Last Sunday I attempted to make jam for the first time! In order to prepare for this, I of course got some books on jam-making at the library, and spent countless hours on pinterest and various blogs and websites getting ideas and inspiration. In previous posts, I have mentioned my inability to post photos, but I obviously am getting the hang of it, even if my pictures aren't that pretty! So, here is my photo journal of my maiden jam-making experience, and why I am not quite the standard to which you may desire to attain. :)
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| I think the original point of canning was to use the produce that you have abundantly available to you on your family farm...or at least in your small backyard. That is what makes sense and makes it economical as well. My neighborhood grocery store supplied this year's crop for me though...at apprx. $10 (not on sale) for three bags of frozen fruit. |
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| Lots of good bloggers find their cans on free sites online, garage sales, or from Grandma's attic. I found my cans at the grocery store for $11, plus sugar and pectin at $4 and $5, respectively. |
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| This is my instagram photo of me in an anthropologie apron, ready to make jam for the first time...isn't that cute? |
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| This is the ACTUAL apron I wore, an old, stained barista's apron from my pastor-husband's time in the retail world up until recently. I mean, why would I actually wear the cute one...and get food on it? Photo ops only people... |
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| I think this is right...sterilizing the jars all whopping 8 of them. |
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| and the lids... |
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| official canning tongs |
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| mashing my fruit up... |
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| cheating with an immersion blender when the fork thing was taking too long. |
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| 4 1/2 cups of healthy fruit...plus 7 1/2 cups of sugar...eek! Brought this to a boil.. |
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| Then added this stuff...two packages of it. Brought to a boil again for 3-4 minutes |
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| Added 1/4 cup of this...the alcohol burns off and it makes the peaches and raspberries taste soooo good! Cost for this...$5. |
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| Poured jam into hot jars, 1/8 inch from the top, screwed on lids, and set upside down to um...suction? I don't have a canner so this was a method I read about online. |
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| all done! |
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| The instagram version...right before I freaked out that the jam wasn't really safe so I stuck the jars in the freezer anyways, even after "canning" them. Only $35 to make 8 jars of Peach-Raspberry Amaretto jam. Apprx. $4.50 a jar...not a good deal at all, but it was fun pretending for the day that I was one of those cool jam-making ladies! |
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