Things To Do 1. Review what you've learned by completing the following sentences.

a. Make sure three-fourths of the fruit is and one-fourth is

b. Boiling the jelly jars helps prevent ----- - --- ------ from forming on the jelly.

c. The is when drops run together and break from the spoon in a sheet.

d. Store jelly in a place.

e. Process the jars of jelly in a for 5 minutes.

2. Keep a record of the jelly you make. Use this chart. 3. Judge your jelly. Use this check sheet. Write yes or no in each square.

Number of Pints Time First Second Third

Date Fruit Used Made Who Helped Spent Batch Batch Batch Three-fourths of the fruit was ripe.

Color was good.

I cleaned up my mess. I shared my jelly with someone. I showed someone else how to make jelly.

NOTE: For further information, read Alabama Cooperative Extension Service Circular HE-395, "How To Make Jelly/Other Jellied Fruit Products," and the chapter on jelly making in HE-1, "Food Preservation in Alabama."

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Extension SYSTEM

LEAFLET YHE-29

Answers: a ripe, underripe; b. mold; c. jelly stage; d. cool, dry, dark; e waterbath canner

Revised by Evelyn Crayton, Extension Foods And Nutrition Specialist, Associate Professor, Nutrition and Food Science, Auburn University. Originally prepared by Isabelle Downey, former Specialist in Food Preservation.

For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find the number.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. TI1e Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Aubum University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, reUgion, sex, age, veteran status, or djsabiJity.

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@Foods & Nutrition

N ~Closer Look ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM, ALABAMAA&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES

10 Steps To Good Jelly

How would you like to hold up a sparkling glass of tempting jelly and tell your friends you made it? You can. It's rather easy to make delicious jelly. In fact, if you care­fully follow the steps below, you will come up with excellent jelly on your very first try.

This leaflet explains the boiling down jelly making method. Another popular method is the commercial pectin method. If you would like to try the commercial pectin method, follow the direc­tions on the pectin box. Then use this leaflet to record your jelly mak­ing activities.

Fruits The best fruits to use are ap­

ples, crabapples, blackberries, grapes, and plums. One pound of each of these fruits will make ap­proximately one pint of jelly. Never make more than 4 pints of jelly at a time. If you have had little or no experience, make only 1 pint at a time.

Supplies Fruit Large saucepans Jelly bag Jelly jars (pints) Screw bands & lids Jar lifter Waterbath canner 2 measuring cups Sugar Long-handled spoon Teaspoon Cup with handle Tongs Clean, damp cloth Tray

LEAFLET YHE-29

Step 1. Regardless of what you use, make sure that about three­fourths of the fruit is ripe and the other one-fourth not quite ripe. Only in this way can you have the right amount of acid and pectin (furnished by under-ripe fruit) and good flavor and color (furnished by ripe fruit) to make attractive and tasty jelly. Wash your fruit and drain it.

Step 2. Wash jelly jars and put them in a waterbath canner or pan. Cover them with water, boil for 15 to 20 minutes, and keep hot until used. This helps prevent mold growth on jelly. Prepare the lids by the directions on the box.

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Step 3. Cut large fruit into slices; barely crush small fruit. Place fruit in a shallow, wide saucepan.

Next, very carefully weigh your saucepan. Then carefully weigh your fruit in the pan. Subtract the pan's weight to get the weight of the fruit. Measure the exact amount of water needed.

• For 1 pound of blackberries or cultivated grapes, use 1/4 cup of water or less.

• For 1 pound of plums, use 1/2 cup of water.

• For 1 pound of apples or crabapples, use 3/4 to 1 cup of water.

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Step 4. Add the water to the fruit. Cook over medium heat. To prevent scorching, stir fruit occa­sionally. Count cooking time just after fruit begins to boil. Cook grapes, berries, and plums 5 to 10 minutes, apples 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 5. Pour the hot, cooked fruit into a jelly bag made of two thicknesses of flour sacks or thin material. Let the juice drip into a pan or bowl. Do not squeeze the bag. Doua.E

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Step 6. Add sugar to the dripped fruit juice in this amount:

• To each cup of apple, black­berry, cultivated grape, or plum juice, add 3/4 cup of sugar.

• To each cup of crabapple or wild grape juice, add 1 cup of sugar.

Pour sugar and juice into a large saucepan and stir. Remem­ber, never use more than 4 cups of juice at a time. If you are a be­ginner, use only 1 cup of juice. Bring the mixture quickly to a boil and then immediately begin mak­ing the jelly test. Boil rapidly until jelly stage is reached, usually 3 to 5 minutes after the juice begins to boil.

To test for the jelly stage, dip a large spoon into the boiling syrup; lift the spoon so that the syrup runs over its side. You will notice these three stages in your testing.

First Stage: The syrup runs off in a steady stream. Then it separates into two distinct lines.

Second Stage: The drops become heavier and run off more slowly.

Third Stage: The drops run to­gether and break from the spoon in a sheet, leaving the spoon clean. This is the jelly stage. Just as soon as the jelly stage is reached, remove the pan from the heat. Skim film off the jelly quickly. Have a clean, damp cloth handy.

Step 7. Remove jelly jars from the hot water, drain, and place on a tray.

Step 8. Hold the saucepan close to the center of the jelly jar. Pour the jelly carefully into the hot jelly jar so it does not splash or drip on the rim. A jar filler helps prevent spills. Or, you may use a cup with a handle to dip the jelly and pour it into the jar. Pour to within l/2 inch of the top. Prick or remove any bubbles with a long-handled spoon.

Step 9. Wipe the jar rim carefully with a clean, damp cloth. Put on the lid and screw band. Tighten.

Step 10. Put jars of jelly in the waterbath canner, cover with water 1 to 2 inches above the jar tops, and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from water and drain on tray. When the jelly is cool, label each jar with the name of the fruit and the date the jelly was made. Store jelly in a cool (under 70°F., if possible), dry, dark place.

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