Herbed Apple Jelly Recipes

APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Place apples in a large pot; cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until apples are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Crush cooked apples and simmer for 5 more minutes.
• Transfer crushed apples to a sieve or cheesecloth. Let drip into a bowl until all liquid has drained, pressing gently to release all the juice. Measure 5 cups apple juice, adding water if necessary to have exact amount. Stir sugar into juice; add butter to reduce foaming.
• Bring juice mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin; boil for exactly 1 minute to dissolve pectin, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off excess foam with a metal spoon.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Ladle apple jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/8 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 5 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in a cool, dark area. Refrigerate opened jellies for up to 3 weeks.

APPLE AND HERB JELLY

Steps:

• Roughly chop the apples, leaving the skins on. Put them in a preserving pan along with their pips and stalks and add 568ml water and the sprigs of your chosen herb(s). Cook gently for 20-30 minutes until mushy. Add the vinegar, increase the heat and cook briskly for about 5 minutes.
• Pour the mix (you should have about 2 litres at this stage) into a jelly bag suspended over a deep pan and strain for at least 12 hours - don't be tempted to squeeze the bag or the jelly will go cloudy.
• Take the strained juice and measure it; you should have about 568ml. Add 455g sugar for every 568ml and warm the mixture gently until the sugar has dissolved.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil and allow to bubble briskly for at least 10-12 minutes, or until it starts to set (it should begin to coat the back of a wooden spoon).
• Once it has reached setting point, remove from the heat, skim off any scum from the surface with a spoon and stir through the chopped herbs. Leave to settle for 5 minutes. Spoon into your warm sterilised jars, seal with a wax disc and lid and store for up to 6 months.

APPLE & HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Combine sage and rosemary. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from the turkey breast; rub herbs under the skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks., Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Place apple, onion and celery in turkey cavity. Brush turkey with butter., Roast, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 3 to 3-1/2 hours. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) Remove turkey from oven; brush with apple jelly. Tent with foil and let stand 15 minutes before removing toothpicks and carving.

EASY BASIL JELLY

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup of the apple juice to a rolling boil and pour over the crushed basil leaves; let rest for 25 minutes.
• Strain liquid into large saucepan and add the other 2 cups of apple juice, vinegar, and green coloring, stirring to blend.
• Bring to a hard boil, and stir in sugar and pectin and return to a hard boil, stirring constantly, and cooking until jelly point is reached.
• Remove from heat and skim off the foam with a slotted spoon; remove leaves from jelly with a slotted spoon.
• Pour mixture into sterilized half-pint jars (you will need 3-4), leaving 1/2" of headroom at the top.
• Attach lids and bands, and process for 15 minutes in a water bath canner.
• When cool, check the seals.
• Refrigerate promptly any that do not seal properly, and remove bands from the others and store in a cool, dry area.

ROSEMARY JELLY

Steps:

• Roughly chop the apples without peeling or coring and place in a preserving pan with the water and rosemary.
• Gently simmer over a low heat for 45 minutes stiring occasionally until the fruit is soft and pulpy.
• Add the vinegar and boil for a further 5 minutes.
• Spoon out the mix into a jelly bag suspended over a large bowl and leave for at least 12 hours allowing all the juices to drain from the pulp. Don't be tempted to squeeze the pulp to get more juice as this will make the finished jelly cloudy.
• Throw away the remaining pulp in the jelly bag. Measure the amount of juice extract and return to the pan with 450g of Sugar for each 600ml (1 Pint)
• Stir over a gentle heat until all the sugar dissolved, then boil rapidly for about 10 minutes.
• Once setting point has been reached skim any foam from the surface, stir in the chopped Rosemary pot and cover into sterile jars.