From the Garden or Orchard to the Table:
Jams and Jellies from North Dakota Fruits (continued)

FN-590, Revised and reprinted August 2006

Garden Fruits to Consider Strawberries Raspberries	Recipes Apples or Crabapple Jelly Apple Spread (Refrigerated and reduced-sugar) Blackberry-Huckleberry Jam Wild Plum Jam (Freezer Jam) Chokecherry Jelly with Liquid Pectin Chokecherry Jelly with Powdered Pectin Gooseberry Jam Wild Grape Jelly Grape Plum Jelly Juneberry Jam Raspberry Jam Strawberry Jam - Low Suger Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam Syrups General Recipe: Syrups made with Juice Blackberry Syrup Blueberry Syrup
Other Fruits to Consider Apples Grapes Cherries and Plums Juneberries Rhubarb Currants and Gooseberries
Making Jams and Jellies Ingredients Equipment Extracting Juice for Making Jelly Making Jams Preparing Jars and Lids Processing Jellies and Jams Remaking Soft Jellies Storage

 

Recipes

The following recipes are from a variety of sources including the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and Cooperative Extension Services in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Washington. The yields may vary depending on the degree of cooking/thickness of the product. For this reason, it is suggested to sterilize extra jars "just in case" of higher yields.

Apple or Crabapple Jelly 4 cups crabapple juice (about 3 pounds crabapples and 3 cups water) 4 cups sugar To prepare juice, select firm, crisp crabapples, about 1/4 firm-ripe and 3/4 fully ripe. Sort, wash and remove stem and blossom ends; do not pare or core. Cut crabapples into small pieces. Add water, cover and bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crabapples are soft. Extract juice and pour into jelly bag. To make jelly, sterilize canning jars and measure juice into saucepot. Add sugar and stir well. Boil over high heat to 8 degrees Fahrenheit above the boiling point of water (approximately 220° F depending on the altitude where you live), or until jelly mixture sheets from spoon. Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly. Pour jelly immediately into hot canning jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes for pints at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 4 to 5 half-pints

Apple Spread (Refrigerated and reduced-sugar) 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder 1 quart bottle unsweetened apple juice 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice 2 tablespoons liquid, low-calorie sweetener Food coloring, if desired In a saucepan, soften the gelatin in the apple and lemon juices. To dissolve gelatin, bring to a full rolling boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sweetener and food coloring, if desired. Fill jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids. Do not process or freeze. CAUTION: Store in refrigerator and use within 4 weeks. Optional: For spiced apple jelly, add 2 sticks of cinnamon and 4 whole cloves to mixture before boiling. Remove both spices before adding the sweetener and food coloring. Approximate yield: 4 to 5 half-pints

 

Blackberry-HuckleberryJam 6 cups wild blackberries 1/4 cup water 7 cups sugar 1 cup huckleberries (half underripe) 1/2 bottle liquid pectin Wash blackberries, crush, and combine with water in saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Force mixture through coarse sieve or food mill to remove most of the seeds. Measure. Add water to give 3 cups of blackberry pulp. Combine pulp, huckleberries and sugar in large (8 quart) kettle, mixing well. Heat to a full rolling boil; boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pectin; skim. Pour into hot, sterilized jars. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 9 to 10 half-pints

 

Wild Plum Jam (Freezer Jam) 3 cups wild plums (finely mashed or sieved) 6 cups sugar 1 box powdered pectin 1 cup water Combine fruit and sugar. Let stand about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Boil powdered pectin and water rapidly for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add the fruit and stir about 2 minutes. Pour into jars; tighten lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until set. Store in freezer or refrigerator. Approximate yield: 7 to 9 half-pints.

 

Chokecherry Jelly with Liquid Pectin To extract the juice, wash all fruits thoroughly before cooking. Add enough water to cover the washed fruit and cook 15 minutes or until fruit is soft. Do not crush or grind the seeds which contain a cyanide-forming compound that can be toxic. When fruit is tender, press lightly through a colander. Then, let juice drip through a double layer of cheesecloth or a jelly bag. Excessive pressing or squeezing of cooked fruit will cause cloudy jelly. One pound of fruit should yield at least 1 cup of clear juice. 3 cups chokecherry juice 6-1/2 cups sugar 2 pouches liquid pectin 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional) Pour juice into large heavy kettle. Add sugar and stir to mix. Place over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir and skim 5 minutes. Add almond extract if desired. Pour into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 5 to 6 half-pints

 

Chokecherry Jelly with Powdered Pectin (Extract juice as in previous chokecherry jelly recipe.) 3-1/2 cups chokecherry juice 4 cups sugar 1 box powdered pectin Stir pectin into juice. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly add sugar to juice mixture. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam. Pour into hot, sterilized half-pint jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Cover with two-piece lids. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 5 to 6 half-pints

