Yield: Makes about 8 x 250 ml jars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Processing Time: 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cooking fruit-sugar mixtures concentrates the naturally occurring pectin. To enhance natural pectin content in long-boil jams (no added pectin), prepare recipe using a mixture of 3/4 fully ripe and 1/4 slightly underripe fruit. These “long boil†soft spreads require longer cooking periods and a gel test.
INGREDIENTS:
8 cups (2000 ml) peeled, pitted and crushed peaches or pears
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
6 cups (1500 ml) granulated sugar
DIRECTIONS:
• Place 8 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.
• Combine fruit, lemon juice, sugar and water in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan; cook gently 10 minutes. To reduce foaming, add ½ tsp (2ml) butter or margarine to mixture, if desired.
• Bring mixture to a boil slowly, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, boil vigorously for until mixture reaches gel stage – about 15 minutes. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to avoid over-cooking or scorching.
Gel Stage Tests (Remove pot from heat while conducting selected gel test)
o Dip cool, metal spoon into jam. Lift spoon moving it away from steam. Gel Stage is reach when mixture sheets off spoon.
o Place spoonful of hot mixture on chilled plate; place plate in freezer until cooled. Gel is achieved when product does not run together when separated with spoon.
o Cook mixture to 220°F (104°C) or until it reaches a temperature that is 8°F (4°C) above the boiling point of water at your elevation.
• Quickly ladle hot jam into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more jam. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining jam.
• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 10 minutes.
• When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.
• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.
