Peach Raspberry Jam – Jammin’ in the Kitchen

~With 3 peaches and about 1 1/2 cups of raspberries quickly reaching their “eat by” date it was time to find a use for both. Perfect choice, another small canning recipe. I like small recipes so I can be done in about an hour!

Peach Raspberry Jam

Ingredients:

• 3 peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries, washed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 (1-3/4oz) package powdered fruit pectin

1. Boil peached for 1 minute, put into cold water, peel. Pit and chop.
2. Puree peaches and raspberries. NOTE: if you are making jelly strain through a sieve to remove seeds and other bits.
3. Pour into a pan and add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Stir pectin into fruit mixture. I like to gently whisk in the pectin so it dissolves well.
5. Bring to rolling boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat and skim off foam. NOTE: you can always add about 1/2 teaspoon of butter or oleo to reduce foaming. I don’t want this oil in my jams and jellies.
7. Ladle into sterilized jars.
8. Place jars in rack in canner willed with boiling water Cover and gently boil for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from water and invert jars  for 5 minutes.
10. Turn right-side up, you should hear the seal pop.
11. Cool for at least 24 hours.

Makes approximately: 5 cups or 2 1/1 pints.

A question was asked why I invert the jars.  I could go into an entire physics explanation, air,metal, etc,  but the simple one is the hot jam will help with the seal, keeping out any air, air pressure outside of the jar is higher that inside, the jam against the seal insures air won’t enter. Turning it right-side up, the cold air outside of the jar exerts more pressure than the hot air inside of the jar so it forces the lid down. POP! Jar is sealed. I know some people leave upside down for 24 hours, but they’re missing the point of the two different air pressures. BTW -that’s why straws work: lower the air pressure in your mouth by sucking in. Air pressure on the liquid pushes it up into the straw and your mouth.  😎 Aren’t you glad you read this far?

Raspberry Curd But Not Whey

~Spending the entire day in a hot kitchen on my feet is not for me! Therefore, when canning it is only on a small scale. None of this all day canning a box full of fruit or vegetables for me. I don’t have the patience especially in this heat. Not to mention it’s just two of us now. Hubs brought home another 6 pack of raspberries from Costco so I decided it was time to try Raspberry Curd. My type of canning can be done in about an hour or less and doesn’t require that huge canner pot that Barb has, an 8 quart pan or soup pot will do. Also, I sterilize using my mom’s tip: Put jars in microwave for 3 minutes. The idea of using my Raspberry Curd on a muffin photo shoot this morning flew out the window when I broke the  1/2 jar of curd. 8-( This recipe makes 2 1/2 jars. I gave one jar to Barb. I’m saving the second jar for the winter when I’ll need hot tea and to eat something slathered in Raspberry Curd. So….

Raspberry Curd

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raspberries, blended with seeds removed
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup butter – cold and cut into pieces

Instructions:

• Blend the raspberries and push through sieve to remove seeds. Put into saucepan
• Briskly whisk the 3 eggs together and add to saucepan. Mix.
• Add the lemon juice and sugar.  Whisk together well.
• Stirring constantly, cook on medium heat until mixture starts to boil, usually around 5 – 6 minutes.  Curd should be thick at this stage.
• Turn off heat and briskly beat in the butter.
• Pour into small, sterilized canning jars. NOTE: Curl’s wrote a good explanation for sterilizing. Our mom gave the hint to wash jars and place in microwave for 3 minutes. I used this method of sterilization.
• Place in canner with boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. NOTE: See Curl’s canning pictures and explanation for better details.
• Take out of canner and place upside down for 5 minutes.
• Turn right-side up and you should hear the pop of the lids sealing.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups. I didn’t can the 1/2 cup, I left it out for us to eat immediately when cooled. YUM!

Butter Full of Crock

– So what to do with the rest of the plums? Butter butter butter! I love making and eating peach butter, because it is so easy, so why not plum butter?

Be sure to sterilize your jars, since you are not going to put the butter in a bath.  Put plums in a pot with water and cook until skins start to split. Remove.

Remove skins and pits. Place the plums in a crock pot.

Add sugar. I put in 3 cups. I didn’t make mine too sweet. I want try making different plum sauces.

Puree the plums. Use a hand mixer or a blender. Cook on low. Could take up to 24 hours. I stir when I think about it.

As you can see the plums turn a dark brown. They are not burnt. To check to see if your butter is ready. Place a small amount on a place. If there is no liquid around it, it is ready to put in jars. Remember to fill jars to 1/4″ from the top. Be sure the jars and lids are sterile.

Turn jars upside down. I turn them back over after they have cooled. They are now sealed. You are ready to use your plum butter. Enjoy. 🙂

Jammin’ in the Kitchen

 – I do love homemade jams. My mother taught us to can. I helped her every summer. When my husband came home with a box of plums, visions of plum jam danced in my head. Usually he brings home peaches from the Central Valley, but, alas, they did not have any peaches this time. It’s always exciting to try something new.

Out came the canning equipment and books. I always refer to the book, Ball Blue Book Guild To Home Canning, Freezing & Dehydration, for any question I have. Great book for beginners.

The jars and equipment are hand washed before using. I NEVER place the jars into the dishwasher. After awhile dishwasher detergent pits the glass and makes it look foggy. I prefer the jars to look crystal clear!

After they are cleaned, place the jars into a large pot filled with water as you put the jars in. This way you don’t over fill the pot with water. Bring the water to a boil and boil jars for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave jars in boiling water until time to use. I pour boiling water over the lids, rings and utensils and leave in water until time to use. I want everything to be sterile.

I used my new book, Better Homes and Gardens Can It!, to see how to cook plums. Chop up and pit the plums and measure 8 cups of the cut plums and put into a sauce pan with 1/2 cup of water. When the mixture begins to boil, cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour  the mixture back in to the measuring cup to make sure you have 6 cups of plums.  Pour mixture back in to the sauce pan and add 7 cups sugar and 1/2 cup of lemon juice.  Stirring  constantly until rolling boil. Add liquid pectin quickly and bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly for one minute. Remove from heat.

Place sterilized jars on a towel to insulate the jars from placing on cold surface. Cold surface could cause them to crack.

Fill jars to 1/4 inch from the top. Take a paper towel dip into hot water, and wipe jar rims. Place seal and ring on the jars.

Screw the lids on until you feel resistance. They should be snug.

Place jars into the large canning pot with water and cover.

After the the water starts to boil again, cook for 5 minutes.

Remove jars from bath and put in next batch. I  set the hot dripping jars on the counter by the stove, then they are moved to a larger area and spaced about 1-2 inches apart to cool.

You can hear the jars seal. After all the jars are sealed, remove the rings. This keep the rings from sticking to the jars and making it almost impossible to open. If you give any as a gift, you can replace the ring after cleaning the jar and ring.

Enjoy! 🙂 Look for my plum butter.