Apple & Blackberry Jelly

Orange_King

Had a weekend of jam making so into work for a rest!

Saturday was a first attempt with about 9lbs of berrys and manged to get 6 jars of jelly followed by 13lb on Sunday getting 9 jars.

Thought I might have got a bit more but I suppose there is so much wastage when the berys are strained and just the juice kept.

Anyway - is there any value in what is strained out or is it just food for the compost bin?

The jelly tastes superb by the way and should keep us going through most of the year.

foxgloves

I've been wondering this too, as have just made damson & apple jelly. I've got a really old preserving book by Marguerite Patten which used to belong to my Nan. In it, she mentions that the pulp can be boiled up for a second time with less water this time, strained through the jellybag & the resulting liquid added to the first lot. I expect that was how it was done in wartime to get the most from the ingredients? Anyway, I've never tried it, but I think I will do at some point. The pulp from my jellies currently just goes into the green cone so at least I suppose it's doing the garden a bit of good.

Orange_King

My Mrs made the jelly last year but she really squeezed as much of the juice out as she could (using a potato masher and a sieve!) but I don't think it made the jelly taste as good - they apparently warn that it can become too cloudy and it is justthe pure stuff that is best.

We got a proper strainer this year but the bag was tiny!

stitching_witch

foxgloves wrote: »

the pulp can be boiled up for a second time with less water this time, strained through the jellybag & the resulting liquid added to the first lot.

I always do this when making jelly. There's not so much juice after the second boiling, but every drop gets used! Always remember to mix the two together though as the juice from the second batch hisn't really strong enough to make jelly on its own.

Sometimes I use the juice of one fruit but whole fruit of another. For example I use elderberry juice as per a jelly, but use apple pieces as per a jam as I happen to like jam with "bits" in but don't like the pips of things like blackberries or currants.

podcake

Orange_King wrote: »

My Mrs made the jelly last year but she really squeezed as much of the juice out as she could (using a potato masher and a sieve!) but I don't think it made the jelly taste as good - they apparently warn that it can become too cloudy and it is justthe pure stuff that is best.

We got a proper strainer this year but the bag was tiny!

I have found ( and it could just be what I have made) that a sneaky way go get somewhere with jelly in the quantity stakes rather than just letting it drip is as follows:

1)take a pillow case ( not the mrs' best, she wont appreciate that), I use a plain white one.

2) put it in a pan of water and boil it.. this is simply to remove any detergents that might have been used on the case.

3) get volunteer No.1 to hold the case open above a large pan and spoon the mixture in yourself..

4) once in gently twist up the pillowcase so that it slowly forces the juice through itself. KEEP twisting.. there is ALWAYS more :P

5) once done, and it will take a while before all the juice is out, simply turn the bag inside out and drop the pulp into the compost

6) wash bag then boil for next time

I have done this many times, and while the purists would laugh at me,, i get twice as much quantity without faffing with a potato masher or similar. Also my jelly comes out clean and clear and lovely.. I can take a photo of some from last year if u'd like?

izzwizz_2

To get a better yield, try blackberry & apple jam instead of jelly. This morning I turned 8lb blackberries + 2 lb crab apples (prepared weight, i.e. peeled & cored) + 11 lb sugar into 26 pots jam. Last year I made over 70 pots and they kept us going all Winter.

Orange_King

I don't like all the bits - thats why I go for the jelly option.

Mrs made some plum jam aith full fruit and it was rather tasty but doesn't have the seedy stuff!