Berry Jam
Stone Fruit Jam
Fruit Sauce
Marmalade
Tomato Jam
Adaptable Chutney
Quick Cucumber Pickles
Kimchi
Pesto
Basic Sauerkraut
How to Process
The following mini-collection of recipes include some jams and preserves that are designed to be processed in a boiling water bath canner. This is the process in which filled and lidded jars are submerged in a pot of boiling water and boiled for a prescribed amount of time.
The boiling water bath process serves a dual purpose. First, boiling the filled jars kills any microorganisms that might have landed in your jars. Second, the oxygen in the headspace is heated sufficiently to make it expand and vent out of the jar during processing. Once you remove the jar from the hot water, the jar will cool, the space will contract, and the lid will pull down and form a vacuum. This is what keeps your preserves from spoilage.
The Steps
1. If you’re starting with brand-new jars, remove their lids and rings. If you’re using older jars, check the rims to make sure there are no chips or cracks.
2. Put the rack into the canning pot and put the jars on top.
3. Fill the pot (and jars) with water to cover and bring to a boil. I have found that this is the very easiest way to heat the jars in preparation for canning because you’re going to have to heat the canning pot anyway. Why not use that energy to heat the jars as well?
4. While the canning pot comes to a boil, prepare your product.
5. When your recipe is complete, remove the jars from the canning pot, pouring the water back into the pot as you remove the jars, and set them on a clean towel on the counter. There’s no need to invert them; the jars will be so hot that any remaining water will rapidly evaporate.
6. Carefully fill the jars with your product, leaving about ½ inch/1.25 cm of headspace.
7. Wipe the rims of the jar with a clean, damp paper towel or kitchen towel. If the product you’re working with is very sticky, you can dip the edge of the cloth in distilled white vinegar for a bit of a cleaning boost.
8. Apply the lids and screw the rings on the jars to hold the lids down during processing. Tighten the bands with the tips of your fingers until they just meet resistance. This is known as “fingertip tight” and twisting to no more than this point will ensure that the air trapped in the jars is able to vent during processing.
9. Carefully lower the filled jars into the canning pot, using canning tongs. You may need to remove some water as you put the jars in the pot, to keep it from overflowing. A heat-resistant measuring cup or a small saucepan with a long handle are good tools for this job.
10. Once the pot has returned to a rolling boil, start your timer. The length of the processing time will vary from recipe to recipe.
11. When your timer goes off, take off the lid and remove the pot from the heat. Let the jars rest for 5 minutes before removing them from the hot water. Gently place them back on the towel-lined countertop and let them cool.
12. The jar lids should begin to ping soon after they’ve been removed from the pot. The pinging is the sound of the seal forming; the center of the lids will become concave as the vacuum seal takes hold.
13. After the jars have cooled for 24 hours, remove the bands and check the seals. You do this by grasping the jar by the edges of the lid and gently lifting it an inch/2.5 cm or two off the countertop. The lid should hold fast.
14. Once you’ve determined that your seals are good, you can store your jars in a cool, dark place without the rings for up to 1 year. Any jars with bad seals can still be used provided you catch them within those first 24 hours—just store them in the refrigerator and use within 2 to 3 weeks. You remove the rings because they’re no longer necessary and will last longer stored separately from the jars.
Cooking Times
In many of these recipes, I’ve included suggested cooking times. However, these are just ranges and are not ironclad. Cooking times can vary depending on the humidity in the air, the moisture level in the fruit, the width of your pot, and the intensity of your stove’s heat.
It’s important to use your judgment when cooking up these sweet preserves and not just depend solely on the suggested cooking times or target temperatures. I always tell my canning students to use all their senses to determine when a preserve is done. You’ll see that the surface of the cooking jam will start to look glossier than it did. You can hear that the intensity of the boil gets increasingly frenzied. You can smell how the sugar in the jam starts to take on a toasted fragrance. You can feel how the jam is offering more resistance as you stir. And if you cool down a small spoonful, you can taste how the flavors have married and mellowed. These indicators, along with cooking times and temperature targets, give a fuller picture and help you determine when it’s time to take the pot off the heat.
