Jelly makers...I've never done this and need a little word of advice.

[FaithManor]

None of my cookbooks give the pressure canning or water bath times for jellies. What method do you use for sealing the jars and how long do you process (lbs of pressure please if you use the canner)?

 

Also, I am using honey and not sugar. It seems like all of the canning recipes that show a substitute for sugar require high amounts, nearly one to one, replacement ratio of honey. My family feels that honey is much stronger than sugar and so I am afraid it will be too sweet for our tastes. Could I go as low as half the amount called for?

 

Thanks a bunch hive,

Faith

[Julie in Austin]

I don't wish to be difficult, but I would strongly discourage you from tinkering with recipes that you plan on canning--the risk of food poisoning is too high. Unless you can find a recipe you like from the Ball Canning people (freshpreserving.com) or the USDA, don't make it.

[Beach Mom]

I can't answer the honey question, but I process my jelly in a water bath canner for 10 mins. Strawberry is my favorite and yesterday we canned homemade salsa.

 

Happy preserving!

[Sun]

I don't wish to be difficult, but I would strongly discourage you from tinkering with recipes that you plan on canning--the risk of food poisoning is too high. Unless you can find a recipe you like from the Ball Canning people (freshpreserving.com) or the USDA, don't make it.

 

:iagree: Plus, honey often contains botulism spores (which is the reason to not give it to babies under a year old). Since botulism grows well in anaerobic environments, I would be very wary of using honey in a canning recipe.

[Critter]

Botulism is very dangerous and can make people very sick, or even kill them, especially small children. I wouldn't use honey in canning recipes unless you are following a recipe that calls for pressure canning instead of a hot water bath. When I make jams and jellies I just sterilize the jars and lids before I pour the boiling jelly into them, tighten the lids and invert them on a towel for five minutes. After they are turned back upright they will seal fairly quickly. If any don't seal I store them in the fridge and use them first.

[Hikin' Mama]

I always buy the pectin for using less sugar, and I follow the recipe exactly. I don't process in a water bath, but make sure all jars are hot (put upside down in simmering water) and the lids are hot (put in simmering water). I pour hot jam into the jar, put lid on, screw on ring and invert. Later, I put the jars right side up. They ALWAYS seal. I've never had one not seal.

 

I would be leary about using honey, however, for the reasons mentioned by previous posters.

[amys]

I'd suggest you buy a Ball Blue Book, or the Ball Complete Book of ?? Food PreservatioN? Can't remember the real title--I think of it as "Ball Complete." Anyway, in lieu of that, this site is a wealth of information on SAFE canning:

 

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

[Forget-Me-Not]

:iagree:with everyone else, I'd be really leary about using honey unless you were going to *pressure* can it, which comes with it's own set of tools and issues :lol

 

And a second for the Ball Blue Book. You can usually find it near where canning supplies are sold at Wal-Mart or the hardware store.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Okay, I went and looked this up in my copy of the Ball Blue Book. In the Jams, Jellies & Fruit Spreads section (pg 28) it says:

 

"Honey can also be used to replace sugar. Light, mild-flavored honey generally is the best kind to use. In recipes without added pectin, honey can replace one-half of the sugar. When pectin is added, 2 cups honey can replace 2 cups sugar in most recipes; 3/4 to 1 cup sugar can be replaced by honey in recipes with a smaller yield, up to 6 half-pints."

 

I also notice that several recipes throughout the book that call for honey only call for water-bath canning and not pressure canning. Interesting.

 

HTH

[Melissa in Australia]

I do mine in a water bath at 90oC for 15 minutes. It takes about 30 minutes to bring it up to the right temperature.