Classic Sweet Pickle Relish

CANNING FOR A NEW GENERATION, page 131.  I used 6, 12 inch slicing cucumbers and removed the seeds.  I also omit the green pepper and use two sweet red peppers.  Delish!

Traffic Jam (Mixed Berry)

BEEP, BEEP!  I love this jam!

Its not always easy harvesting enough red or black raspberries for a single berry jam of either species, and while I've made blueberry jam in the past, I'm just not a big fan.

So, last year I started collecting berries (red, black, and blue) and freezing them.  When I felt I had enough, I thawed the mixed berries and began making my jam.  I had some leftover strawberries, so added those as well.  I have a friend that does the same thing and borrowed the silly title from her.  Its just SO appropriate!

For a truly successful berry jam, you must use a food mill to remove the blueberry skins.  I measure my berries, boil them just until soft, cool slightly and then puree them.  The screen in a standard food mill will catch most of the annoying little berry seeds, as well as the blueberry skins.

12 cups mixed berries (red raspberries, black raspberries, blue berries, strawberries)
6 cups sugar
splash lemon juice (no more than 1/4 cup)
1 pouch liquid pectin
2 tablespoons lemon thyme (optional)
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Follow the directions as posted above.  When fruit has been pureed, return it to the dutch oven and add sugar and lemon juice.  Cook at a controlled boil for about 15 minutes (1 teaspoon of jam should mound on chilled plate).  Skim foam, add thyme and pectin and boil one more minute.  Remove from heat and process for 10 minutes.

ENJOY!  BEEP, BEEP!

Herbed Strawberry Jam

12 cups hulled strawberries, halved
6 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
2 tablespoons fresh mint, or lemon thyme
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Combine all ingredients (except herbs) in very large dutch oven.  Cook over medium heat.  When fruit begins to soften, use potato masher to break down fruit.  Continue cooking until translucent and a teaspoon mounds on a chilled plate.  Skim foam, add herbs and liquid fruit pectin.  Boil one minute and remove from heat.  Process for 10 minutes in boiling water.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

6 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces (1 1/2 pounds)
3 cups hulled and halved strawberries
juice of 2 oranges (or a fair amount of zest)
1/2 cups lemon juice
4 - 6 cups sugar (taste)
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Combine all together in a large non-reactive pot (big dutch oven).  Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes translucent and 1 tsp jam mounds on a chilled plate (10 - 15 minutes).  Skim foam, and add liquid pectin.  Boil one minute and remove from heat.

Process for 10 minutes.

Jam Basics

I'm not sure I'll ever stop experimenting with my jam recipes (that's what makes canning/cooking fun), but thought I'd save myself a little of the annual aggravation by jotting down some of the constants.


TIPS:
Better to use a large shallow pot (I use my big enameled dutch oven) to cook jams.  The fruit will cook more evenly and thus, twice as fast.

Cook at a controlled boil and stir constantly so the fruit mixture doesn't scorch.  I love my silicone spoon (with the metal handle).  I bought one at Williams-Sonoma that has straight side so it swipes the curve at the bottom of my pot.

Don't be afraid to add a pouch of liquid fruit pectin once your jam has reached the desired consistency.  Boil jam for one minute (no longer) after adding pectin.

Its best to skim foam off of jam before adding the liquid pectin.

Add fresh herbs at the very end of cook time (or along with your pectin).  If you add them too soon, they become a bit chewy.

1 1/2 lbs of raw chopped raw fruit, equals roughly 6 cups; 2 lbs equals about 8 cups.  These are approximate measures.  Check Williams-Sonoma's Art of Preserving for more equivalents.  They include conversions in their recipes.

The pamphlet that comes in the liquid pectin boxes is a good cross reference for sugar and fruit amounts.

You only need to leave a 1/4 inch headspace for jams, and process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

  

Lemon-Peach Jam

Fresh lemon thyme gives a simple peach jam a tangy boost.  Don't worry about overpowering the peach jam.  The lemon thyme is really quite mild.

7 cups sugar

4 cups finely chopped, peeled peaches

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 T fresh lemon thyme

1/2 of a 6 ounce pouch liquid fruit pectin
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

Combine sugar, peaches, lemon juice and fresh lemon thyme in kettle.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened (the length of time you'll cook this, will depend upon how juicy your peaches are).

When liquid is reduced to desired consistency, add the fresh lemon thyme and liquid pectin.  Immediately bring back to a boil and boil hard for ONLY one minute.  Ladle hot jam into seven half-pint jars to 1/4 inch headspace.  Process. 

Bourbon Peach Jam

This is one of my families favorite jam recipes.  Is it any wonder?  They all love Bourbon?