BERRY JAM
MAKES 3 PINT-SIZE/500 ML JARS
This is a basic berry jam that will work with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. The only berry I can think of that won’t work well here is cranberries (they’re so tart and full of pectin that it’s really best to use them in a recipe dedicated to cranberries).
3 pounds/1.4 kg berries, washed and chopped or smashed
3 tablespoons powdered pectin
3 cups/600 g granulated sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Prepare a boiling water bath and 3 pint-size/500 ml jars according to the process here.
Place the prepared berries in a large, wide, nonreactive pot. Whisk the pectin into the sugar and stir it into the berries. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sugar has begun to dissolve.
Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook the jam over high heat, stirring regularly, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it begins to thicken, darkens slightly in color, and has reduced in volume by at least one third. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir to incorporate.
When the jam looks glossy, feels thick when you stir, doesn’t have a lot of watery liquid separating out, and you’re happy with the consistency (and remember that it will thicken as it cools), remove the pot from the heat.
Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/1.25 cm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
STONE FRUIT JAM
MAKES 3 PINT-SIZE/500 ML JARS
This basic recipe works well with most stone fruit. I like to peel peaches before turning them into jam, but for all the rest, I leave the skins intact.
4 pounds/960 g apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, or plums, pitted and chopped
4 tablespoons powdered pectin
4 cups/800 g granulated sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Prepare a boiling water bath and 3 pint-size/500 ml jars according to the process here.
Place the prepared fruit in a large, wide, nonreactive pot. Whisk the pectin into the sugar and stir it into the fruit. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sugar has begun to dissolve.
Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Cook the jam over high heat, stirring regularly for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it begins to thicken, darkens slightly in color, and has reduced in volume by at least one third. Add the lemon zest and juice and stir to incorporate.
When the jam looks glossy, feels thick when you stir, doesn’t have a lot of watery liquid separating out, and you’re happy with the consistency (and remembering that it will thicken as it cools), remove the pot from the heat.
Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/1.25
cm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
FRUIT SAUCE
MAKES 3 PINT-SIZE/500 ML JARS
This is basically applesauce, but I want to encourage you to try making it with pears, peaches, or even a combination of fruit. I particularly like a combination of strawberries and apples.
3 pounds/1.4 kg fruit
¼ cup/60 ml water
Prepare a boiling water bath and 3 pint-size/500 ml jars according to the process here.
Prepare the fruit: Peel apples or peaches, hull and crush berries, cut out cores or seeds, remove pits, and finally, roughly chop. Heap the fruit into a large, nonreactive saucepan. Add the water, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Let the fruit cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the pieces are quite tender.
Using a potato masher (chunky!) or immersion blender (smooth!), break down the fruit until it has reached your desired consistency.
Ladle the sauce into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/1.25 cm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
MARMALADE
MAKES 3 PINT-SIZE/500 ML JARS
This is my basic recipe for homemade marmalade. I’ve used this same ratio of ingredients for oranges, Meyer lemons, limes, and even grapefruit. The key to success is the overnight soak. It softens the peel and makes for a better finished product.
3 pounds/1.4 kg citrus fruit (preferably organic)
6 cups/1.4 L water
6 cups/1.2 kg granulated sugar
Wash the citrus fruit very well. Cut away both the stem and blossom ends of the fruit and slice each fruit into quarters. Cut away the thin strips of white pith from the interior of the wedges and use the tip of your knife to poke out the seeds. Cut each quarter into thin slices from top to bottom. If you’re working with very large pieces of fruit, you might want to cut them into eighths rather than quarters.
Once the fruit is sliced, place it into a bowl (along with any of the liquid that you were able to capture) and add the water. Let the sliced fruit soak overnight.
The next day, combine the fruit, soaking water, and sugar in a large, nonreactive pan.
Place the pan on the stove over high heat. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil and cook, stirring regularly, until it has reduced by at least half and is starting to shape up into marmalade. You may need to lower the heat as cooking progresses so that you maintain a low boil without scorching the bottom of the pot.
