Dees Elderberry Mixed Fruit Jam Recipes

DEE'S ELDERBERRY MIXED FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Cook the elderberries and seeded grapes with enough water to cover, until mushy and well cooked, about 1 hour is how long I cooked it.
• Remove mixture and put through strainer.
• Put juice back into pot.
• Add sugars.
• Stir and bring to a boil.
• Add rest of fruit.
• Cook down until mixture coats the back of a spoon.
• Sprinkle in the Sure-Jell and two packages of Jell-O.
• Cook on low, stirring as needed, for another hour. If water gets too low add more.
• When thickened enough, pour into 1/2 pint jars and seal.
• This made 26-1/2 pints for me.

MIXED BERRY AND THYME JAM

Steps:

• Place the berries in a medium saucepan. Using a potato masher, lightly mash the berries. Add the maple syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours (the jam will continue to thicken as it cools). Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 1 month.

MCP ELDERBERRY FREEZER JAM

Steps:

• Rinse clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
• Crush elderberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Sieve half of the berries to remove seeds, if desired. Measure exactly 3-1/4 cups prepared fruit into large bowl. Add lemon juice; mix well.
• Stir pectin into prepared fruit in bowl. Let stand 30 min., stirring every 5 min. Gradually add sugar, stirring after each addition until well blended. Stir additional 3 min. or until most of the sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)
• Fill all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before using.

EASIEST MIXED BERRY JAM

Steps:

• Chop the frozen fruit from each bag into pea-sized chunks (you can mash the thawed fruit with a potato masher if you prefer larger fruit chunks in your jam - I don't, I like jam that has a chunky texture, but spreads easily).
• In a large pot, combine fruit and sugar.
• Bring mixture quickly over high heat to the gelling point (it actually takes quite a while, in excess of ten minutes - and stir constantly, or fruit will stick to the bottom and burn).
• After fruit has reached the gelling point (thick enough to slide, as one 'flake', from a cold spoon), remove from heat.
• Ladle into sterilized jars, apply seals and rings, and process for 15 minutes, with whole jars submerged at least 1-2 inches under boiling water.
• That's it! Six bags, six cups. Chop, mix, boil to the gelling point, fill jars, process, DONE, all in less than an hour.
• NOTE: the Ball Blue Book calls for 9 cups of "berries" (i.e., blackberries, young berries, dew berries, etc.,) - six 12 oz. bags of mixed berries yields slightly less, but approximately that much.

CHRISTMAS DRIED-FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Place apples in large pot with water, simmer until soft.
• In a large bowl, add all the chopped & pitted fruit.
• Press soft apples with a potato masher, then spoon into a square of cheesecloth (clipped to a footed colander), suspended over the bowl of fruit.
• Let apples drip over fruit WITHOUT squeezing or forcing--overnight.
• Next morning: add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for nuts to a large sauce-pot, adding soaked fruit.
• Stir, then simmer gently until sugar dissolves; bring to a boil; boiling for five minutes.
• Skim survace, add nuts, boil another five minutes until 200*F (sea level).
• Remove pan from heat; spoon jam into hot jars, add two-part lids; process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes (sea level).
• Label and store in cool, dark cupboard.
• GIFT GIVING: Use pretty jars and add a decorative label -- include in a basket with other home-made kitchen gifts. "How nice of you!".
• USES: As described above OR as a replacement for traditional (with suet) mincemeat.

TRIPLE FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar, boil until mixture spins a tread.
• Add all fruit, boil at medium heat until mixture is thick, about 30 minutes.
• Pour into hot steralized jars. Process in boiling water bath 20 minutes.