Famous Highbush Cranberry Jelly Food

HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Simmer the berries in the water (watch that the ratio is 2 c berries to 3 c water) for 10 minutes. Boil Rapidly for 3-5 minutes.
• Strain the liquid through a jelly bag or cheese cloth lined sieve overnight. Do not squeeze the mixture or your jelly will be cloudy.
• For each cup of juice, add 2/3 c white sugar. Stir it up well.
• I used 5 cups of juice and 4 1/2 c sugar for my batch.
• Bring to 220-222 degrees on candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat, skim off any foam.
• Pour into sterile jars and put in 5 minute water bath.
• OR: Bring juice and sugar to a boil, boil hard for 1 minute. Turn off heat, add pectin, stir well. Skim, fill jars and place in water bath 5 minutes.
• Enjoy your jelly!

FAMOUS HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Bring the berries and water to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Crush the berries or put through a food mill.
• Strain the juice in a cheesecloth-lined sieve.
• Add any additional water if need to bring the juice up to 5 cups.
• Bring the juice and sugar up to a boil.
• Add the margarine, then the liquid pectin.
• Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly boil hard for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Skim foam from surface and pour into sterile pint jars and seal.
• Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.
• NOTE: Highbush cranberries are a fruit of the honeysuckle, and completely different fruit than the lowbush or commercial cranberry.
• Highbush cranberries grow on a shrub with pointed leaves whereas cranberries grow on a vine with oval leaves.
• Highbush cranberries have a single seed, which needs to be removed.
• If you have ever smelled something reminiscent of stinky socks on a stroll through the bush, you are likely very close to a good patch of highbush cranberries.
• The seeded pulp of the highbush cranberry can be used interchangeably with the pulp of the regular cranberry in any recipe.

CHAMPAGNE BLUSH JELLY

Steps:

• Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
• Combine raspberry juice and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar and return to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in champagne. Skim off foam if necessary.
• Ladle hot into hot jars leaving 1 /4 inch. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until it's fingertip tight.
• Process in a boiling boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

HOMEMADE CRANBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Combine the first three above ingredients and simmer until the berries begin to burst. Remove from the heat and taste. If it's too sweet for you, add a bit of lemon juice to increase the tartness.
• If it's too tart, you can add a bit more sugar and return to the heat in order until the sugar is integrated.
• Once the flavors are adjusted and the fruit has cooled a bit run it through a food mill or press it through a sieve, to remove the skins.
• Pour into clean jars (leaving 1/2 inch head space), wipe rims, apply lids (make sure to simmer your lids at approximately 180 degrees for about ten minutes prior to use) and process in a boiling water canner for fifteen minutes (starting the time when the canner returns to a boil).
• This recipe makes just a bit more than a pint (I filled a pint and a four-ounce jar).
• If you can't help but mess around with recipes, try adding some cinnamon, orange zest or a bit of vanilla bean (it's delicious, it just didn't match the food memory I was trying to satisfy). Make it your own!

HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY JAM

Steps:

• In a large covered kettle, simmer cranberries and water for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Press berries through a strainer; discard skins. Strain mixture through a double layer of cheesecloth (juice will drip through; discard or set aside for another use). Measure 6 cups of the pulp that remains in the cheesecloth and place in the kettle. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour into freezer containers. Cool. Refrigerate or freeze.

STRAWBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Prepare Strawberries-.
• Place three layers of damp cheesecloth or a jelly bag in a medeium glass bowl.
• Cap strawberries then crush.
• Pour prepared berries in the cheesecloth or jelly bag.
• Tie off cheesecloth and let hang over bowl for 3 hours, pressing gently if needed to get 3 and 3/4 cups juice.
• Prepare waterbath canner, jars, lids and rings.
• In an 8 quart saucepan add strawberry and lemon juice together.
• Stir in lemon juice.
• Add Butter.
• Bring to a full, rolling boil stirring constantly.
• Stir in pectin.
• Return to full boil.
• Boil 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and ladle into clean, hot sterile jars.
• Wipe rims, cap and seal.
• Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.
• Let stand on a rack or clean towel until cool-check seals.
• Makes about 8 half pints.

WILD CRANBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Note: 3 1/2 cups of wild cranberries equals 3 cups of prepared juice.
• ------Day1------.
• Pick cranberries.
• Remove stems and leaves.
• Wash and drain.
• Prepare a pan as a strainer.
• This is done by using 2-3 layers of good cheesecloth, (or you can use an old but clean linen dish towel).
• Drape over a large pan and secure with clothes pins.
• A large enamel basin works well.
• Using a stock pot or a large canning pot, add berries.
• Add water to barely cover the berries.
• Bring to a boil.
• Turn down heat to medium or medium low.
• Continue cooking until cranberries start popping and they look translucent.
• (about 1-2 hours) Pour the cranberries onto the prepared strainer.
• Do not handles the berries, even with a spoon, while draining.
• (Handling the berries will make a cloudy jelly.) Drain overnight.
• ----------Day2-----------.
• Measure out 3 and 1/2 cups of the wild cranberry juice into a stockpot or small canning pot.
• Add the 7 cups of sugar.
• Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.
• Add the 2 pouches of"Certo" or"Fruit Jel", still stirring, and bring back to full boil.
• Boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and let sit 3 minutes.
• Skim the form off with a skimmer or metal spoon.
• Pour quickly into prepared jars.
• Process jars.
• (Note: Instead of processing the jars I pour melted parrafin over the top of jell. About 0.125 of an inch. Cover with lids and let cool on a towel.) Once jars are cool, test each one for a seal by pressing the center of the lid.
• The lid should not flex up and down.
• If it does fefrigerate or reprocess with a new lid.
• Note: Apple juice can be added to the wild cranberry juice if there isn't quite enough juice to equil the 3 1/2 cups.