Help on crab apple jelly!

[larsenright]

I need help. I am getting married next year and would really like to make crab apple jelly as favors for the guests. But of course the apples are ready soon, and I am wondering if I make the jelly now, will it be good still next June.
My mom made this jelly every fall when i was a kid, and my dad seems to think that she would freeze it after she canned it.
Does anyone know if that works, will the jelly still be good after almost a year of being frozen, or will it just turn to liquid after being thawed out.
Any advice is greatly appreciated, I have to make the decision soon!

 

[llvllagical_llkook]

Canning and freezing it probably would work. As for a year, I don't think it'd spoil. I'm not sure on how canned or frozen already cooked crab would be once thawed.

I've never frozen any crab apple jelly for a year or so. It may turn to mush when thawed. Don't take my advice though, since I'm rather unsure. I think other members would have more insight to the freezing and thawing for a year than I do.

 

[Constance]

I love crabapple jelly!
When I started making jelly, all we did was fill the sterilized jars with jelly and pour hot parrafin over the top, being sure to seal it completely. If there was a little airspace, the jelly sometimes got a bit mold on top, which we just scraped it off.
Thing is, the bacteria are smarter than we are in a way...they're not fond of sugar, which is why we use sugar as a preservative.

Now a days, we can jelly, which is certainly easier than messing with the hot parrafin, which is highly flammable, and will burn the pea-waddin's out of you if you get it on your skin. If you follow the canning instructions carefully, there's absolutely NO NEED to freeze it.

There are recipes for freezer jam, but you need a different formula for that.

 

[larsenright]

Okay, so I would put the paraffin wax on top of the jelly right? Then seal the jar?
You'll have to excuse me being a newb and all. I've never made jelly, and I want to make sure I do it right since a lot of people will be receiving it as gifts!

 

[Constance]

You don't need the parrafin if you follow instructions and seal the jar correctly. You put hot jelly into a hot sterilized jar, wipe the rim with a clean cloth, top with a hot sterilized canning lid and screw on hot sterilized ring. Ball makes several styles of small jelly jars specifically for this purpose.

We used to use parrafin when we used "jelly jars", which could be any kind of small empty jar that you had on hand.

 

[QSis]

I don't know why it's never occurred to me to make crabapple jelly in the 18 years I've been living here, stepping on and squashing crabapples in my driveway every fall!

Might as well make "lemonade" with those "lemons"!

Anyone have an easy TNT recipe? I've canned stuff, but have never made jelly before. Do I have to process the filled jars? Constance's post sounds as if I don't have to.

Cool!

Lee

 

[Uncle Bob]

Miss Lee..

If you will pick up a package of Shur-Jel from the grocery (you will need it anyway) there will be recipes/methods etc. for almost any kind of jelly!!

You do not have to "process" jelly, but you should use all of the canning sanitary precautions. Sterlize everything.

You are in for a real treat!! Crabapple jelly is my number two favorite behind wild plum! Yummy!!!!!!!

Have fun & Enjoy!

 

[Constance]

Crabapple jelly is right up there, but wild blackberry and elderberry are also favorites of mine.

 

[Katie H]

I need help. I am getting married next year and would really like to make crab apple jelly as favors for the guests. But of course the apples are ready soon, and I am wondering if I make the jelly now, will it be good still next June.
My mom made this jelly every fall when i was a kid, and my dad seems to think that she would freeze it after she canned it.
Does anyone know if that works, will the jelly still be good after almost a year of being frozen, or will it just turn to liquid after being thawed out.
Any advice is greatly appreciated, I have to make the decision soon!

I'm curious, larsen. Why do you want to make jelly for your guests and how many guests are you going to serve?

If it's an intimate affair, a few jars of jelly will be nice. But, if you are going to have several hundred guests, this could be problematic.

Just curious.

 

[Lynan]

Here is my crabapple jelly recipe, very TNT .

Adjust sugar amount according to weight of your apples and I apologise for metrics here!

For 3 kgs crabapples:

Wash apples and remove stalks, roughly chop and place in preserving pan. Cover with cold water (around 2 litres) and bring to a simmer until the apples are very soft and pulpy. Pour into a suspended jelly bag and allow to drip into a glass bowl or similar overnight, or at least 12 hours. Never squeeze the jelly bag pulp as it will cause the jelly to be cloudy.
Measure juice and for every 600 mls add 500 gms granulated sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolved and then simmer until setting point is reached. You may need to skim any impurities from the simmering jelly. Pot into hot, sterilised jars and cover.

I wanted to make quince jelly when I lived in Italy and had no jelly bag so used a scalded pillowcase as the bag and tied it to an upturned stools 4 legs! Worked fine!

Edited to add: Just seen Katies post and I agree....there is not an enormous yield from jellies. Also, one jar of my quince jelly got left in a cupboard unseen for around a year. When I discovered it, sugar crystals had begun to form throughout the jelly. Could be I overboiled it but be aware that a year in advance for something so delicate may not work.

 

[QSis]

Okay, I have crab apple trees and a million crab apples.

I have Ball jars, pectin, a jelly bag and stand.

I have a recipe that calls for 56 fully "ripe" crab apples.

How do I know when they are ripe? These are red, about the size of large walnuts, and are starting to fall off the tree.

Do I need a pressure canner to safely keep these jars of jelly on the shelf without refrigeration?

Lee