Canning Guava Food

MEXICAN GUAVA JAM

Steps:

• Cut guavas in fourths but do not peel.
• Place in a small stainless steel or dutch oven with about 2 T. of water. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring to heat all of the guavas and they become mushy.
• Turn off the heat and spoon the guavas into a fine mesh strainer over a clean bowl and using a rubber spatula push the pulp and juice leaving only the seeds and peels.
• Return the contents of the bowl to the now cleaned dutch oven and add sugar and lemon juice.
• Return to heat to a boil for about 10 minutes. The natural pectin in the guavas will start to thicken the mixture. Cook to gel point. (If your batch seems thin you can add 3 T. Flex Batch Pectin from Ball. )
• Ladle mixture into 2 half pints and process in a water bath for 10 minutes at a full boil.

GUAVA JAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Place guavas in a medium-size saucepan and cover with the water. Turn heat to medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. The guavas will look soft.
• Remove the seeds using a spoon to scoop them out.
• Place guavas, sugar, and 1 cup of the cooking water in your blender. Process until it looks like a fine pure. Remove the rest of the liquid from the saucepan, this liquid can be used to make tea if you want.
• Return the guava mix to the saucepan and cook again in low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. The jam will be ready when you can see the bottom of the saucepan while stirring the jam.
• Pour the hot jam immediately into clean jars, close the lids tightly and place on your kitchen counter covered with a kitchen napkin or towel.
• After a couple of hours, you will hear a pop sound, which is the sound of the lids indicating that the jars are sealed. Wait until they are completely cool and store in your pantry for up to a year. Once you open a jar of your sweet and delicious jam, store in the fridge.

GUAVA JAM

Steps:

• Cut each guava into 8 pieces. Place in a pot and fill with water until guavas are just covered; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fruit is very soft, about 1 hour. Remove from the heal and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Strain contents of the pot through a fine mesh sieve into a 1-quart liquid measure, using a spatula to push fruit through the sieve so only seeds and skins remain. Take note, you should get about 4 cups fruit. Clean the pot and pour the fruit back in.
• For every cup of fruit, add 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Stirring constantly, bring to a simmer and continue to cook until sugar is dissolved and jam has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. If the jam thickens on its own and drips very slowly off a spoon, do not add pectin. However, if it does not thicken up enough, add liquid pectin and simmer for 1 minute longer. Pull off the heat.
• While jam is cooking, inspect six 1/2-pint jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until jam is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Fill hot, sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims with a moist paper towel to remove any residue. Top with lids and screw rings on tightly.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and let rest, several inches apart, for 12 to 24 hours. Press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area.