JELLY RECIPES: Peacharita Jam ... Blueberry Pepper Jelly ... Grape Jelly

• Blackberry jam with lemon zest

With this Blackberry Jam with Lemon Zest, Athens cookbook author Liana Krissoff says this tart, rustic jam "may well be my favorite." If you can find wild blackberries, the flavor is "other-dimensional," Krissoff says. Cultivated berries from a you-pick farm work nicely, too. (Renee Brock/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/MCT)
• Strawberry freezer jam

Strawberry freezer jam is easily accomplished with a few steps. (Juli Leonard/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT)
• Pepper jelly

Lauri Jo Bennett, a Norman Park, Georgia entrepreneur who has turned her love of canning into a thriving business, specializes in pepper jelly, a Southern classic traditionally served with cream cheese and crackers. Here, this easy-to-make Blueberry Pepper Jelly. (Renee Brock/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/MCT)
• Canning preserves

Canning preserves or jams takes preparation. Lids, jars, and fresh fruit are a good start. (Debbie Noda/Modesto Bee/MCT)

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Ball Strawberry or Red Raspberry Freezer Jam

4 cups crushed berries, strawberries (4 pounds), raspberries (36 ounces)

1 package Ball Instant Fruit Pectin

1½ c sugar or Splenda, granulated

5 8-ounce containers or jars for the jam

Put fruit in a colander and rinse well. (If using strawberries, take off the stems.) Put fruit in a bowl, or an 8-cup measuring cup. Crush the fruit with a potato masher or pastry blender. In a bowl, stir together the sugar and Instant Fruit Pectin. Add crushed fruit to sugar/pectin mixture. Stir for 3 minutes. Ladle jam into clean jars/containers and let stand for 30 minutes. Freeze for up to a year or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Yield: 5 8-ounce jars.

Peacharita Jam

3 cups crushed, pitted, peeled peaches

23 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

½ cup tequila

¼ cup triple sec

6 cups granulated sugar

½ teaspoon unsalted butter (optional)

1 pouch (3 ounces) liquid pectin

Prepare canning jars and lids and bring water in water bath canner to a boil.

In an 8-quart stainless-steel stockpot, combine peaches, lime juice, tequila and triple sec. Gradually stir in sugar and butter, if using. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is completely dissolved.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute.

Remove pot from heat and skim off any foam. Let jam cool in the pot for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Center hot lids on jars and screw on bands until fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, making sure they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Process 4-ounce jars and 8-ounce jars for 10 minutes; process 1-pint jars for 15 minutes.

Remove jars from canner and place on a wire rack or cloth towel. Let cool for 24 hours, then check seals. Wash and dry jars and store in a cool, dry, dark location.

Note: Triple sec is a colorless, sweet, orange-flavored liqueur.

Note: For 3 cups crushed peaches, you’ll need about 3 pounds or nine medium peaches.

Yield: About seven 8-ounce jars

Blueberry Pepper Jelly

2 cups finely chopped bell peppers (about 4 large peppers)

2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and chopped

7 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups white vinegar

9 ounces Certo (liquid pectin)

1 cup fresh blueberries (may substitute other fresh fruit such as chopped strawberries or peaches or blackberries)

Sterilize half-pint jars and lids and set aside.

Place bell peppers, jalapeños, sugar and vinegar in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a rolling boil, about 5 minutes. Add Certo and bring to a full boil again, stirring constantly; cook for 1 minute. Add blueberries, and mash with a spoon to break up and extract juices. Return to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 1 or 2 minutes and skim off foam.

Ladle mixture into waiting jars. Put a flat lid and ring on each jar, tighten until snug, and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. (The jars must be covered by at least 1 inch of water.) Remove from pot and allow to cool. Allow jars to sit untouched for 12 hours. (After 1 hour, check to see if the jars have sealed. If the center of the lid can be pushed down, it hasn’t sealed. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator.) Label and store, preferably in a cool, dark place.

