Jam! (jam?)

[celticdragonfly]

Whew. I have just gotten through my first experiment in canning. Quite possibly I have just made five jars of strawberry jam. (The recipe was supposed to be for 4 - but there was enough left to partially fill a 5th jar. Not sure what's going to happen with it having too much headspace - but hey, we can always just put it right into the fridge if it doesn't seal properly.)

I have spent the whole day messing around with this stuff. I'm sure an experienced canner would have done several batches in that time. Sigh.

The jars have now been removed from the canner and set onto a towel-covered cutting board in a draft-free (I think) corner. Now I have to wait 12-24 hours and then check the seals. (EDIT: There was an encouraging "pop" sound after taking the jars out of the water that I *think* is a Good Sign.)

It was intimidating and scary. Breadmaking, that I'm on solid ground with, I know how to do that. This? This was another thing entirely, and I felt awkward and unprepared. How the heck do people get the jars to stand up evenly in the canning rack, especially before you put it down? That was just awful. I did get slightly scalded getting the extra kettleful of boiling water in on top of the jars, but nothing bad.

I did manage to use the blender for the strawberries. I didn't think I would be able to at first, since an essential bit was missing, the part that goes in the center top of the lid and keeps it from all spraying out. After a few minutes with the potato masher, I went hunting harder for that bit and finally found it. The blended made quick work of things. MY, this recipe uses more sugar than anything else I've ever done. After all the strawberry de-stemming and chopping, I'm glad to say that I still have all my fingers.

I've been planning this for a while, and have been disappointed in myself that the canning pot and such was sitting unused after I'd finally gotten it. I want to be able to do canning for the family - to make jams that I know exactly what's in them, to do specialty stuff, etc. Especially with us having worries over Jamie's diet, I want to do more of our own stuff.

I suppose now I need to find out where I can locally buy more jars and pectin, and do more.

Comments

[mycroftca.livejournal.com]

I'd eat the partially filled one first, if I were you...

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

That is the plan.

[tepintzin.livejournal.com]

I am massively impressed with your domestic goddesshood.

It's been my experience that you can buy jars and pectin darn near anywhere, at least in SoCal. I mean, even the Navy commissary where we do our grocery shopping has it.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

In SoCal I knew where to find them. I used to buy the jars to use for the dyes in pysanky. I haven't found them here yet. I went through the local Walmart, all through the kitchen section, nada. They did have a big section on "food storage" but no canning stuff. I haven't gotten the chance to check the Albertsons yet.

[callibr8]

How weird!!! I've seen canning jars in nearly every Wal-Mart I've shopped in. I wonder if it's just a seasonal thing, and maybe they'll start carrying them more midsummer? Hmmm.

Also - I just checked Target's website, and they list canning jars under kitchen and housewares. Maybe you could try there? Anyway - good luck!

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

Jam takes a canner?
Mind you, I've never actually made JAM, only JELLY or PRESERVES.
But the instructions in the pectin box just said to stand the filled jars on their lids for a period of time after screwing the ring down snug, and the natural cooling of the cooked jelly/preserves would take care of the airtightness of the seal.

Definitely eat the part-filled jar first.

And I, too am surprised WalMart doesn't have any supplies.
GROCERY STORES carry canning supplies hereabouts!
You might also try calling-around any ACE or TRUE VALUE hardware stores in your phonebook.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

I checked with the local ACE hardware store. They can order in canning supplies but don't have them. I expect the Albertsons is likely to have them - some stuff was showing up on the online order page, so I expect they have them in the store.

cans and canning supplies

[jenna-thorn.livejournal.com]

If there is a Big Lots (once known as MacFrugal) near you, try there. The one near me had boxes of jars with rings and lids last weekend and while their stock is unpredictable, their prices are ususally better than anyone around. Also, call a local feed store; the price may be a few pennies higher than WallyWorld, but (1) you are helping an independent operator stay afloat and (2) if your WallyWorld doesn't have 'em, that may be why.

Oh, and yes, the pop is a good noise. 8-)

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

Trust you get into a jam! ;)

Stawbabies!

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

You are awesome.

Pop is good. Both the sound and your husband. [grin]

You can get a gadget with which to move the jar in and out of the boiling water, available wherever canning supplies are sold.

I saw them yesterday at OSH so any good hardware store should have them. My parents have been buying commercial spaghetti sauce that comes in mason jars, which they are saving for me. At this rate, all I will need is the tops for my next batch! Yay.

I would be inclined to do the strawberries whole if I could get cute little tiny strawberries, but these days they all seem to be the size of my fist. Poot.

Re: Stawbabies!

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I have the jar-lifting gadget. Like tongs on steroids. Lifting it into the water isn't the problem. The problem is that the moment I put it down on the rack, the rack tilts over crazily, and so does the jar, and the whole thing nearly tumps over into the water. Gah.