Nanking Cherry Jelly

These berries were very ripe when picked on July 21, 2017 at the cabin on Sylvan Lake.

16 cups ripe Nanking cherries  (4 L)

1 1/4 cup water  (300 ml)

1/4 cup lemon juice  (50 ml)

1 pkg. of Bernardin original fruit pectin crystals or certo crystals (57 grams)

7 cups sugar (1.75 L)

Step 1- Prepare the Juice
Combine cherries and water in a Dutch oven.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.  Mash mixture occasionally while cooking.  Strain through a jelly bag.  Measure 6 cups juice (1.5 L) juice into a Dutch oven.

Step 2-Make the Jelly

Stir lemon juice and Certo into juice.  Place over high heat and bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Stir in sugar.  Continue to stir and cook over high heat until mixture returns to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.

Step 3-Preserve
Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe jar rims thoroughly.  Seal and process in  a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Makes about 9 cups (2.25L).

Very ripe-picked on July 21, 2017

Strawberry Jam

Out to Markerville this morning (July 12, 2017) to pick strawberries with Pat.  Before too long we each had about 20 cups  of strawberries.  Home to make jam.  I made two batches. For the first batch I followed a recipe I had. The second batch I made a few changes, just for fun, after looking at Pat's recipe.

First Batch

10 cups medium strawberries

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup water

5 1/2 cups sugar

Wash and pat dry the strawberries.  Remove the stems and place in a large saucepan with the lemon juice, sugar and water.  Warm gently, without boiling, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, trying not to break up the strawberries too much.

Increase the heat and without boiling, stir the mixture for 10 minutes, or until all the sugar has dissolved.  Increase the heat again and boil for 20 minutes, stirring often.  Skim any scum off the surface.  Start testing for setting point after 20 minutes, but it may take up to 40 minutes for the jam to be ready.

When ready spoon immediately into clean, warm jars, then seal.  

Second Batch

10 cups strawberries

1/2 cup lime juice (didn't have quite enough lime so mixed it with lemon juice)

no extra water this time

lime zest

6 cups sugar

Wash and pat dry the strawberries.  Remove the stems and place in a large saucepan. Smash strawberries with potato masher as much as you like.  Add the lime juice and zest.  Warm gently, without boiling, stirring  with a wooden spoon.  

Increase the heat, add the sugar, and without boiling, stir the mixture for 10 minutes, or until all the sugar has dissolved.  Increase the heat again and boil for 20 minutes, stirring often.  Skim any scum off the surface.  Start testing for setting point after 20 minutes, but it may take up to 40 minutes for the jam to be ready.

When ready spoon immediately into clean, warm jars, then seal.  

Each 10 cups of strawberries made about 8 small jam jars.

Gel tests
1) Temperature Test-around 220 F     
2) Spoon-Dip a dry metal spoon into boiling jam. Lift a small portion of juice in spoon above steam from the pot, letting it cool for a few seconds. Turn the spoon so the jam drips off side of spoon into pot. The jam is done when the syrup forms two drops that flow together and sheet or hang off the edge of the spoon to fall as one drop.
3)Frozen plate-Put a little juice on a frozen plate.  Put the plate back in the freezer for a couple of minutes and see if the gel crinkles.

 PRESERVING THE JAM IN GLASS SEALING JARS
(Alternate method would be to put in freezer jars and freeze.)
When jam is ready skim the scum.
Ladle jam into hot sterilized jars and seal using the following method.
To prepare the jars put clean jars in a 250 degree oven (filled with hot water to prevent cracking) until ready to use to sterilize.
Boil the lids for 5 minutes.
Fill the jars with jam, place lid on and screw on top not quite tight.
Put jars in boiling water in a canner, covering to 1/2 inch of water and boil gently --for 2 cups 20 minutes--1 cup for 15 minutes.