Canning Cookbook- Triple Cherry Jam

The other night the Little Lake House, and a whole lot of others in Iowa, were rocked by storm after storm after storm. All day long, starting in the early morning, the rain and thunder and lightning just kept coming. Tornado sirens sounded in the nearby town of Dexter and like it always does, the satellite tv signal was knocked out by the storm. Even at nearly 3 a.m. the storm raged on. In the morning much of Iowa awoke to flooded roads, rivers bursting out of their banks, basements turned into indoor pools, and storm debris all over.

photo courtesy of Chris Winget

One casualty of the storm was a cherry tree at the aquaponics farm a few miles away. Checking my email this morning I was surprised to see Cherries!! in the subject line. I had no idea they even had fruit trees! The tree's misfortune was my good luck, because I scored a big bag of fresh sour cherries for a mere $3.00. While chatting with the farm owner, he hinted that this is the perfect amount of cherries for a pie. Good idea, although I already had plans for these guys.

It's getting to be canning season around here again. The pile of empty jars in the storage room is growing and the cupboards are starting to look a little bit like Old Mother Hubbard's cupboards. The tomatoes and tomato jam are long gone. So is the salsa, and many of the jams. A few odd pickles remain, a few pints of salsa verde, several jars of green beans, and a decent stash of apple butter. The cherry jam I made before has been gone for months and I've been waiting patiently for cherry season so I can replenish my stash. As you can imagine, I wasn't too heartbroken to hear about the rush sale on cherries at the farm (although losing the tree means there will be a lot fewer cherries next year) because I got a great head start on pitting cherries tonight. Those have been safely stashed in the fridge, and tomorrow I'll grab some sweet juicy Bing cherries, and my very favorite, Rainier cherries, to add to the pot. They will add a new dimension of cherry deliciousness to my jam and beautiful color too.

photo courtesy of Chris Winget

Triple Cherry Jam

2 cups chopped pitted sour cherries

1 cup pitted chopped Bing cherries

1 cup pitted chopped Rainier cherries

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 box powdered pectin

5 cups sugar

Pit and chop the cherries. I like to use a food processor to chop the cherries. Just add the pitted cherries to the workbowl and pulse several times to desired size. I like to keep some larger chunks of fruit in the jam so I only pulse two or three times. Measure 4 cups fruit. Place in large heavy stockpot with the lemon juice and pectin.

Sour cherries, pitted and ready to go.

Bing cherries and Rainier cherries

Measure the sugar and set aside.

Place the stockpot over medium high heat and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugar all at once. Return to boil, stirring the entire time, and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and skim foam.

Ladle the hot jam into prepared canning jars to 1/4 inch headspace. Fix lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Let jars cool undisturbed overnight before removing the rings and checking seals.

I had enough cherries to make a double batch BUT you should never double a batch of jam or jelly. You might end up with a jam that doesn't set properly. Make two batches instead. You don't even have to wash the stockpot between batches, just add the fruit and cook the next batch. Each batch makes about 8 8-oz jelly jars.

Next up on the agenda? Popping an English muffin in the toaster, slathering that bad boy with real butter and adding a nice big spoonful of this luscious cherry jam. It's also really good served with a creamy cheese as part of a cheese plate, spooned onto a slice of cheesecake or even as part of the PB&J.

NOTE: This recipe has not been tested by the NCHFP. If you are not comfortable canning untested recipes, please do not use this one. Having said that, cherry jam is a basic recipe and this one differs from tested recipes only in the fact that there is more than one type of cherry in the mixture. Acidity is not affected.

Canning Cookbook- Spiced Kumquat Jam

Lots of ladies in a canning group I am in have been talking about kumquats lately. Some people like to can them whole in a light syrup. I thought they would be better in a jam, which is how I'd be more likely to eat them. If you haven't seen them before, kumquats are teeny tiny citrus fruits, about the size of grape tomatoes.

Because kumquats are relatively expensive here in the frozen Midwest, I didn't have pounds of fruit to work with. I had to buy a package and work with that. I wanted something not too similar to a marmalade, as the kumquats have very tender peels, and wanted to use as much of the pulp as possible. I also supplemented the pulp with a couple of oranges, cheating, I know, but I didn't want to shell out $10-15 in fruit for a single jar of jam. 

