86-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 4, 2001 Jam and jelly can be made by adding a packaged pectin or the old-fashioned way by cooking fruits and sugar to reach a speci fied temperature to reach the gel point. Pectin products help guarantee that the jam or jelly will jell, but they require using more sugar. Without added pectin, some fruits will never jell no matter how long it is cooked. Fruits that are barely ripe con tain the most pectin, but those that are fully ripe contain the most flavor. It is the balance be tween these two that often makes a great jelly if you are not using packaged pectin. A good thermometer is neces sary to make a good jelly or jam the old-fashioned way. Add eight degrees to whatever the boiling water temperature is in your kitchen and make sure the mix ture reaches that point, about 216 degrees. Jam and jelly making can be a snap if you follow these recipes. OLD-FASHIONED STRAWBERRY JAM First, wash and thoroughly rinse 3 or 4 half-pint jars or seven 4-ounce jars. Put the jars, lids, and inserts into a pan large enough so that the water will cover all. Put on the stove, bring to a boil, and simmer until ready to use. Use one pint berries that are not quite ripe and 3 pints that are ripe. Wash and crush berries to yield about 2 to 2'A cups crushed fruit. Put these in a large quart pan. Add an equal amount of sugar (about 2-2 'A cups) and bring to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Insert the thermometer and cook until it reaches 216 degrees. Remove jam from the heat, stir and skim. Ladle promptly into clean hot jars. Cover and seal in boiling water bath. GRAPE BUTTER 1 quart grapes 1 quart sugar Bring grapes and sugar to a boil; boil 20 minutes. Put through food mill and Oil jelly jars. This is about the consistency of apple butter. Susan Reeder Lewistown Recipe Topics If you have recipes for topics listed below, please share them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you include ac curate measurements, a complete list of ingredients, and clear instructions with each recipe you submit. Be sure to include your name and address. Recipes should reach our office one week be fore the publishing date listed below. Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. August 11 Tomato Specialties 18 Pickling Recipes 25 Grilling Seafood September 1 Shrimp Fest In A Jam? These Recipes Will Help ZUCCHINI JAM 6 cups seeded, shredded, peeled zucchini 6 cups sugar Vi cup lemon juice 20-ounce can crushed pine apple, undrained 6-ounce package Jell-O, any flavor (cherry, apricot, orange, strawberry) In large kettle, bring zucchini and sugar to a boil. Boil and stir constantly for six minutes. Add lemon juice and pineapple. Cook and stir for 8 minutes. Add Jell-O and cook and stir one minute more. Remove from heat. Skim off foam, fill jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. 3 cups pears, grated 3 cups peaches, grated 2 cups crushed pineapple 8 cups sugar 6-ounces orange Jell-O Combine fruits and sugar. Allow to come to a full boil. Boil 20 minutes. Add Jell-O and stir until dissolved. Pour into jars and seal. BLUEBERRY AND BLACKBERRY FREEZER JAM l'/2 cups crushed blackberries 1 cup crushed blueberries 1 tablespoon lemon juice Vi teaspoon coriander 3'/2 cups sugar 'A cup com syrup 1 package powdered pectin Vt cup water Prepare freezer jam jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions. Combine blackberries, blueber ries, lemon juice, and coriander in a large bowl. Stir in sugar and com syrup; let stand 10 minutes. Combine pectin and water in a small saucepan; boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Add pectin to fruit mixture, stirring constantly for three minutes. Carefully ladle jam into freezer jam jars, leaving '/2-inch headspace. Adjust caps. Allow to stand at room temperature until set, not to exceed 24 hours. Label. Store in freezer. RED RASPBERRY AND BLACKBERRY FREEZER JAM 2 pints red raspberries, crushed Susan Reeder Lewistown FRUIT JAM Susan Reeder Lewistown 1 pint blackberries, crushed Vi medium orange, ground 4Vi cups sugar 1 package powdered pectin ! A cup water Prepare freezer jam jars and lids according to manufacture’s instructions. Combine berries and orange in a large bowl. Stir in sugar; let stand 10 minutes. Combine pec tin and water in a small sauce pan; boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Add pectin to berry mixture, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Carefully ladle jam into freezer jam jars, leaving Vi inch headspace. Adjust caps. Allow to stand at room tempera ture until set, not to exceed 24 hours. Label. Store in freezer. Yield: about seven 8-ounce jars. BLUEBERRY FREEZERJAM 3 cups crushed blueberries 2 