 

Gooseberry Jam 6 cups gooseberries (3/4 ripe{red}, 1/4 underripe{green}) 1-1/2 cups water 4 cups sugar Wash berries, place in saucepan with added water and bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until gooseberries are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat and measure pulp (about 4 cups). Add sugar and boil about 7-9 minutes. Remove from heat, skim, and pour into hot, sterilized jars. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 7 to 9 half-pints

 

Wild Grape Jelly Juice of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons bottled juice 6 cups wild grape juice 1 package powdered fruit pectin 7-1/2 cups sugar To extract the juice, use 1 cup water per 1 pound fruit. Cool for 5-10 minutes in covered pot. Continue extraction as directed in chokecherry jelly recipe. Add the strained lemon juice to the grape juice; heat to boiling. Add the pectin and again bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar. Bring to a rolling boil; boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal with two-piece self-sealing lids. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 9 to 10 half-pints.

 

Grape Plum Jelly 3-1/2 pounds ripe plums 3 pounds ripe Concord grapes 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine (optional ingredient to reduce foaming) 8-1/2 cups sugar 1 box (1-3/4 oz) powdered pectin Wash grapes. Wash and pit plums; do not peel. Thoroughly crush plums and grapes, one layer at a time, in a saucepan. Add water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Strain juice through a jelly bag or double layer of cheesecloth. Measure sugar and set aside. Combine 6-1/2 cups of juice with butter and pectin in a large saucepan. Bring to a hard boil over heat, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, skim off foam, and quickly fill into sterile half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 10 half-pints

 

Juneberry Jam Wash berries and put through coarse food chopper. Measure 4 cups pulp, and add water just to cover in large pan. Boil gently. Add: Juice of 2 lemons or 2 tablespoons bottled juice 2 oranges -- first grated and then cut up into small pieces 3 cups sugar Boil about 20 minutes. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal with two-piece self-sealing lids. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes at altitudes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 5 to 6 half-pints

 

Raspberry Jam 4 cups crushed raspberries (about 2 quarts) 6-1/2 cups sugar 1 pouch liquid pectin Place fruit in a pan, and add sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Add liquid pectin and boil for the time stated on package. Remove from heat and skim foam. Stir for 5 minutes. Ladle into prepared half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove bubbles by running a spatula or bubble freer between the jam and the side of the jar. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 7 to 9 half-pints

 

Strawberry Jam - Low Sugar 6 cups crushed strawberries 4 cups sugar 1 box low-sugar pectin Sort, wash, remove stems and crush berries. Measure strawberries into a large saucepan. Whisk no-sugar pectin into prepared fruit to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam if needed. Ladle into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes from 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 7 to 9 half-pints.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam 1-1/2 pounds red stalks of rhubarb 1-1/2 quarts ripe strawberries 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine (optional ingredient to reduce foaming) 6 cups sugar 6 ounces liquid pectin Wash and cut rhubarb into 1-inch pieces and blend or grind. Wash, stem and crush strawberries, one layer at a time, in a large saucepan. Add butter, if desired, and sugar, thoroughly mixing into juice. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and quickly skim off foam, and fill into sterile half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes at altitudes of 0 to 1,000 feet or for 10 minutes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Approximate yield: 7 to 8 half-pints

 

Syrups

General Syrup Recipe: Syrups Made with Juice 4 cups juice 4 cups sugar 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice (if desired) 1/2 package or less powdered pectin (if desired) Mix juice, sugar, lemon juice and pectin. Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat, skim off foam, and pour into 1/2 pint or 1 pint canning jars to within 1/2-inch of top. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove from canner and cool. Check lids, label, and store in cook, dry place. Approximate yield: 8 half-pints or 4 pints

 

Blackberry Syrup 4 cups blackberry juice 4 cups sugar 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice Mix all ingredients and simmer until dissolved. Pour into clean, hot jars. Adjust lids and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner. Approximate yield: 8 half-pints or 4 pints

 

Blueberry Syrup 2 quarts blueberries 4 cups sugar 3/4 cup cold water Mash fruit, sprinkle with sugar, cover and let stand overnight in refrigerator. Add water, bring to a boil and cook 20 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth. Heat to boiling point, pour into hot, clean jars. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner. Approximate yield: 8 half-pints or 4 pints

 

For more information,contact your county office of the NDSU Extension Service or visit these Web sites:

Horticulture: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/horticulture.htm

Food Preservation: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food.htm

National Center for Home Food Preservation: www.uga.edu/nchfp/

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FN-590, Revised and reprinted August 2006