[quote=“Lambchop, post:122, topic:17965”]
\It used to be you could make a cooked apple pie filling, and put in a water bath, using cornstarch as a thickener. That has been found to be unsafe, and there’s a different product that can be used, although I don’t remember the name at the moment. [/quote]
It’s not that cornstarch is “unsafe” per se. But sometimes heat processing causes the finished product to separate. So, people would be advised to use ClearJell to achieve more consistent and appealing results.
A couple of thoughts of my own. You can use a pressure canner at higher temp (240F at 15psi IIRC) for longer processing times but the filling will overcook in the process (ha!). That may be a right answer but not a good answer.
In my opinion the better solution is to can pie filling without a thickener and add the thickener when making the pie. Food safe, preserves (ha! again grin) flavor, and simply not that hard.
All puns are my own and I accept full responsibility for groans. grin
Ok this is funny; I hadn’t read your link @Auspicious. I was just going to post a screen shot of the relevant information contained within. Decided I better click on yours, and yes, the same. I think it explains the safety issue well.
I used a standard recipe 1st time I made it, but afterwards found out it wasn’t safe. No signs of spoilage at all, but I gave it a good hard boiling before using, as botulism and other nasties can be killed that way.
You can’t see, smell, or taste botulism. Boiling will neutralize botulism toxin but won’t kill botulism spores. That’s why pressure canning is required for low acid foods: to get up to 240F to 250F for sufficient time. Boiling won’t do that. The spores won’t hurt you but as they reproduce and generate more toxins THOSE can hurt you. Thus the importance in canning for storage. See https://ucanr.edu/sites/MFPOC/Food_Safety/Botulism/
Very important point (see articles and my previous footnote post) is that killing bacteria is a function of time and temperature and environment (i.e. pH). That’s why water bath canning is okay for some things and pressure canning is necessary for others, and some things should not be home canned at all. It is why open kettle canning, despite generations of use, has been identified as unsafe for decades.
“…Then when you use it, try to pick the wax out of the jam.”
That’s the part I remember.
Also…" “Note. Jelly jars and paraffin are no longer recommended. An incomplete seal with paraffin and the absence of a heat treatment may result in mold growth and toxin production in the jelly. Persons continuing to use the paraffin / no water bath method should be aware of the potential health risk.”"
Yes @Auspicious, I know that. I also know that hard boiling can kill it. It can be recommended still today to boil home canned corn vigorously, even if home pressure canned. I’m aware of food safety, I can assure you. But thank you anyway. The apple filling went into a water bath, as per the cornstarch recipe stated. I only made this one time before finding out the thickener wasn’t safe. When I make it now, I use Clear Jell, and follow the instructions for safe, water bathed apple pie filling.
From time to time we make peach or apple pie filling. I switched over to ClearJell a few years ago. In addition to the safety issue, it makes a better product.
Labeled all the blackberry jams and syrups. We have 15 half pints of jam, 13 pints of jam, and 5 pints syrup. We have gifted 5 or so jams. Several blackberry cobblers were made too, so the blackberry gods have been very good to us this year. Pictured are the 5 syrups. Different proportions of fruit to
Sugar, so water bath canned.
I ended making orange fig jam with the rest of my fig crop. I like the addition of the orange.
Didn’t have Grand Marnier so I used Mathilde orange liqueur.
You eat it for instant wealth! It’s a copycat version of sauce that’s sold at the Tacoma Greek Festival every year. It goes fast. It’s made by monks and nuns at a Greek monastery in Eastern Washington. We came close with our version, thus the name @JoeBabbitt.
Basically pretty liberal with olive oil, and Greek oregano.
No pics, because they all look nearly the same. Busy jam making weekend. Saturday was a double batch of raspberry plum jam, using both fruits from our garden. Turned out well.
On Sunday was a triple batch of triple berry jam - the three berries are blueberries, raspberries, and deseeded blackberries. A success.
On the list still:
Triple batch local stawberry jam, from frozen.
Triple batch local raspberry, from frozen.
Double batch pepper jelly
Pickled beets
Picklesish recipe of @Harters.
Maybe some cranberry jalapeño jelly too.
Probably not enough tomatoes to can, but will freeze some.
I’m not much of a canner, but I did managed to make 7 half pints of jelly and two of jam from my elderberry crop this year (I also have a couple of pounds in the freezer for pie). I don’t really eat jelly but my grandmother used to make elderberry jelly and my father LOVES it, so these jars will be a Christmas gift for him. I didn’t have jars on hand so I had to buy new ones and they were NOT cheap - took a couple of weeks to arrive and cost almost $2 per jar (Kerr brand). Sign of the times, I guess - canning is the new sourdough!
Yes, so true of the canning jars, and supplies. H was lucky enough to find lids and the particular pectin I use. Great score on that!
I’m out of half pints completely, am down to pints and quarts. May have to buy some small jars, as that’s usually what I gift. Hate to pay the price, but may have to…
Am very impressed by your elderberry jelly turn out! I too will be gifting my dad jars of all. I keep him fully supplied all year(s). He’s 95 this December! His GF likes it too…
In the ongoing effort to clean the freezer out, and to get ready for gifting - wild Alaskan black currant jam (triple batch), 2 jars wild huckleberry syrup (backyard berries) and 2 jars grape jelly from our vines. Yes, that was our total Concord grape harvest this year. Hoping for more production next year. Still need to make triple batches of raspberry and strawberry from local berries. I’m able to buy them frozen at a local store. Oh, also pepper jelly of at least one kind.
The apple filling went into a water bath, as per the cornstarch recipe stated. I only made this one time before finding out the thickener wasn’t safe. When I make it now, I use Clear Jell, and follow the instructions for safe, water bathed apple pie filling.
