Dessertscreativecanning5.0
Crabapple Jelly
Old-fashioned crabapple jelly is easy to make without added pectin. Just juice, sugar, and a bit of patience yield this tart, brightly colored preserve.
👥 40 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 2h 30m⏳ Prep: 2h🔥 Cook: 20 min👤 Ashley Adamant📖 creativecanning
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●saucepan
- ●pot
- ●bowl
- ●measuring cup
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Prepare the Juice
2
Start by selecting about 3 pounds of fresh crabapples, ideally a mix of ¼ underripe and ¾ ripe. This ratio ensures the best flavor and enough natural pectin for the jelly to set.
crabapples3 pounds
3
Wash the fruit thoroughly and remove both the stems and blossom ends—but don’t peel or core them. The skins and cores actually contain a good portion of the natural pectin. Cut the fruit into quarters or smaller chunks.
4
Place the prepared fruit in a large saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to ⏱️ 25 minutes, covered, until the fruit is completely soft.
water3 cups
5
Strain the Juice
6
When the crabapples are soft, pour the contents of the pot through a dampened jelly bag or a double layer of damp cheesecloth. Let the juice drain naturally into a clean bowl or large measuring cup. Do not press or squeeze the bag, as this can result in cloudy jelly. If you’re using a fruit press, make sure to re-strain the juice through a jelly bag for clarity.
crabapples3 pounds
7
You should end up with approximately 4 cups of clear crabapple juice. If you have slightly less, you can scale the recipe by using equal parts juice and sugar by volume.
sugar4 cups
8
Make the Jelly
9
Pour the strained juice into a clean jam pot or heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 4 cups of granulated sugar, stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
sugar4 cups
10
Boil until the jelly reaches gel stage—this means 220°F at sea level (or 8°F above the boiling point of water in your location). If you’re not using a thermometer, you can also test for gel with the spoon or plate test (see below).
water3 cups
11
Once the jelly reaches the correct temperature or passes a gel test, remove it from the heat and skim off any foam.
12
Can the Jelly
13
Ladle the hot jelly into sterilized half-pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply two-piece canning lids, and tighten until fingertip-tight. Process in a boiling water bath canner for ⏱️ 10 minutes below 6,000 feet, or ⏱️ 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.
water3 cups
14
Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12–⏱️ 24 hours before checking seals. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months.
Nutrition Facts
calories
95 kcal
fat Content
0.1 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
1 g
sugar Content
23 g
sodium Content
1 mg
protein Content
0.1 g
carbohydrate Content
25 g
saturated Fat Content
0.01 g
unsaturated Fat Content
0.023 g
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