The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [58]
When the processing time is up, carefully remove the jars from the canner using a jar lifter.
Cool sealed jars. Check seals. Remove screw bands. Label. Store.
Basic Strawberry Preserves
Makes about 4 half-pint jars
1½ quarts firm, ripe strawberries
5 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
Wash the strawberries. Hull and remove stems. Combine strawberries and sugar in a tall, heavy-bottomed saucepan; let stand for 3 to 4 hours.
Bring the strawberries and sugar slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice. Boil rapidly until the berries are soft and the syrup is clear, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Pour into a shallow pan. Let stand, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours in a cool place. Shake pan occasionally to distribute the berries through the syrup.
Preheat the canner, sterilize the jars, and prepare the lids.
Heat preserves until boiling. Pour hot preserves into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth. Adjust the lids as the manufacturer recommends.
Place the filled jars on a rack in the preheated canner. Process for 10 minutes once the water has returned to a boil.
When the processing time is up, carefully remove the jars from the canner using a jar lifter.
Cool sealed jars. Check seals. Remove screw bands. Label. Store.
Basic Plum Jam
Makes about 8 half-pint jars
4 pounds tart plums (2 quarts chopped)
6 cups sugar
1½ cups water
¼ cup lemon juice
Preheat the canner, sterilize the jars, and prepare the lids.
Wash plums. Remove pits and chop.
Combine the plums, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a tall, heavy saucepan.
Bring slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Then boil rapidly until thick, about 20 minutes. As the mixture begins to thicken, stir frequently to prevent scorching.
Test for doneness — 220°F on a thermometer or when the jam sheets off the spoon (see page 165).
Pour into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth. Adjust the lids as the manufacturer recommends.
Place the filled jars on a rack in the preheated canner. Process for 10 minutes once the water has returned to a boil.
When the processing time is up, carefully remove the jars from the canner using a jar lifter.
Cool sealed jars. Check seals. Remove screw bands. Label. Store.
Basic Apple Jelly
Makes 4 to 5 half-pint jars
3 pounds apples
3 cups water
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Wash the apples. Chop into small pieces but do not peel or core. Combine with water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and boil for about 25 minutes, or until apples are quite soft.
Pour into a damp jelly bag or colander lined with a double thickness of damp cheesecloth. Allow the juice to filter out into a bowl.
Allow the juice to sit overnight so that any sediment can settle to the bottom. Do not squeeze fruit pulp, as the resulting juice will not be clear.
When you are ready to make the jelly, preheat the canner, sterilize the jars, and prepare the lids.
Combine 4 cups of the clear apple juice with the sugar and lemon juice in a tall, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Bring rapidly to a boil. Continue boiling until jelly reaches 220°F on a jelly thermometer or sheets off the spoon (see page 165).
Remove from heat and skim off any foam that formed during boiling.
Pour into the jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth. Adjust the lids as the manufacturer recommends.
Place the filled jars on a rack in the preheated canner and process for 10 minutes once the water has returned to a boil.
Cool sealed jars. Check seals. Remove screw bands. Label. Store.
Orange Marmalade
Makes about 7 half-pint jars
6 large oranges
2 medium lemons
6 cups water
About 6 cups sugar
Wash the fruit. Remove the peel from the oranges and thinly slice. Chop the orange pulp. You should have 4 cups of thinly sliced peel and 4 cups of orange pulp. Thinly