Rockridge Press - The Preppers Cookbook

• Always be sure to adjust times based on altitude.

Jelly and jam making is, to a certain degree, an original exercise in molecular gastronomy. To turn fruit and syrup into a delicious spread, you must have the perfect ratio of sugar to pectin to acid, and then cook it to the gelling point for your elevation. Pectin is a polysaccharide found in fruit, but it’s negatively charged, which means that its individual ions naturally move away from each other.

Acid, also found naturally in fruits, changes the charge to a more neutral state, allowing the molecules to move closer together. This is why it’s important to add lemon juice or citric acid to low-acid fruits when you’re making jellies.

The third necessary component of gelling, sugar, enters the scene at this point. Even with the higher acid content neutralizing the pectin, there’s still too much water for the pectin to bind into a firm gel. When heated, the sugar binds the water, which brings the pectin molecules together and forms a gel.

• Salt—added for flavor; is only a preservative when used in large quantities such as during brining

• Sugar, honey, corn syrup—preserves texture, color, and integrity of fruit; assists in gelling

• Vinegar—increases acidity to help fight botulism and increase shelf life (i.e., pickling)

• Artificial sweeteners—used to flavor water; do not use as a replacement for sugar

• Pectin—used to guarantee thickening of jellies because fresh fruit often has low pectin levels

• Citric acid—increases acidity of jellies so that they gel

• Lemon juice or vitamin C (ascorbic acid)—combats the enzymatic reaction between air and cut fruit that causes the fruit to turn brown. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid or lemon juice in 1 gallon of water, and then soak your fruit in it.

Nothing is more frustrating to beginning canners than making your jelly, processing it, and waiting for it to set just to find out that it’s too runny. This happens when the acid-to-sugar-to-pectin ratio is off and can generally be avoided by using commercial powdered or liquid pectin. But what if you don’t have any or don’t want to use it? That’s okay, too. You can do a few things to increase your chances for success:

• Use slightly underripe fruit because it will have more pectin.

• Add a few drops of ascorbic acid if you’re using really ripe fruit.

• Use a candy thermometer to make sure that you cook your jelly to 220 degrees F. That’s the gelling point for sugar mixtures at sea level. If you’re in higher elevations, add 2 degrees for every 1,000 feet above sea level that you are at.

It’s a ton easier to fix your jelly-that-isn’t-jelly before it’s out of the pot than after you’ve already wasted time and energy processing it. Besides the temperature test, there are a couple of other ways to determine whether or not your product has gelled sufficiently to jar.

• Refrigerator test—Dribble a drop or two of jelly onto a chilled plate and place it in the fridge for a few minutes. If it gels, it’s done.

• Spoon test—Dip a chilled spoon into the jelly. If the product drips right off of the spoon in separate droplets, it’s not done. If it “sheets” together off of the spoon instead of in separate drops, it’s done.

The following are several fairly simple recipes for a variety of spreads and other delicious recipes that you can make using the water-bath method of canning for preservation. If you opt to use vegetables instead of fruits, you may need to add a few drops of ascorbic acid or lemon juice to increase the acidity to safe levels. Follow all instructions for jar and seal preparation discussed earlier to set the scene for canning success!

Grape jelly is a great place to start your canning experience. It’s a kid favorite, and it’s easy to make once you get the hang of it. You can make just about any flavor jelly using this recipe. Simply substitute the grape juice with the juice of your choice.

• 3 cups unsweetened grape juice

• 1 (2-ounce) package powdered fruit pectin

• 5¼ cups granulated sugar

• 3 pint jars, lids, and bands

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. In a large saucepan combine the pectin and grape juice over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir for about a minute.

3. Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and skim off any foam.

4. Quickly pour the hot jelly mixture into the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace.

5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

6. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

7. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

This jelly covers all the bases with its mix of sweet and spicy flavors. This is a great gift for anyone with a taste for fiery foods, and it tastes great on crackers or even in a sandwich.

• 16 jalapeño peppers, divided

• 1 large green bell pepper

• 1½ cups apple cider vinegar

• 4¼ cups granulated sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 4 ounces liquid pectin

• 2 half-pint jars, lids, and bands

1. Fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars. Boil the water, reduce the heat to low, place the jars in the water, and simmer until ready to use. Prepare lids and bands by simmering them over low heat in a small saucepan.

2. Seed and finely chop 4 of the jalapeño peppers, and set aside.

3. Combine the green bell pepper and the remaining whole jalapeño peppers in a food processor or blender. Process until nicely minced and smooth. This may need to be done in more than one batch to fit into the blender or food processor.

4. Pour the pepper mix into a large saucepan, and mix in the apple cider vinegar.

5. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through at least two layers of cheesecloth. If you do not have any cheesecloth, a large spoon and a fine mesh strainer will work as well. You should have about 1 cup of liquid.

6. Pour the fine mixture back into the saucepan, and stir in the sugar and salt until well blended.

7. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mix comes to a rolling boil, continue to boil for 1 minute, and then add in the liquid pectin.

8. Add the finely chopped jalapeño peppers, and ladle the mixture into sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.

9. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, center the lids, and screw on the bands and adjust until they are fingertip tight.

10. Place the jars in the canner and bring to a boil. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water covering the jars.

11. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove the jars from the canner and cool.

This recipe is great for making savory sweet jellies that go nicely with dinner breads. Feel free to mix and match the herbs and add more or less to suit your taste.