Comments on: When Life Hands You Crab Apples, Make Jelly http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/ Ruminations on life in the cheap lane by Hodding Carter Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:42:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Thom Mitchell http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-366 Thom Mitchell Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:01:21 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-366 Hodding, I've really enjoyed your columns. Given your love and pursuit of homemade alcoholic beverages - you should really try and make cider next year with some of these crab apples. The tartness of the crabapples really adds flavor and oomph to cider - in fact traditionally cider apples weren't eaten because they were too tart or acidic. If you blend your crab apples with several bushels of other apples - you can ferment out 10-20 gallons of hard cider. Thanks for all of your writing. Hodding, I’ve really enjoyed your columns. Given your love and pursuit of homemade alcoholic beverages - you should really try and make cider next year with some of these crab apples. The tartness of the crabapples really adds flavor and oomph to cider - in fact traditionally cider apples weren’t eaten because they were too tart or acidic. If you blend your crab apples with several bushels of other apples - you can ferment out 10-20 gallons of hard cider.
Thanks for all of your writing.

]]> By: Jen http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-146 Jen Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:56:38 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-146 The National Center for Home Food Preservation (based out of the University of Georgia) is, along with the Ball Blue Book, the reigning expert source for home canning. All of their information is based on significant scientific testing. While some of it may seem a little like overkill since cases of botulism are rather rare, if you truly want to be sure that what you have canned is safe to eat, their information is fool-proof, as are their recipes. If you ever have questions, you can also email them and one of their experts will respond. I have done so and the information provided was invaluable. By the way, they do not recommend oven canning as every oven is different (temperature regulation wise) and dry heat is very slow to penetrate the jars/food. http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html The National Center for Home Food Preservation (based out of the University of Georgia) is, along with the Ball Blue Book, the reigning expert source for home canning. All of their information is based on significant scientific testing. While some of it may seem a little like overkill since cases of botulism are rather rare, if you truly want to be sure that what you have canned is safe to eat, their information is fool-proof, as are their recipes. If you ever have questions, you can also email them and one of their experts will respond. I have done so and the information provided was invaluable.

By the way, they do not recommend oven canning as every oven is different (temperature regulation wise) and dry heat is very slow to penetrate the jars/food.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html

]]> By: ducphat http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-123 ducphat Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:13:17 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-123 Check out Christine Ferber's work. She has a jam book out that puts you step through step of making your own pectin as well as the oven canning technique which works head and shoulders above the boiling technique. The heat is not as damaging to your canned product as the boiling technique while still reaching the proper sanitation temperatures. Check out Christine Ferber’s work. She has a jam book out that puts you step through step of making your own pectin as well as the oven canning technique which works head and shoulders above the boiling technique. The heat is not as damaging to your canned product as the boiling technique while still reaching the proper sanitation temperatures.

]]> By: clf http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-120 clf Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:13:58 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-120 You're welcome Hodding! Just to be clear, when you sterilize the jars and lids in the oven prior to filling them, all the parts should be separate. (In other words, don't screw the lid on the jar and put the whole thing in the oven.) And, of course, make sure your jars and lids are scrupulously clean before you put them in the oven. All the other rules of canning still apply, like wiping any extra jam off the jar edge before you put the lid, using clean towels, etc. (Though as I mentioned, June does not like to leave much room at the top of the jar, preferring to fill it up almost to the brim.) After the jars cool overnight their lids should depress, letting you know that there is a seal. However, if you want to be really sure, try prying them open with your hand (if you can't, then you know for sure there is a vacuum seal). If you are able to pry a lid open with your bare hand, no problem. Just put that jam jar in the fridge. Here's a video of June talking about marmalade. http://www.chow.com/stories/10695 You’re welcome Hodding! Just to be clear, when you sterilize the jars and lids in the oven prior to filling them, all the parts should be separate. (In other words, don’t screw the lid on the jar and put the whole thing in the oven.) And, of course, make sure your jars and lids are scrupulously clean before you put them in the oven. All the other rules of canning still apply, like wiping any extra jam off the jar edge before you put the lid, using clean towels, etc. (Though as I mentioned, June does not like to leave much room at the top of the jar, preferring to fill it up almost to the brim.)

After the jars cool overnight their lids should depress, letting you know that there is a seal. However, if you want to be really sure, try prying them open with your hand (if you can’t, then you know for sure there is a vacuum seal). If you are able to pry a lid open with your bare hand, no problem. Just put that jam jar in the fridge.

Here’s a video of June talking about marmalade. http://www.chow.com/stories/10695

]]> By: Hodding http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-105 Hodding Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:08:19 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-105 Hey, clf. Thanks so much for all this information. We've got some more crab apples and will give this way a try. Sounds so much better. THANKS! Hey, clf. Thanks so much for all this information. We’ve got some more crab apples and will give this way a try. Sounds so much better. THANKS!