Spiced Kumquat Jam

1/2 lb kumquats
2 oranges
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 cups water
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves

Cut the kumquats into quarters. Scrape the pulp into a bowl and set the peel aside. 

Remove any seeds from the pulp and any large pieces of membrane. I was glad I bought the oranges because the inside of the kumquats were not juicy at all. 

Finely chop the peel. Zest both oranges and add to the kumquat peel. Cut the orange into pieces and cut out as much pulp as possible, leaving the peel and membrane behind. It's easier if you cut the orange into supremes first, but you don't have to go to so much trouble. Be sure to do so over a bowl to catch all the juice.

Combine everything in a saucepan and bring to boil. Adjust the sugar according to the tartness of the fruits. Simmer until you reach the jelling point. If you use a thermometer, it's 220 degrees.

Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves and ladle the jam into a jar. Cover and store in the fridge.

I ended up with about a half pint of jam, so it wasn't something I would process for shelf storage. Now if I lived in a warm climate and had access to several pounds of kumquats I sure would, and follow the processing time for orange marmalade.

The spice flavor was very subtle in this jam, and the kumquat peels are so delicate they really softened up during cooking. I like marmalade but the peel in marmalade has a definite "bite" to it- not the case here. This is something I'd definitely make again but heat not quite to the jelling point and use it as pancake syrup. This jam is going to be perfect with freshly baked biscuits!

Canning Cookbook- Gettin' Kinky and Jammin'

Gooseberries! When is the last time you guys saw or ATE a gooseberry? The old standard of my childhood, something once grown in every grandmother's garden, the gooseberry has all but disappeared from modern gardens, but oh how I remember that puckery super tart little gem growing in my grandmother's backyard. Growing up it was common to see gooseberries in those little green plastic square baskets like cherry tomatoes used to be sold in, for sale in every grocery store and local fruit market, but now, if you're lucky, you might find some at a farmers' market.

The lovely gooseberry

Well, since being inspired by a pie recipe I came across over the cold winter months, I have been on a quest to find these tasty little memories and create something new and "totally me" and you can't get more ME than a boozy jam. The hunt has finally paid off- gooseberries at the farmers' market in Stuart. The hunt for this delicious little tidbit has also unearthed a fascinating discovery- the wild gooseberry. Even better, apparently the woods surrounding the Little Lake House is just teeming with them. After The Chef's recent battle with a tick, we are a little reluctant to go scampering into the woods. Luckily, the gentleman at the farmers' market is NOT so he can do the hunting and I will gladly pay him.

Beautiful red gooseberries 

I love fruit combinations when making jams. Many times I will find myself with a little bit of this fruit, and a half cup of these berries in the freezer, maybe half a bag of some other fruit- not enough of any one to make a single fruit recipe but enough combined fruits for an interesting flavor combo, and adding a boozy kick is right up my alley. Adding liquor to jams and sauces really ups the flavor impact and the alcohol cooks off so you don't have to worry about catching a buzz with your eggs and bacon. I have decided to pair my gooseberries with one of my very favorite berries, the blueberry. To me it just seemed like a natural combination- like peas and carrots! Similar in size, they will cook uniformly and won't required any chopping beforehand- easy peasy in the pot they go. Because I have added alcohol I won't want to use pectin in this recipe. Instead I'll use the "old fashioned plate test" to see when the jam has reached the jelling point. Don't worry- it's super easy and you may never go back to using pectin.

So let's get started with this crazy boozy jam I am going to call Kinky Blue Goose Jam. You will need:

• 6 cups fresh blueberries
• 4 cups fresh gooseberries
• 7 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup Kinky Blue liqueur
• zest of one lime

Place a small plate in the freezer. In a very large stockpot, slightly crush the berries. Mix in the Kinky, sugar and zest. Bring to a full rolling boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring frequently, about 30-35 minutes. At this time, remove the plate from the freezer. Place a couple drops of jam on the plate and tilt. If the jam is firm and doesn't run, it's ready to jar. If it's too thin, continue cooking, checking every 5-10 minutes. When ready, remove from heat. Skim off foam if needed and ladle into hot jars. Adjust lids and rings and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes (pints and half pints).

