Elderberry Jelly

Name: Elderberry Jelly
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT4H15M0.000S
Yield: Four 8-ounce jars
Ingredients: 2 pounds elderberries; 1/4 cup lemon juice; One 1 3/4-ounce package of fruit pectin powder; 4 1/2 cups sugar

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Level: Intermediate

Total: 4 hr 15 min
Active: 15 min

Yield: Four 8-ounce jars

Level: Intermediate

Total: 4 hr 15 min
Active: 15 min

Yield: Four 8-ounce jars

Ingredients

2 pounds elderberries

1/4 cup lemon juice

One 1 3/4-ounce package of fruit pectin powder

4 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

Special equipment:

an 8-quart stockpot, canning tongs, four 8-ounce mason jars with lids and screw-on rings, a steam juicer or standard juicer, a wide-mouth canning funnel, a magnetic lid holder

Fill a large stock pot with cold water, enough to cover your jars by 4 inches. Bring the water to a simmer and place the jars and the center lids into the water. Keep the water on a low simmer until ready to jar the jelly.
Place the elderberries in the steam juicer (alternatively, use a standard juicer). Follow the manufacturer's instructions to extract the juice from the elderberries. If using a steam juicer, you should end up with 3 to 4 cups of juice after about 1 hour of steaming. Place 3 cups of the elderberry juice and the lemon juice in a saucepan. Stir in the pectin until dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until the jelly begins to thicken, about 8 minutes. Add the sugar, and return the mixture to a full boil. Boil for 2 minutes and skim any foam off the top.
Remove the jars from the simmering water using the canning tongs and dry them off using a clean towel. Using a wide-mouth funnel, ladle the jelly into each jar, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, wet cloth to remove any residue or stickiness. Remove the center lid from the water using the magnetic lid holder and place the lid on top of the jar. Put the screw bands on the jars, and tighten. Repeat with the remaining jars.
Place the jars back into the large stockpot and fill with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the jars from the water and let cool completely to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. You will hear a pop from the lid letting you know that each jar has been sealed.
Serve with a croissant or on toast.

Properly handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for one year. Making sure hands, equipment and surfaces in your canning area are clean is the first step in canning. Tips: Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with glass, plastic or metal lids that have a rubberlike seal. Two-piece metal lids are most common. To prepare jars before filling: Wash jars with hot, soapy water, rinse them well and arrange them open-side up, without touching, on a tray. To sterilize jars, boil them in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 10 minutes. Jars have to be sterilized only if the food to be preserved will be processed for less than 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath or pressure canner. To sterilize jars, boil them in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 10 minutes. Follow manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and preparing lids and bands. Use tongs or jar lifters to remove hot sterilized jars from the boiling water. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too: Dip the tong ends in boiling water for a few minutes before using them. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, preserves and pickles must be clean, including any towels and especially your hands. After the jars are prepared, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products. Find Information information on canning can be found at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website: http://nchfp.uga.edu/.

A viewer or guest of the show, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. It has not been tested for home use.