]]> By: clf http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-95 clf Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:03:43 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-95 Hi Hodding- Well, I found you *because* of Gourmet's demise. So lucky me! I'm a laid off food editor also living the frugal life. A few years ago I took a class with master jam maker June Taylor http://www.junetaylorjams.com/ (check out her "about" section for press). June taught us that you don't need to can jam jars in boiling water. In fact, she doesn't can hers this way. Just do this. Start with clean jars. Put them in 210 degree (something like that, please don't hold me to this exact number, but it's low) oven (with their lids) on a baking sheet. Let them sit there while you make the jam or jelly. Put the boiling jam in the hot jar as soon as you take it out of the oven. Fill it to the top (none of this head room stuff, June doesn't believe in it). Put the lid on and tighten immediately. (June likes to use some industrial rubbery type grippy gloves from Home Depot.) This is best done by two people. One pours, the other puts the lids on. Let the jars sit out overnight until they cool completely. June Taylor also makes her own pectin (she never uses commercial pectin) and she uses less sugar in her jams than most commercial jam makers do. (More economical and brings the flavor of the fruit forward.) Her jams cost $13 for a tiny jar. So give yourself that much credit per jar when you consider the value of yours. (Especially if you are bartering with them.) She also makes use of jams that don't gel properly by turning them into syrups. (For topping pancakes with or making your own "sodas," cocktails, adding to salad dressings, etc.) When I was there she was experimenting with some ancient recipe for fruit leather. We can learn so much from artisanal food makers. Nothing goes to waste in June Taylor's kitchen, from the fruit's pith to the pips and the peel. Hi Hodding-
Well, I found you *because* of Gourmet’s demise. So lucky me!

I’m a laid off food editor also living the frugal life. A few years ago I took a class with master jam maker June Taylor http://www.junetaylorjams.com/ (check out her “about” section for press). June taught us that you don’t need to can jam jars in boiling water. In fact, she doesn’t can hers this way. Just do this. Start with clean jars. Put them in 210 degree (something like that, please don’t hold me to this exact number, but it’s low) oven (with their lids) on a baking sheet. Let them sit there while you make the jam or jelly. Put the boiling jam in the hot jar as soon as you take it out of the oven. Fill it to the top (none of this head room stuff, June doesn’t believe in it). Put the lid on and tighten immediately. (June likes to use some industrial rubbery type grippy gloves from Home Depot.) This is best done by two people. One pours, the other puts the lids on.
Let the jars sit out overnight until they cool completely.

June Taylor also makes her own pectin (she never uses commercial pectin) and she uses less sugar in her jams than most commercial jam makers do. (More economical and brings the flavor of the fruit forward.) Her jams cost $13 for a tiny jar. So give yourself that much credit per jar when you consider the value of yours. (Especially if you are bartering with them.)

She also makes use of jams that don’t gel properly by turning them into syrups. (For topping pancakes with or making your own “sodas,” cocktails, adding to salad dressings, etc.) When I was there she was experimenting with some ancient recipe for fruit leather.

We can learn so much from artisanal food makers. Nothing goes to waste in June Taylor’s kitchen, from the fruit’s pith to the pips and the peel.

]]> By: Madeleine http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-93 Madeleine Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:46:47 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-93 crab apple! crab apple!

]]> By: Madeleine http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-92 Madeleine Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:46:18 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-92 there's a typo "cranberry" rather than cran-apple, no? second paragraph after "being frugal." And congrats on the new site. May you continue to have generous friends who help you. there’s a typo “cranberry” rather than cran-apple, no? second paragraph after “being frugal.”

And congrats on the new site. May you continue to have generous friends who help you.

]]> By: Marie W http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-89 Marie W Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:03:05 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-89 Your post is so timely. I've been looking at all the beautiful crab apple trees in our neighborhood and wondering if crab apple jelly is worth the effort. Sounds like it definitely is! I am surprised that this is your first foray into canning. As a previous poster mentioned - beware as it can become addictive! Your post is so timely. I’ve been looking at all the beautiful crab apple trees in our neighborhood and wondering if crab apple jelly is worth the effort. Sounds like it definitely is! I am surprised that this is your first foray into canning. As a previous poster mentioned - beware as it can become addictive!

]]> By: Nelle http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-87 Nelle Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:23:54 +0000 http://hoddingcarter.com/2009/10/14/85/#comment-87 You need to make Rhubarb jelly, if you love cranberry and crab apple jelly you will love Rhubarb as well, same tart, fresh, wonderful taste. Good job on the Blog. You need to make Rhubarb jelly, if you love cranberry and crab apple jelly you will love Rhubarb as well, same tart, fresh, wonderful taste. Good job on the Blog.

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