Canning Season

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Dor
I think Randy uses the one that is in the packages of the sure jel or whatever it is called.
 
Laurie's right, Dorothy. There is a recipe sheet in every box or with every bottle of pectin and I use that recipe. I use whatever is on sale, but have used MCP, Sure-Lell, and the one packaged by Ball. I tried the liquid pectin once, but I guess since I have used the powdered pectin more, I like it better. Just from memory though, I would say that it is probably 5 cups of the crushed fruit, 1 teaspoon of butter (helps reduce foaming), one box of commercial pectin, and 7 cups of sugar. The recipe will vary slightly though depending on which pectin you use. There is the old way to make jam too without using the commercial pectin, but you run the risk of making strawberry syrup instead of jam.
 
There you go. Can't go wrong that way. Those recipe sheets also cover freezer jam. But I have never made freezer jam. Fiona does when she makes jam, but I prefer the canned jam on two counts. The product doesn't have to be stored in the freezer and the freezer jam recipes take more sugar than the cooked jam recipes.
 
I got to moving early today. I mashed my strawberries so that I can freeze them until I get them canned. Big Lots had the jelly jars for $6.75 so I bought them Monday. I forget to get the suregel at Walmart so picked up some at the grocery store but it was a bottle and didn't have the recipe. I went on line to Ball and found one. I don't want to try the freezer jam yet. Krogers has the blackberries for $1.57 a quart so I am getting some to freeze for a cobbler later.
 
I get a little carried away, I guess. If I find the pectin on sale, I buy a whole carton of it. I think there are 24 boxes in the carton and I still have almost two cartons on hand. So I am fixed for this year anyway. I've only tried the liquid once just to see how it worked and there was a recipe sheet that came with it. But I like to work with the powder. What did we ever do before the internet? LOL
 
I have some sure gel from last year but don't know what I did with the recipes and instructions. The bottle container I bought is the powder too.
 
I like the strawberry freezer jam. I talked to my son yesterday, in Smithe River, he said he will make sure we get some berries when we come up there in July. I can't wait. He also has a cherry tree in his back yard! I am so excited! Berries are so expensive here.
 
Think I told someone this last year---but will mention it again---I buy what they call "dutch gel" at the amish store near here. It is "pectin"--but I can buy a container of it that makes about 9 batches of jam or jelly--for about $1. more than I pay for a box (one batch)of "sure-Gel" (or whatever) at the local store. :eek: BIG saving there!!!! You use it just the same as the powdered "Sure-Gel". (1/3 cup of "dutch gel" per batch)
 
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Wow! That is a great saving. I think it has been about 20 years since I saw MCP or Sure-Jell for $1 a box. Even when I catch it on sale now, it is at least $1.50.
 
Think there is a little misunderstanding--:)
The container of "dutch-gel" is about $1 MORE than what you would pay for a box of "Sure-Jel"---------BUT you get about 9 batches from the one container.
Anyway-it's still a fantastic saving!!!:D
Was just thinking--:rolleyes:------if you have a local food co-op(or know where there is one)--they may have the same thing. Because I think the "Amish" store orders a lot of their stuff from a food co-op. Just a thought;):)
Also------they(the Amish store) were good enough to give me a "special" deal on canning jars. I asked when they were ordering another shipment and asked if they could give me a "deal" if I ordered a certain amount of from them. I think I ordered 30 some cases of canning jars and10 or more cases of jelly jars. Their price is somewhat lower than the local stores anyway--but with ordering so many I got an even better price.
That might be a good option for you Randy --where you can so much jams & jellies.
 
I'm slowing down though, GP. I have still bought about 6 dozen new jars each year, but I see in the pantry that the girls being gone to school has reduced the rate of consumption. I still have 3 full cases of strawberry jam and at least 2 of Marionberry. No, just checked. I have 2-1/2 cases of strawberry and 1-1/2 cases of Marionberry. But I haven't done as many this past year as I did the year before. Year before last, I did over 200 jars and last year I didn't count them.
 
Blueberry Syrup

Here is the recipe that my daughter and I used the other day.

Blueberry Syrup

16 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 Tblsp. lemon juice
6 cups sugar

Crush the berries. (I used my emersion blender and pureed them.) Mix the berries and the lemon juice together in a large pot.. Bring the berries to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the berries and let them cool enough to handle, then strain them again through cheesecloth. Discard pulp. To the juice add, the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Fill hot sterlized jars with syrup. Process in a hot water bath canner for 10 minutes. This mixture made 12 half pints.
 
Thanks for posting the recipe Kim, looks great. Would love for you to post the recipe on the Recipe Forum as well so more of the members will see and enjoy the recipe. Thanks so much.
 
We ran out of Marionberry jam a few days back. I took some berries out of the freezer though and put up 22 jars. That should at least last until the new crop comes in.
 
I did three double batches of Marionberry jam yesterday and got about 22 jars, mostly pints. I will do some more berries tomorrow, but I'm vascillating between doing Obsidian Balckberry and more Marionberry. I stopped at the store on the way home from breakfast and bought four dozen 12 ounce jars for jamming. I also picked up the new edition of the Ball Blue Book. I haven't had a chance to look through it yet though to see what changes there are from the previous edition.
 
I made some of that, Kim, but I didn't post anything here. I had picked our tree clean and had enough for two or three batches. I just did 8 ounce jars of those. I don't think you will see cherry jam in the markets. It sure is good though. I'm going to do another jam session tomorrow. I'm not sure yet what I will do though. I have strawberries, wild blackberries, Obsidian Blackberries, and Marionberries to choose from. And I still have a couple of gallons of blueberries left from last year.
 
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