7 cups sugar
4 cups finely chopped, peeled peaches
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 of a 6 ounce pouch liquid fruit pectin
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).


Combine sugar, peaches, lemon juice and bourbon in kettle.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened (the length of time you'll cook this, will depend upon how juicy your peaches are).

When the unwanted juice is reduced, stir in the liquid pectin.  Immediately bring back to a full boil.  Boil hard for one minute.  Remove from heat, and immediately ladle into prepared jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Makes 7 half-pints.

Strawberry-Orange Jam

This is a dressed-up version of simple strawberry jam, has a nice 'tang' to it.  It makes a great breakfast jam.

juice and zest from one medium orange (use a micro-plane grater)
3 pounds strawberries, hulled and sliced
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin (optional)
Check out Jam Basics before beginning (click here).

In large preserving pot, combine the berries, zest and orange juice. Use a potato masher to crush the berries, while simmering over medium-low heat.

Remove pan and add the sugar.  Stir over medium-high heat to dissolve the sugar.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring and skimming off the foam until a droplet mounds on a chilled plate.  Add fruit pectin and boil one minute.

Ladle the hot jam into sterilized half-pint jars and process ten minutes.

Surprise! Plum Jam

Each year I reluctantly passed by the deep, dark, purple prune plums at my local market because I never knew exactly what to do with them.  Then I stumbled upon a recipe for 'prune plum' jam.  Surprise, surprise!  What a delightful concoction.  The ruby red, plum jam is much like strawberry jam, but with a twist.

I started with a small batch (below - about 4 half pints) but went back and bought a full peck of plums, which yielded 8 half pints (I increased the sugar to 6 cups)

4 cups (2 pounds) of prune plums, pitted and cut into pieces.
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cups sugar

In a preserving pot, simmer plums and lemon juice for 10 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and ladle them into a food mill.  Grind to separate skins from pulp. You'll end up with a ruby-red juice/pulp.

Add the sugar, and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Raise the heat to medium-high and boil the jam until it mounds when dropped onto chilled dish.

Ladle the hot jam into sterilized jars and process for 10 minutes (boiling water bath).

Pear Honey with the Essence of Lemon

This is by far, one of my favorite jams.  The fresh lemon thyme (optional) really intrigued me.  I was so afraid it might overpower the subtle flavor of the pears, but went cautiously forward with it. I was delighted to find it gave the jam just the essence of lemon - perfect!

16 cups (about 6 pounds) of fresh, ripe, pears (peeled, cored and diced)
1 (20 ounce) can of crushed pineapple with syrup
10 cups sugar
1-2 T fresh lemon thyme leaves
1 T fresh lemon juice
Check out jam basics before beginning (click here).

Combine all ingredients in a large dutch oven.  Stir and cook over medium heat until clear, thick and golden (approximately 30 minutes).

Pour into sterilized half-pint jars (12 - 16).  Process 15 minutes boiling water bath.

Sweet Peach-Pepper Jam

I love this full-bodied version of a traditional pepper jelly.  It's fantastic spooned over a block of cream cheese, or served as an accompaniment to fish, chicken or pork.

I make this in late summer, when the local peaches and peppers are plentiful at the farmer's markets.  I used a combination of red bell peppers, sweet red banana peppers, and a hot inferno chile for an added kick!

I've included a 1/4 cup of bourbon in the list of ingredients. Its a fun variation (if you like bourbon)!

2 pounds (about 6) red bell peppers, or other mild red peppers
1 or 2 hot peppers (optional - add for heat)
2 pounds (about 6) peaches or nectarines, pitted, peeled, and chopped
3 lemons, halved
6 cups sugar
2 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon (optional)
1 pouch liquid pectin

Wash, split, seed and mince peppers (wear food service gloves!).  Put all in a bowl, and cover with boiling water.  Let stand until cool, and drain.

Juice the lemons, reserving the peels.  I cut my lemons in half, and extract the juice by twisting the lemon halves on an old fashioned hand juicer.

In a large pot, combine peppers, peaches, lemon peels and lemon juice.  Boil for 15 minutes.  Now, carefully remove the lemon peels.

Add the sugar and vinegar to the fruit mixture, and bring it to a boil again.  Simmer until the jam thickens and the excess juice is boiled down.  The length of cook time will depend upon how juicy the peaches are.  Remember, you are adding pectin, which should give the jam a more firm set.

Finally, add the liquid pectin.  Bring back to a boil, and boil hard for ONLY one minute.

Remove the pot from the heat, and ladle the jam into mason jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Let stand 2 weeks before opening.