Black Currant Jelly
| Ingredients |
| 5 lb (2.3 kg) black
currants
|
| 1 cup (250 ml) water
|
| 7 cups (1425 ml)
granulated sugar
|
| 1 pouch (85 ml) BERNARDIN
Liquid Pectin
|
• Wash and stem black currants. Combine currants and water in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and boil gently 5 minutes, crushing occasionally. Pour prepared mixture into dampened jelly bag or cheese cloth-lined sieve suspended over a deep container. Let juice drip undisturbed, at least 2 hours or overnight. For quicker results, squeeze bag; juice may be cloudy.
• Place 8 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 SNAP LID¬Æ sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180¬∞F/82¬∞C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.
• Measure 5 cups (1.25 L) prepared juice into a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. (If necessary, add applie juice or water to obtain required quantity of currant juice.) Stir in all the sugar. To reduce foaming, add 1/2 tsp (2 ml) butter or margarine. Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add liquid pectin, squeezing entire contents from pouch. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam, if necessary.
• Quickly pour jelly into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more jelly. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. 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. 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 ‚Äìboil filled jars ‚Äì 10 minutes.*
• When processing time is complete, 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 lids 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.Makes about 8 x 250 ml jars.