**You can omit the liqueur if you don't want to use alcohol.

Interestingly, the gooseberries I purchased from the farmers' market were a mixture- half cultivated gooseberries from bushes in the garden, and half from the wild, and were a nice mix of green and red gooseberries. Combined with the blueberries, the color of the jam is so beautiful and rich.

Every year it seems like I send up making way more jams than we reasonably need, but that's not a bad thing. It gives me something to give away as a last minute gift and something to swap with other canners. It's also a fun way to experiment with flavors, and create something totally unique.

It's hard to see in the picture but the gooseberries are easily
seen in the jam

***Berry pics from WikipediaCommons

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Canning Cookbook- Apples and cranberries should be best friends!!

I just can't help it. I am a canning fool. It's just soooooo addicting! Besides stocking my own cupboards with delicious, healthy, chemical-free foods I always have something handy for an impromptu gift. 

Autumn in Iowa brings an abundance of fresh apples, and I have friends with apple trees that let me pick all I want for free. That's the giving spirit and generosity of small town folks. Autumn also brings fresh cranberries to all the grocery stores, and it's so easy to stock up when they're on sale and toss them in the freezer. Many months later when it's cold and snowy outside I can reach into my freezer and grab a bag of cranberries and a bag of frozen apple chunks and cook up some really delicious things. Cakes, pies, bread, muffins.....and jam.

Baking and canning are two things that I truly enjoy. Today we're going to talk about canning- jam. I love this fall combo of flavors. The sweet apples pair perfectly with tart cranberries. It's one of my favorite fall combinations. Goes wonderfully with nuts such as pecans and walnuts. This jam recipe is not overly sweet so it also makes a great topping for cheesecakes, cookie filling, whatever needs a little fall brightness.

To make this Apple Cranberry Sauce you will need:

6 cups fresh cranberries
6 cups cored, peeled, diced fresh apples
3 cups granulated sugar
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 cup apple cider (I'm using 1 cup sweet white wine)
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large stockpot combine the cranberries, apples, lemon juice, zest, cinnamon and apple cider. Mix well. Bring to a boil slowly and simmer over medium low heat until cranberries pop and apples are tender, using a wooden spoon to breakup and smash the fruit a little to break it up but keep some texture.  Continue boiling, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until mixture becomes thick and coats the spoon. It can take a while, as long as an hour. Another option is to cook overnight (or all afternoon) in the crockpot, but you would have to make sure to have the lid ajar at some point to help evaporate the excess liquid and thicken up the jam.

Prepare canning jars and ladle hot jam into hot, sterile jars. Adjust lids and rings and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Like almost all jam recipes, if you prefer NOT to can this, you can ladle into jars or containers and freeze or store in the fridge. It won't be shelf stable but it will last a long time.

You'll notice there is no added pectin in this recipe. Cranberries and apples are naturally high in pectin, so it's not needed, and the longer cook time help aid in gelling. You can also make this recipe substituting pears for the apples. You can add nuts to make a conserve-like spread but I prefer to add nuts at the time of serving so they retain their crunchy texture. Like almost any recipe, you are only limited by your imagination!

One night while browsing online I found a similar recipe that looks even MORE delicious, so I thought I'd share that one with you too. It was posted by Judy A. Martin in the Country Farm Girl recipe group on Facebook and she called it Winter Jam.

In a saucepan combine one 12 oz bag of cranberries, 2 medium apples, cored and chopped (peel or not- up to you), 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil to begin breaking down the fruit. Add 1-2 cups of sugar (depends on how sweet your apples are),and an 8 oz can crushed pineapple UNDRAINED, 2 tbs lemon juice. Boil until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick. Fill hot jars, fix lids and process in BWB for 10 minutes. Approx. 5-6 half pints.

I think Judy's recipe sounds fantastic and I'll be making that as well !! I'm so sure it's delicious I am going to make a DOUBLE batch !!

Canning Cookbook- Apple Pie Jam

Here is an oldie but goodie- a remnant from the pre pre pre Facebook days of the Gardenweb. Back in those days I'd spend hours and hours chatting with gardeners from al over the world, talking plants, harvesting, recipes, herbs. Lots of the other gardeners were also big into preserving their garden gems, and a lot of my canning knowledge and "training" if you will came from sharing with these folks. 

