoot it with some pepper sauce/ too hot- mix in more brown sugar and check your flavors (apple or whatever)

Thin some of the sauce out with a little vinegar for mopping or in a squirt bottle during cooking. Use the thick stuff to glaze near the end of cooking. Put the rest of the warm stuff on the table for folks to spoon it on.

I've made apple, pineapple, peach, orange sriracha, and espresso BBQ sauces. My peach sauce sucked... (don't ask):annoyed:
I'm definitely going to try this! And don't worry about being wordy. I married an English major.

[Thebazile78]

that has to be tough, Isn't that shit in everything?

Yes, so I've become a near-obsessive label-reader.

[Thebazile78]

....
It will never be as cheap as Welch's/Smucker's, but that is because I used real sugar and no HFCS (Bazile, I hear you about the HFCS I hate that shit and won't eat it). ....

It's less hatred, though it started that way, and more literal right now.

It literally makes me vomit.

I don't argue; I have better things to do than worship the porcelain god because of some processed crap.

[hanso]

I used to make more of it when I was younger.

[Fez4PrezN2008]

The bride and I go apple picking every year in Warwick, NY. (Masker's Orchards). We eat a few while picking, then at home we make pies, sauce, and I'll even bake a few on the grill in foil with butter,brown sugar, and cream cheese in the hollowed out core... (never made the butter though).

Picking your own apples is more for a day in the country rather than any kind of savings. (It'll cost us about $25 to pick 20lbs. A&P by my house has NY state apples for $1 a lb.)

The orchards are about 40 mins away so between gas, wine, cheese, and a baguette (picking fodder), the pies cost $20 each.:tongue:

Ideas on making/jarring apple butter? Maybe I'll go for another bag this year.
Ohhh, homemade apple butter is SO good! and it makes the house smell like heaven. You're making me homesick talking about this stuff.

[Thebazile78]

The bride and I go apple picking every year in Warwick, NY. (Masker's Orchards). We eat a few while picking, then at home we make pies, sauce, and I'll even bake a few on the grill in foil with butter,brown sugar, and cream cheese in the hollowed out core... (never made the butter though).

Picking your own apples is more for a day in the country rather than any kind of savings. (It'll cost us about $25 to pick 20lbs. A&P by my house has NY state apples for $1 a lb.)

The orchards are about 40 mins away so between gas, wine, cheese, and a baguette (picking fodder), the pies cost $20 each.:tongue:

Ideas on making/jarring apple butter? Maybe I'll go for another bag this year.

I just had to jump in to say I love Masker's!

We used to go "all the time" when I was a kid ... it's maybe 35 minutes from the house I grew up in. Yeah, the bushel bags are $25 each, and I can never leave without getting several jugs of cider, so going up now will cost me $50 in apples, $15 in cider and another $20 in gas. But it's worth EVERY penny to me!!!!

[biggirl]

I have only made strawberry jam. It is so good. I will never buy it from a store again.

I can every year: Green Beans, Whole Tomatoes, Chili Sauce, Bloody Mary Mix, Beets, Salsa, Applesauce, and corn.

I hate getting out all of the supplies for canning, but I love the process. It is so much fun and sense of accomplishment to see your garden goodies last all year. This year our garden was not great so not much canning was done. I have to make a trip or two to the apple orchard here in a week or so to pick up apples for my applesauce. Applesauce is my favorite to make. It smells so good and is so easy, and my whole family (extended family as well) love it and gobble it up.

I get most of my recipes from the Ball Blue Book. It is like the canning bible.

[FrogSlayer]

not many people exist like this anymore. When I was young my grandparents never purchased any food other than meat (with the exception of meat that my gfather trapped, hunted or raised) and bread. his garden was a work of beauty. I still wish frequently for a few ears of his incredible Silver Queen corn.

[CountryBob]

bumped

[jennysmurf]

bumped

You can't just bump the thread without adding to it! Most of the ham n' eggers here don't read the listening thread, and will miss your words of wisdom on apple butter. Actually, since apple butter is super-ick, just leave it. No need to preach your nonsense all over the place.

[sailor]

You can't just bump the thread without adding to it! Most of the ham n' eggers here don't read the listening thread, and will miss your words of wisdom on apple butter. Actually, since apple butter is super-ick, just leave it. No need to preach your nonsense all over the place.

You're super-duper-ick.

[jennysmurf]

You're super-duper-ick.

So's your face!

[sailor]

So's your face!

I've conceded that point, many times over.

[CountryBob]

You can't just bump the thread without adding to it! Most of the ham n' eggers here don't read the listening thread, and will miss your words of wisdom on apple butter. Actually, since apple butter is super-ick, just leave it. No need to preach your nonsense all over the place.


Foiled again :(

[RoseBlood]

This thread makes me nostalgic. Mom use to take us strawberry picking and grandma would make strawberry preserves.

[CountryBob]

This thread makes me nostalgic. Mom use to take us strawberry picking and grandma would make strawberry preserves.

mmmmm that sounds so good - freah strawberry preserves on a hot buttered biscuit

[Chigworthy]

mmmmm that sounds so good - freah strawberry preserves on a hot buttered biscuit

It must be like the gods themselves ejaculating into your mouth.