Yield: 8 to 9 half-pints.

Approximate nutritional analysis per tablespoon (based on 8 half-pint yield): 54 calories trace protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, 4 milligrams sodium.

Blackberry Jam with Lemon Zest

1 pound Granny Smith apples (about 3 small apples)

3 pounds blackberries (about 8 cups), rinsed

2 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice

Grated zest of 2 small lemons

Sterilize jars by boiling for 10 minutes in a large canning pot; leave them in the pot to stay hot. Put a small plate in the freezer. Put the flat lids in a heat-proof bowl.

Quarter and core the apples, reserving the cores and seeds. Tie apple trimmings in cheesecloth (or a jelly bag, if you have one).

Put blackberries and sugar in a wide, 6- to 8-quart preserving pan or other wide shallow pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, and cook until the juices just cover the blackberries, about 5 minutes. Pour into a colander set over a large bowl. Stir berries gently to drain off juice. Return juice to pan, along with the apples and the trimmings. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is reduced and thick and measures about 220 degrees on a candy thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.

Return berries and any accumulated juice to pan. Add lemon juice and zest, and bring to simmer, about 3 minutes. Simmer, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes, until a small dab of jam spooned onto the chilled plate and returned to the freezer for a minute wrinkles when you nudge it. Remove from the heat. Discard apples and trimmings, and stir gently to distribute fruit in the liquid.

Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove sterilized jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain water off the jar lids.

Ladle hot jam into the jars, leaving ¼ inch head space at the top. Wipe the rims of jars with a wet paper towel, if necessary. Put a flat lid and ring on each jar, and tighten until snug. Return the jars to the canning pot, making sure water covers jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from pot and let jars sit untouched for 12 hours. (After 1 hour, check to see if jars have sealed. If the center of the lid can be pushed down, it hasn’t sealed. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator.) Label and store, preferably in a cool, dark place.

Approximate nutritional analysis per tablespoon: 34 calories, 2 percent of calories from fat, trace protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, trace sodium.

Peach Jam With Lemon Thyme and Almonds

½ cup slivered almonds

12 ounces Granny Smith apples (about 2 large)

4 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and diced

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme leaves (may substitute about 1 teaspoon regular thyme)

Sterilize jars by boiling for 10 minutes in a large canning pot; leave them in the pot to stay hot. Put a small plate in the freezer. Put the flat lids in a heat-proof bowl.

Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and light brown, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Quarter and core the apples, reserving the cores and seeds. Tie apple trimmings in cheesecloth (or a jelly bag, if you have one).

Put the peaches and sugar in a wide, 6- to 8-quart preserving pan or other wide shallow pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, and continue to cook until the juices just cover the peaches, about 5 minutes. Pour into a colander set over a large bowl. Stir peaches gently to drain off juice. Return juice to pan, along with the apples and the trimmings. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrup is thick and reduced, about 15 minutes.

Return peaches and any accumulated juices to pan. Add lemon juice, almonds and lemon thyme. Bring back to simmer and cook, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes, until peaches are very tender and a small dab of jam spooned onto the chilled plate and returned to the freezer for a minute becomes somewhat firm. (It will not gel.) Remove from heat. Discard apples and trimmings, and stir gently to distribute fruit in the liquid.

Ladle hot jam into the jars, leaving ¼ inch head space at the top. Wipe jar rims with wet paper towel, if necessary. Put a flat lid and ring on each jar, and tighten until snug. Return the jars to the canning pot, making sure water covers jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from pot and let sit untouched for 12 hours. (After 1 hour, check to see if the jars have sealed. If the center of the lid can be pushed down, it hasn’t sealed. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator.) Label and store, preferably in a cool, dark place.

Approximate nutritional analysis per tablespoon (based on 4 half-pint yield): 42 calories 14 percent of calories from fat, trace protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 1 gram fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, trace sodium.