Lots of great pickle recipes came from this group, and jams, oh the jams. So many variations on the common, unspecial single fruit jams. Whether it was a combination of fruits or the simple addition of an unexpected herb or spice (like the jars of Apple Sage Jelly I use to glaze pork with), I discovered so many wonderful flavors. It was kind of like an online canning class !

One of the earliest recipes I learned was Linda Lou's Apple Pie Jam. While I don't recall ever seeing a jar of her jam I set out to make my own. I learned a few mistakes- #1- not dicing the apple into small enough bits. I ended up with big chunks of apple floating at the top of the appley yummy jelly. Easy to fix by stirring it all back down when you open it but less than desirable when you look at the jars in the cabinet. #2- Don't rush. It's always better to have a canning project take all day than cram multiple projects into one day- especially jam and jelly making. #3- use quality ingredients and follow the directions EXACTLY. Especially important if you're using a recipe calling for pectin. Powder and liquid are used in very different ways and at different times in the cooking process. #4 Prep all your ingredients before you turn on the heat. Chop everything. Measure everything. Have it all within arms reach. When you're making jam you will be doing a lot of stirring. You cannot risk taking the time to measure out sugar while your fruit mixture is scorching in the pot.

As I mentioned above, I probably should have chopped the apple up MUCH smaller. Maybe I assumed it would break down more. It did not. I followed the directions exactly, same proportions, but I seemed to have alot less apple than liquid.  It tastes good, maybe it will settle and improve as it cools and settles in the jars... we'll see. (and again, it did not- the fruit stayed at the top) But if not it will be a lovely pancake or waffle syrup by warming it up a little to melt.

                                                        

So let's get started with a pretty easy and definitely delicious jam. Just remember- chop that apple FINE !!

APPLE PIE JAM

4 cups tart apples, peeled and finely chopped

2 tb lemon juice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

4 cups sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 box pectin

1/2 tsp butter

Add water to chopped apples to measure 4 cups. Place in large heavy saucepan, stir in lemon juice, spices and pectin. Add butter. Bring to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. 

                                                         

Quickly stir in both sugars, bring to full rolling boil, boil one minute. Remove from heat, skim off any foam, ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

                                                         

****** I have taste-tested one jar that didn't seal and it's really very delicious ! I stirred the apple pieces back down into the jelled liquid and it's just fine. It even stayed well mixed afterwards. Next time I make this (and I will !!) I will very very finely dice the apple or possibly shred it using a large shredding disk on the food processor and really pack it into the measure to get more apple into the jam.

Canning Cookbook- Life is a bowl of cherries......and blueberries

It's always a great idea to keep frozen fruit on hand- you never know when you have a free afternoon, some empty jars, and need something to do. I love making combinations of fruits for jams- you get a nice variety of flavors and textures! And if you're daring enough you can add half a cup or so of fruity schnapps,or wine, and make a luscious boozy jams (which is ok for kids too, since you cook almost all the alcohol off).

So far, I just finished up a batch of Cherry Blueberry Jam and it's gorgeous !! I used the cute little jars I found the other day and some small jelly jars to get 8 jars out of the batch, and here is the easy recipe !!

Cherry Blueberry Jam

1 1/2 cup sour cherries
2 cups blueberries
1 package powdered pectin
4 cups sugar

Finely chop cherries and blueberries.

Combine in pot with pectin.

I let mine sit just a little bit because the BWB wasn't quite boiling yet. Over medium high heat bring the mixture to a full boil, stirring constantly. Add full measure of sugar, stir well. Bring to full rolling boil. Boil 1 minute.

Pour jam into hot, sterilized jars, wipe rim and fix lids. Attach rings until finger tight. Process in BWB for 10 minutes, remove to clean towel and allow to cool.

I had about half a small jar leftover so I put it in a custard cup and tucked it in the fridge- on a piece of toast as a taste test- it's a winner !!

FYI- I stocked up on blueberries and cherries when they were on sale and froze them loose-pack so I can measure out as much as I need for each recipe.

Canning Cookbook- In a bit of a jam!!

Last summer my very very good friend Andi turned me into an addict. Yes, a helpless, wandering back alleys, looking for my fix addict. Drugs ??? Naaaa nothing that simple. Tomato jam !!!!! Yes, darn tomato jam. So bad that I'd get caught standing in front of the open fridge, jar in hand, spoon in mouth. I thought I might end up in rehab at the Betty Crocker Clinic.