tablespoons lemon juice SV* cups sugar 1 package powdered pectin V* cup water Prepare freezer jam jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions. Combine berries and lemon juice in a large bowl. Stir in sugar; let stand 10 minutes. Combine pectin and water in a small saucepan; boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Add pectin to berry mixture, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Care fully ladle jam into freezer jam jars, leaving '/2-inch headspace. Adjust caps. Allow to stand at room temperature until set, not to exceed 24 hours. Label. Store in freezer. Yield: about six 8-ounce jars. PEACH FREEZER JAM 2'A cups crushed peaches 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4'/2 cups sugar 1 package powdered pectin ! A cup water Prepare freezer jam jars and lids according to manufacture’s instructions. Combine peaches and lemon juice in a large bowl. Stir in sugar; let stand 10 minutes. Com bine pectin and water in a small saucepan; boil hard for one min ute, stirring constantly. Add pec tin to fruit mixture, stirring con stantly for three minutes. Carefully ladle jam into freezer jars, leaving ‘/2-inch headspace. Adjust caps. Allow to stand at room temperature until set, not to exceed 24 hours. Label. Store in freezer. Yield: about five 8-ounce jars. RED AND BLACK RASPBERRY FREEZER JAM 1 cup crushed red raspberries 1 cup crushed black raspber ries 'A medium orange, ground 4 cups sugar 1 package powdered pectin 'A cup water Prepare freezer jam jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions. Combine berries and orange in a large bowl. Stir in sugar; let stand 10 minutes. Combine pec tin and water in a small sauce pan; boil hard for one minute, Ginger Pear Jam is easy to preserve and adds a de lightful addition to traditional Jams. Featured Recipe Delicate by nature, pears need a little special understanding and extra attention. Appearance, color, size and shape can be misleading and probably should not be used as a buying guide. The pear’s secret its giveaway to ripeness— is its fragrance. A pear lingers at its prime for only a day or two, so preserve all that natural goodness by making pear jam. Pear jam making is a snap if you follow recipe directions and use pectin product specified. Your own jars of pear jam will let you and your family enjoy all the luscious delicious flavor of this year’s pears until next year’s crop. 'A pound gingeroot VA cups cold water 4 cups prepared ripe pears 2 tablespoons lemon juice 5 cups sugar 1 box powdered fruit pectin First prepare ginger and pears. Peel ginger root and grate, grind or finely chop. Place in saucepan and add water. Bring to a boil and boil gently for 15 minutes. Drain, cover with fresh cold water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain, measure /i cup. Peel and core about 3 pounds pears. Chop very fine or grind. Mea sure 4 cups into 6-8-quart saucepot. Add lemon juice and ginger. Make the jam. Measure sugar and set aside. Mix fruit pectin into fruit in saucepot. Place over high heat and stir until mixture comes to a full bofi and boil hard one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam with metal spoon. Ladle quickly into hot jars, filling to within '/a-inch of tops. Cover and process in boiling water bath for S minutes. Makes about 6 % cups. stirring constantly. Add pectin to berry mixture, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Carefully ladle jam into freezer jam jars, leaving Vi inch headspace. Adjust caps. Allow to stand at room tempera ture until set, not to exceed 24 hours. Label. Store in freezer. Yield: about five 8-ounce jars. NATURALLY SWEET APPLE BUTTER 14 medium or golden delicious apples l A cup water 4 cups unsweetened apple cider 1 cup dark brown sugar '/»teaspoon cloves 'A teaspoon cinnamon Prepare home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s directions. Wash apples, remove stem and GINGER PEAR JAM blossom ends. Do not peel or core. Cook apples in water, cov ered, in a medium saucepan until apples are soft. Press through a sieve or food mill. Measure 4 cups apple pulp; return apple pulp to a large saucepan. Add apple cider, brown sugar, and spices. Cook slowly, uncovered, until thick enough to round up on a spoon. As pulp thickens; stir frequently to prevent sticking. (If butter is too thick; add a small amount of apple cider for desired consistency). Carefully ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving Vi inch headspace. Wipe jar rim clean. Place lid on jar with seal ing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly until fingertip tight. Process 10 minutes in a boil ing-water canner. Yield about four 8-ounce jar.
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