Post by DirtDiva Admin on Aug 4, 2021 17:36:27 GMT -6
Elderberry Jam
This jam is made just as your great-grandmother made it, without the use of commercial pectin. Old-fashioned jams are only made with fresh sun-ripened fruit and sugar, although lemon juice or vinegar is sometimes added to help the jam set.
Yield
about six 8-ounce (half-pint) jars
Ingredients
2 quarts fresh crushed elderberries (8 cups)
6 cups granulated (white) sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
Directions
Prepare canner, jars, and lids.
In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine elderberries, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and test gel.* If gel stage has been reached, skim off foam.
Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jam. Clean rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band (ring) down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
Place jars in a water bath (boiling-water) canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. Store.
Additional Information
* If your mixture has not reached the gel stage when first tested, return the pan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 5 minutes. Repeat gel stage test and cooking as needed.
For long-boil soft spreads that do not use added pectin, use three parts fruit that is fully ripe to one part fruit that is slightly under-ripe. Under-ripe fruit generally has a higher pectin content, which helps these spreads form a gel.
When making long-boil jams, it is essential to maintain a close vigil on the boiling fruit mixture. As the spread thickens, it tends to stick to the pan and can easily burn if it is not stirred frequently and thoroughly. Using a heavy-bottomed, good-quality saucepan also help to prevent scorching.
If you are canning above 1,000 feet sea level, see Canning Altitude Adjustments to find how much additional processing time is needed.
This jam is made just as your great-grandmother made it, without the use of commercial pectin. Old-fashioned jams are only made with fresh sun-ripened fruit and sugar, although lemon juice or vinegar is sometimes added to help the jam set.
Yield
about six 8-ounce (half-pint) jars
Ingredients
2 quarts fresh crushed elderberries (8 cups)
6 cups granulated (white) sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
Directions
Prepare canner, jars, and lids.
In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan, combine elderberries, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Boil stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and test gel.* If gel stage has been reached, skim off foam.
Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jam. Clean rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band (ring) down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
Place jars in a water bath (boiling-water) canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. Store.
Additional Information
* If your mixture has not reached the gel stage when first tested, return the pan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 5 minutes. Repeat gel stage test and cooking as needed.
For long-boil soft spreads that do not use added pectin, use three parts fruit that is fully ripe to one part fruit that is slightly under-ripe. Under-ripe fruit generally has a higher pectin content, which helps these spreads form a gel.
When making long-boil jams, it is essential to maintain a close vigil on the boiling fruit mixture. As the spread thickens, it tends to stick to the pan and can easily burn if it is not stirred frequently and thoroughly. Using a heavy-bottomed, good-quality saucepan also help to prevent scorching.
If you are canning above 1,000 feet sea level, see Canning Altitude Adjustments to find how much additional processing time is needed.