But thankfully no, she shared the recipe, and now that tomato season is finally here, I can fire up my JAM PRODUCTION ZONE and get my fix. 

Anyway, I am just completely NUTS over this jam. Originally the recipe came from Serious Eats but I had to tweak a few ingredients based on what I had and my accessibility in a rural area but the end result is equally delicious and now I don't have to ration my ONE jar. I have over ten !!!! Also, I doubled their recipe and made two double batches. It takes ALOT longer than 2 1/2 hours to cook down so make sure you have plenty of time, and stir often as it thickens up. It also thickens once it's cooled

6 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped (12 cups)

4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger

2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

Combine all ingredients in large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture reaches a thick, jam-like consistency, which can take several hours. Stir OFTEN to prevent scorching as it thickens up.

Once you have the desired consistency, prepare jars for water bath canning, fill and process for 15 minutes, or pour jam into clean, hot jars and store in fridge.

I PROMISE once you try it, you will be just as hooked as me, and it makes an AWESOME BLT in the middle of winter when no decent tomatoes are to be found.

Canning Cookbook- One of many canning experiments

One of the best parts of spring in Iowa is the abundance of fresh rhubarb. Seems like every yard has it. Seems like no one likes it. Except me !! I love it !! I am lucky enough to have lots of friends who don't pick theirs, so they let me. 

I have loads of rhubarb recipes (hope YOU like it too !!) but one of my very favorites is one of my older recipes that I've been making for a long long time and combines two of my favorite fruits- rhubarb, of course, and blueberries. Sooooo love blueberries. I wish I could grow them, but I would need a forest of blueberry bushes to keep me happy.

Canning your own food used to be a "lost food art". No one did it anymore except people who were stockpiling for the end of civilization. Oh sure, a lot of people remembered their grandmother or mother canning, but not a lot of modern women were still doing it. Maybe because so many of us worked full time jobs, or were busy hauling kids around to various activities. Having a deeply rooted interest in food and cooking got me interested in canning. Today canning is making a huge comeback- spurred on by people being more aware of what's IN your food, GMOs, how things are processed, factory cleanliness, protecting our heirloom plants. But for me, it was a step back in time, and away from the modern world of processed foods, convenience eating and rush rush rush.

When I was first learning about canning, I started with tomatoes. Everyone should start with tomatoes, I think, and once you are comfortable with tomatoes, jams are a great next step, with some of the easiest recipes, with very little failure. There isn't much complicated about making a really good jam, especially if you use pectin. If you can read directions, you got this! 

Over the course of a season and many batches of jam later, I will most certainly end up with leftover bits of this and that. A cup of cherries, a freezer bag full of peaches. Something I used in a recipe and just had too much of. I love making combinations with these odds and ends, and some of my best jams have come from a few bags of scraps and leftovers, like this one- when blueberries go on sale I go all out. I buy LOADS. They are easy to wash, spread out on a sheet pan and freeze, then bag up. Throw a handful in pancake batter, cake mix- whatever you want. So when I had a little bit of rhubarb, and a little bag of blueberries....... the brain got going........

Blueberry Rhubarb Jam

3 1/2 cups rhubarb, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup water

2 1/4 cups blueberries, coarsely chopped

1 TB lemon juice

1 box powdered pectin

5 1/2 cups sugar

Prepare jars for canning.

In a large stockpot combine rhubarb and water, bring to boil. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add blueberries, lemon juice and pectin, stir to mix well. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat while stirring constantly. Add sugar all at once, return to boil stirring constantly. Boil hard for exactly one minute. Remove from heat.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, fix lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes (start time after water returns to full boil). Remove from water, and allow to cool away from drafts and enjoy the ping ping ping.

Wasn't that EASY ?? Let me just say before you go rushing off coming up with combinations- there is a SCIENCE to canning, and the matter of safety. In general, when you're making a 50/50 combo like this one, the best way to ensure a good and safe product is to consult the instructions that come with the pectin. Find both fruits, halve the ingredients and use those measurements. Yes, it can be a little fussy but you want a jam that gels well and the pH isn't all wacky (pretty rare but it can happen). Once you are more familiar with canning, or if you're already at the top of your game- THEN experiment, and most importantly- HAVE FUN!