Crabapple Jelly

Categories: Jam | Jelly | Jellies

Ingredients:

5.5 lb (2.5 kg) crabapples
5 cups (1250 ml) water
1 pkg (57 g) Fruit Pectin
7 cups (1750 ml) granulated sugar

Preparation:

Remove stems and blossom ends and cut in chunks.
Place prepared apples in a deep saucepan, add 5 cups water and simmer 5 minutes, covered.
Crush apples, and then simmer 5 minutes longer. Pour cooked fruit into a dampened jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined sieve over a large bowl.
Let juice drip, undisturbed, 2 hours or overnight (squeezing bag may cause cloudy jelly).
Place 7 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 sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C).
Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.
Measure sugar; set aside.
Measure 5 cups crabapple juice into a large deep stainless steel saucepan.
Whisk in Pectin until dissolved and add 1/2 tsp (2 ml) butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired.
Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Add all the sugar.
Stirring constantly, return mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
Boil hard 1 minute.
Remove from heat; skim foam if necessary.
Quickly ladle hot jelly into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (.5 cm) of top rim (headspace).
Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles.
Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness.
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 ensuring jars are covered by water.
Repeat for remaining jelly.
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, turn stove off, 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.

First Made:
2010-09-28

Yield:
7 x 250 ml jars