While the marmalade cooks, prepare a boiling water bath and 3 pint-size/500 ml jars according to the process here. Test for set by checking the temperature of the marmalade. It is finished when it reaches 220°F/104°C and stays there, even when you stir vigorously.
When you determine that the marmalade is done, remove the pot from the heat.
Ladle the marmalade into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/1.25 cm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
TOMATO JAM
MAKES 3 PINT-SIZE/500 ML JARS
This tomato jam is one of the best things I make. It is like the best ketchup you’ve ever had, but it can also go places that ketchup cannot. Each batch is a labor of love, but is always worth the effort. For a higher yield, use dense tomatoes, such as Roma or San Marzano.
5 pounds/2.3 kg tomatoes, chopped
3½ cups/700 g granulated sugar
½ cup/120 ml bottled lime juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (use less if you don’t like a lot of heat)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Prepare a boiling water bath and 3 pint-size/500 ml jars according to the process here.
Combine the tomatoes, sugar, lime juice, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a large, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture has reached a hard boil, lower the temperature to medium high.
Stirring regularly, cook the jam at a low boil until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. This will take between 1 and 1½ hours, depending on the width of your pot, the amount of water content in the tomatoes, and the temperature at which you are cooking. Watch closely during the final 15 minutes of cooking, because at this point, the jam scorches easily. When the jam is shiny and thick, and doesn’t seem to have any watery liquid separating out, remove the pot from the heat.
Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/1.25 cm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
ADAPTABLE CHUTNEY
MAKES 3 PINT-SIZE/500 ML JARS
This chutney will work with apples, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, or plums. I typically peel the apples and peaches before stirring them into a batch of chutney, but all the other fruits can keep their skins. Remove pits and cores as needed.
4 pounds/1.8 kg fruit, prepped and chopped
1 medium-size yellow onion, minced
2 cups/340 g golden raisins
1¾ cups/420 ml red wine vinegar
2 cups/440 g packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (any color is fine)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Combine all the ingredients in a large, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat to medium-high. Cook at a brisk simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring regularly, or until the chutney thickens, darkens, and the flavors start to marry.
While the chutney cooks, prepare a boiling water bath and 3 pint-size/500 ml jars according to the process here.
When the chutney is finished, remove the pot from the heat. Funnel the chutney into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch/1.25 cm of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
QUICK CUCUMBER PICKLES
MAKES 1 QUART-SIZE/1 L JAR
This is my favorite way to pickle cucumbers. They taste like a classic dill pickle and retain all their crunch because they go nowhere near a boiling water bath. And they are good with everything from a burger to the fanciest artisanal cheese. I often make a large batch at the end of the season and stash them in the back of the fridge for winter.
2 pou
nds/900 g pickling cucumbers, about 4 inches/ 10 cm long
1 cup/240 ml cider vinegar
1 cup/240 ml water
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons dill seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Wash and dry the cucumbers. Chop off the ends and slice into spears.
Combine the vinegar, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Place the garlic cloves, dill seeds, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes in the bottom of a quart-size/1 L jar. Pack the cucumber spears into the jar above the spices tightly, but without crushing them.
Pour the brine into the jar, leaving ¼ inch/6 mm of headspace. Tap the jar gently and wiggle the cucumbers with a wooden chopstick to dislodge any trapped air bubbles. Add more liquid to return the headspace to ¼ inch/6 mm, if necessary. Wipe the rim, apply the lid and ring, and let the jar cool on the countertop. Once it’s cool, put the pickles in the refrigerator. Let cure for at least 1 day before eating. The pickles will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.
KIMCHI
MAKES 1 TO 1½ QUARTS/1 TO 1.5 L KIMCHI
There are countless variations on kimchi in the world. This is simply the approach I take to get close to my favorite store-bought version. It’s a good starting place and from here you can improvise and experiment. The only specialty ingredient is the gochugaru, which is a Korean chili powder. You can order it online or get it at your local Asian grocery store.
The Food in Jars Kitchen Page 18