Direction Question

[Illine]

Okay... I obviously do not know what "until thick enough to round up on a spoon" means. This is a direction in the Ball Bluebook under BUTTERS. I tried making blueberry butter yesterday and cooked it too long because I didn't understand what this meant (and still don't). Can someone please explain it to me? My thought was that the spoon would hold enough so that it would be "round" on top like a finished product apple butter I guess.

Anyway, my butter has turned into a "preserve-like" substance with what seems to be sugar crystals maybe in it. It still tastes good, just with some substance I guess! The question is... will it stay that way in the jars? They have all sealed properly.

Thanks!
Illine

 

[mcnerd]

This is a tribute to all the grannies out there over the years that made perfect butters, jellies, jams and preserves and made it look so easy to do. Despite instructions it is still a culinary "art" to do it right. It takes practice and a good eye and often a good instant-read thermometer.

Think of warm butter on a spoon vs a liquidy soup or water. It's not what the spoon holds, but rather the texture/thickness of what's on the spoon, easily determined by tilting the spoon as if pouring it off. Similar to the gelling test on the previous Pg 29 of the Ball Blue Book.

 

[Illine]

Thanks, Mcnerd! I guess it will still be good to eat tho, right? And will last like any other correctly canned good?

 

[mcnerd]

Yup. I'm even a little envious since I haven't canned anything with blueberries this year, though I do have a jar or two left of unintentional syrup in my pantry.

 

[Illine]

Thanks AGAIN! I know it make one excellent peanut butter and jelly sandwich!

You are so much help on this site. How long have you been canning? I don't know what I would do without you here because I have NO ONE I can call and ask these questions of. Wish I knew someone close by who canned a lot.

Illine

 

[mcnerd]

I learned canning/preserving food about 5 years ago, which fortunately allowed me to learn correctly without all the monkey's on my back from being in the habit of doing it the "old" ways. But I do remember all my grandmother's annual "canning", but never remembered seeing a pressure canner or anything other than an open kettle. Today I shiver when I think about it. I know of at least one person that obviously was poisoned but I didn't have a clue back then and neither did anyone else.

Perhaps more curiously is that I'm a senior, a guy, and a computer nerd, so canning was the last thing I would ever consider doing, but I won't bore you with a long story. I studied and researched and eventually realized I could answer some people's questions correctly. So I do and that forces me to study and research even more. I never stop trying to learn.

If you ever want to test your canning/preserving knowledge, the National Center for Home Food Preservation offers a free online course through the Univ. of Georgia. Great confidence builder. Go to National Center for Home Food Preservation and look for the information on the home page. They also have a fantastic recipe book.

The best experts you will find close at hand is the referenced NCHFP website, which is 'the' authority on the subject, and the Ball Blue Book. Between those two you can't go wrong.

 

[Alix]

Great link Mcnerd, thanks!

 

[Illine]

Thanks for the info and the link, Mcnerd! I have saved it into my Favorites!

Illine