Blueberry-Peach Freezer Jam

1 cup crushed blueberries

1½ cups granulated sugar

1 1.59-ounce pouch (45 grams) freezer jam pectin, also called instant pectin

3 cups finely grated pitted peeled peaches

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Place blueberries in a glass pie plate. Heat in a microwave oven on high, stopping the microwave several times to stir and crush the berries, until the mixture reaches a boil, about 2 minutes.

Combine sugar and pectin in a medium bowl. Stir until thoroughly blended. Add blueberries, peaches, lemon zest and juice. Stir for 3 minutes.

Ladle jam into plastic or glass freezer jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Apply lids tightly. Let jam stand at room temperature until thickened, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately, if desired. Refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze for up to one year.

Yield: 5 pint jars.

Grape Jelly

3½ pounds of grapes

1 package of fruit pectin

7 cups of sugar

½ teaspoon of margarine

Boil the jars and lids at least 10 minutes, then let stand in the hot water until you’re ready to use them. Pleace the grapes in a saucepan and cover with 1½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the juice from the seeds into a kettle. To get all the juice, use a spoon and press the grapes against the sides of a strainer. You should have about 5 cups of juice. Add the pectin and margarine to the juice and stir well. Bring the juice to a rolling boil. While you stir, have an assistant pour in the sugar. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

In the meantime, use tongs to remove and drain the jars and lids from the hot water. With a ladle, fill the jars to Z, inch from the top. Wipe the rim, place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings. Turn the jars over for five minutes, then turn them upright. Check the seal by pressing down on the center of the lid. It shouldn’t spring back.

Cool the jelly completely and rinse the sides of the jar.

Yield: 8 cups or 4 pints.

Homemade Raspberry Jam

1 quart raspberries, mashed

6½ cups sugar

1 pouch liquid pectin

7 to 8 ½-pint Mason jars with lids and rings

Wash the lids in hot soapy water. Let dry. Place the jars and rings in a pot. Do not allow the water to boil. Simmer until ready to fill.

In a sauce pan add 1 quart mashed raspberries. When the berries begin to bubble, add 6½ cups sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, add one pouch of liquid pectin. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil hard for one minute. Remove from heat. Scrape the foam off the top.

Remove jars from the water bath. Using a funnel, ladle the jam into the jars. Fill to the first line from the bottom. As the jam cools, it will expand. Wipe the rims clean. Top with the lids then screw on the ring.

Place the filled jars back into the water bath, making sure the jars do not touch. Add enough water to cover 1 to 2 inches.

Bring water to a rolling boil. Boil covered for 10 minutes. Remove from bath and let sit at least 24 hours. To determine if the lids are properly sealed, press down in the center of the lid. If it clicks or caves in under the pressure it is not sealed. You can repeat the water bath or store the jam in the refrigerator.

Jelly tips

Making jellied products is not difficult, but it is important to follow reliable, tested recipes as well as the following guidelines from the University of Minnesota Extension.

• Choose ripe fruit that is free of bruises or mold.

• Using fresh fruit at room temperature helps dissolve the sugar.

• Wash berries thoroughly — do not allow them to soak which reduces nutritional value and contributes to a soft product.

• The proper proportion of sugar, fruit and pectin is important to get a good jellied product.

• Do not reduce the amount of sugar. Sugar contributes flavor, but is also a preservative which helps prevent the growth of microorganisms. Granulated white sugar is usually used – other sweetener flavors can overpower the fruit’s natural flavor and sweetness

• Use the boiling water canning process for all cooked jam and jelly products to prevent mold growth.

This means process 11 minutes in washed, but unsterilized jars (6 minutes in pre-sterilized jars); sterilize by standing clean empty jars upright on a rack in a boiling water canner; fill the jars and canner with clean water to 1 inch above the tops of the jars; boil for 11 minutes; keep jars in the water until ready to fill.

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