Spiced Currant Jelly Recipes

CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine currants with 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fruit has broken down and released its juices, about 8 minutes. Mash the fruit mixture with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. You should have about 4 cups juice. Discard solids.
• Place a small plate in the freezer. Return juice to clean saucepan; add sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. When teaspoon of jelly placed on chilled plate ripples if pushed with your finger, it is ready.
• Remove jelly from heat, and skim off any foam from surface. Ladle jelly into sterilized canning jars; wipe rims with a dishtowel. Seal tightly.
• Meanwhile, bring a stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Using tongs, carefully place filled jars in boiling water, letting them sit 10 minutes. Remove; let cool. If center of jar lids give when pushed with finger, jars have not sealed properly. Jelly in sealed jars will keep up to 1 year. After opening, jelly will keep up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

CURRANT JELLY WIENER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a slow cooker over medium low heat, mix the red currant jelly, Dijon-style mustard, ketchup and brown sugar. Place little smokie sausages into the mixture and simmer at least 2 hours before serving with toothpicks.

SPICED CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Wash currants; stem and add sugar and spices.
• Heat until sugar melts; boil, uncovered for 20 minutes or until thick enough to form jelly on a cold plate.
• Pour into sterilized jelly glasses and seal.

RED CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Wash the currants, and if the stems are on don't pick them. You'll get rid of stems and seeds later when you strain their juice.
• Place the washed currants in a nonreactive pot -no cast iron unless it is enameled, and no aluminum. Add the water.
• Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until the red currants have released all of their juice, about 20 minutes. While they are cooking, gently crush the fruit with a potato masher or the bottom of a wine bottle; this will help the fruit release the juice.
• Drain the red currants and their liquid overnight by pouring the mixture into either a dampened jelly bag or by lining a colander with butter muslin or several layers of cheesecloth . Pick your method and place a large bowl or pot underneath the bag or colander. Do not squeeze the jelly bag, muslin, or cheesecloth because that will result in a cloudy jelly.
• Sterilize your canning jars .
• Once strained, measure the red currant juice. You should have about 2 1/2 cups.
• Pour the measured juice into a large, nonreactive pot and add an equal amount of sugar-for 2 1/2 cups of juice, add 2 1/2 cups of sugar.
• Bring the red currant juice and sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches the gel point .
• If the jelly is ready before the jars are sterilized, simply remove the jelly from the heat until the jars are ready. Reheat the jelly just back to a simmer before filling the jars.
• Ladle the hot, liquid jelly into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace.
• Screw on canning lids.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Keep in mind that the jelly will still be hot and liquid when it comes out of the boiling water bath. It will gel as it cools.
• Once cooled, the jelly is ready to be used. Enjoy!

SPICED CURRANTS

Steps:

• Wash currants; stem and cook with the sugar and vinegar over low heat for an hour.
• Add spices and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
• Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

SPICY CURRANT SAUCE FOR HAM

Steps:

• Stir brown sugar, dried currants, water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, butter, salt, black pepper, cloves, and mace together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until butter melts, about 10 minutes. Bring to a boil.
• Stir currant jelly into sauce and return to a gentle boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until currents are slightly plump, 5 to 10 minutes.

REDCURRANT JAM

Steps:

• Put two small, sterilised saucers in the freezer - you will use these to test the setting point of the jam. You can sterilise the saucers by washing them in hot soapy liquid, rinsing and placing in an oven at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 5 mins. Remove carefully and allow to cool.
• Remove the stalks from the fruit, and place the fruit in a large saucepan. Pour in 150ml water, bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 10 mins until the fruit has softened and is starting to break down. Place a sieve over a mixing bowl and push as much of the fruit and pulp through the sieve with the back or a spoon as possible, discarding the seeds and any stalks. You don't need to sieve the fruit if you prefer a seeded jam.
• Weigh the liquid and add three quarters of the sugar to the total liquid (for example, if your liquid is 400g, add 300g of sugar). Place back in the pan over a low medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Once the sugar has fully dissolved, turn the heat up and bring to the boil. Stir occasionally. If using a jam or digital thermometer, wait until the liquid reaches 105C. If not, after about 8 mins, remove a saucer from the freezer and spread a teaspoon of jam over it. Let it sit for 1 min before pushing your finger through the liquid. If it starts to wrinkle, the jam is ready. If not, return to the boil and check again after another minute. Continue to do this until the jam reaches setting point.
• Allow to cool slightly, then pour into sterilised jars and allow to cool completely. Store in a cool dark place.

RED AND BLACK CURRANT JAM

Steps:

• Place the red currants in a medium-sized, heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat and cook until they are steaming. Stir and press on them gently so they release their juices. When most of the berries are broken (after 4 to 5 minutes) and have released their juices, remove them from the heat and put them gently through a food mill - the pulp left from the berries should still be somewhat moist, not totally dry. If you press the berries too much, the resulting jelly won't be crystal clear. Strain the juice through a fine -mesh sieve and reserve.
• Place the black currants and the water in a medium-sized, heavy bottom pan over medium high heat and cook until the berries and liquid are steaming. Stir, pressing on the berries, so they release their juices. When the berries are soft and broken and have released much of their juice remove from the heat and put them gently through a food mill. If you press the berries too much, the resulting jelly won't be crystal clear.Strain the juice through a fine -mesh sieve, and reserve.
• Combine the juices and the sugar in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Set the timer for exactly 3 minutes, remove from the heat and ladle the jelly into sterilized canning jars.