Currant Jelly Recipes

RED CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• You don't have to top and tail the currants, or even take them off their stems. Simply wash them, put into a preserving pan with 1 3/4 cups of water, then simmer until they are very soft and have released all their juice. This will take about 45 minutes. Strain through a jelly strainer bag or cheesecloth (see p. 33) for several hours or overnight. Do not poke, squeeze, or force the pulp through the bag or you'll get cloudy jelly.
• Measure the juice, put it into the cleaned preserving pan, and bring to a boil. For every cup of juice add 1 cup of sugar, adding it only when the juice is boiling. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, ensuring the sides of the pan are free of undissolved sugar crystals. Then boil rapidly for about 8 minutes, or until the setting point is reached (see p. 41).
• Remove from the heat and stir to disperse any scum, then pour into warm, sterilized jars and seal (see pp. 21-22). Tap the jars to disperse any air bubbles caught in the jelly. Use within 1 year.
• Add a couple of tablespoonfuls of chopped fresh mint to the jelly for the last 2 to 3 minutes of boiling.
• Red currant jelly is the core ingredient of Cumberland sauce, a traditional partner to baked ham and game. Just add 1/4 cup of port, the grated zest of 1 orange and 1 unwaxed lemon, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, a pinch or two of English mustard powder (see p. 202), and perhaps a pinch of ground ginger to 10 tablespoons of red currant jelly.

CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine currants with 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fruit has broken down and released its juices, about 8 minutes. Mash the fruit mixture with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. You should have about 4 cups juice. Discard solids.
• Place a small plate in the freezer. Return juice to clean saucepan; add sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. When teaspoon of jelly placed on chilled plate ripples if pushed with your finger, it is ready.
• Remove jelly from heat, and skim off any foam from surface. Ladle jelly into sterilized canning jars; wipe rims with a dishtowel. Seal tightly.
• Meanwhile, bring a stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Using tongs, carefully place filled jars in boiling water, letting them sit 10 minutes. Remove; let cool. If center of jar lids give when pushed with finger, jars have not sealed properly. Jelly in sealed jars will keep up to 1 year. After opening, jelly will keep up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, crush currants in a large Dutch oven.
• Add water& bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat, cover& simmer until currents are softened& deflated, about 10 minutes.
• Wet a jelly bag (I use cheesecloth), wring out& suspend on a frame over a large measuring cup or bowl.
• Fill with currants& liquid; let drip, pressing bag lightly, until juice measures 6 1/2 cups, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Stirring constantly, bring juice& pectin to a boil in a large, clean pot.
• Add sugar, bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constsntly with a wooden spoon; Boil vigorously, stirring, for a minute.
• Remove from heat, skim off foam& pour into hot canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.
• Wipe rims (if necessary), cover with prepared lids& screw on bands fingertip tight.
• Boil in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

RED CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Place the currants into a large pot, and crush with a potato masher or berry crusher if you have one. Pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the fruit through a jelly cloth or cheese cloth, and measure out 5 cups of the juice.
• Pour the juice into a large saucepan, and stir in the sugar. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in the liquid pectin immediately. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 30 seconds.
• Remove from heat and skim off foam from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth. Cover with new sterile lids and rings. Process covered in a bath of simmering water for 10 minutes or the time recommended by your local extension for your area.

CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Pick over the currants, removing leaves and poor berries but do not stem them.
• Put currants in a colander and wash well.
• Pour into a pot and mash well with a potato masher.
• Boil until the berries become a mush and allow to drip through a jelly bag overnight.
• Do not squeeze the mash if you want sparkling, clear jelly.
• Next morning, measure the juice and put an equal amount of sugar into another vessel.
• Warm the sugar in a very slow oven-- about 150 F to 200 F-- for 1/2 hour or so.
• Heat the juice to the boiling point and pour over sugar into another container.
• Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.
• Do not cook mixture.
• Instead, pour into glasses while still hot.
• It will jell perfectly.
• Seal the glasses with 2 thin layers of paraffin and a lid.

BLACK CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Rinse and drain currants and put in a large preserving kettle. Crush fruit, add water and cook slowly for 15 minutes. Force through a sieve or food mill to remove seeds. Pour the juices into a jelly bag and let drip overnight. (If you do not have a jelly bag, line a colander with 4 thicknesses of cheesecloth and set over a bowl.) The next day, measure the juices in a bowl, pour into a large pot, add an equal quantity of sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Cook over a high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, until a thermometer registers 220° or the juice sheets from the side of a spoon (i.e., when the last two drops on the spoon run together). Pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses and cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When the paraffin has hardened, cover the glasses and store.