Canning Pics, Feel free to post yours!

[ladydarcie]

I am retiring the end of January and one of the things people do at my workplace is the retiring person gives each co-worker a small gift. There are 21 co-workers, so I thought I would can each of them a small jar of hot red pepper jelly.

Yesterday I canned them up, and today I noticed the jelly has not set. Now I am thinking I did not add enough liquid certo to it. Duh me!

Three questions:
1. Can I reuse my unset jelly?
2. Can I just open the jars return everything to the stove, add the liquid certo and reprocess everything?
3. Can I reuse the lids or do I need to buy new ones?

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer me.

[RSAS]

I am retiring the end of January and one of the things people do at my workplace is the retiring person gives each co-worker a small gift. There are 21 co-workers, so I thought I would can each of them a small jar of hot red pepper jelly.

Yesterday I canned them up, and today I noticed the jelly has not set. Now I am thinking I did not add enough liquid certo to it. Duh me!

Three questions:
1. Can I reuse my unset jelly?
2. Can I just open the jars return everything to the stove, add the liquid certo and reprocess everything?
3. Can I reuse the lids or do I need to buy new ones?

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer me.

I want to know the answer too! I had pepper jelly that also did not set. The only question I know the answer to is #3. You need to buy NEW lids.

[scouponer]

I don't know about your jelly problem, but if it doesn't work out and you decide to can something different you could consider making monkey butter...easy to find ingredients for this time of year. You can find recipes online. It is made with sugar, canned crushed pineapple, bananas and coconut. Super yummy and great to make at this time of year. Good luck with your jelly. Cheekysaver will know the answer so if she doesn't reply her I would pm her. She is the canning expert.

[slradcli]

Three questions:
1. Can I reuse my unset jelly?
2. Can I just open the jars return everything to the stove, add the liquid certo and reprocess everything?
3. Can I reuse the lids or do I need to buy new ones?

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer me.

1. Have you refrigerated the unset jelly since it didn't set? If not, I'd throw it out and start again.
2. Yes, make sure you heat the jelly to the set point (220F) and follow published recipes. And let the jars sit for 24 hours after canning, it can take awhile for them to set.

[iggysbabysitter]

I just found a deal at No frills... cooked roast beef (end bits) 1kg for $1.29. I used this stuff in soups and stew a few times in the past and it was good... so I bought 9kg. I pressure canned 13 pints the same way you do ground beef, made soup with some, and have 4 kg left to do in the morning! In all I should end up with about 30 pints of chopped up beef for soups.

[barbs]

1. Have you refrigerated the unset jelly since it didn't set? If not, I'd throw it out and start again.
2. Yes, make sure you heat the jelly to the set point (220F) and follow published recipes. And let the jars sit for 24 hours after canning, it can take awhile for them to set.

as long as the jars are sealed properly, they don't need to be thrown out.

[cheekysaver]

It is a easy fix... i already pmed her... here is the fix...
This stuff happens!... if it is really loose or just a little it is a easy fix.

open all the jars and empty them into a pot. Put a saucer or small ceramic plate in the freezer. Wash all the jars and use brand new lids on them. Put the jars in your water bath to sterilize them... or in the oven for 20 mins at 220F... your choice...(i do the oven and just put them on a cookie sheet so they don't tip or touch each other.) Once your jars are sterilized heat up your lids but don't boil them.

Now your ready to fix your jelly... turn on the heat and add a pack of certo. Bring it to full boil for 1 min... if your at a high altitude adjust this up a bit... up to 2 mins for 5000 ft. After it is boiled take it off the heat.... put about a teaspoon on the small frozen plate and give it about 15- 20 seconds and run your finger through the middle of it to test the set... that lets you know every single time.... if it is thick enough jar it up... if it still needs more add a little more of a pack of certo and repeat the process until it sets nicely.

[cheekysaver]

1. Have you refrigerated the unset jelly since it didn't set? If not, I'd throw it out and start again.
2. Yes, make sure you heat the jelly to the set point (220F) and follow published recipes. And let the jars sit for 24 hours after canning, it can take awhile for them to set.

As long as the jars were sealed she doesn't need to throw out a thing... even unrefridgerated... just the same as a syrup... it isn't thick and it doesn't need to be thrown out because it was sterile, processed and has a high enough sugar content in order to act as a preserving agent. The certo itself is not a preserve... just a thickener.

[ladydarcie]

Thanks for the reply cheeky, I will try this as soon as I get more certo and jar lids. You are so cleaver. I did not know about putting the jars in the oven. I think I know my mistake, the recipe called for 2 packages of liquid certo, when I opened he box it had to individual packages in it, which I thought was the correct amount. I am thinking now the recipe meant 2 boxes of 2 packages each.

[ladydarcie]

It is a easy fix... i already pmed her... here is the fix...
This stuff happens!... if it is really loose or just a little it is a easy fix.

open all the jars and empty them into a pot. Put a saucer or small ceramic plate in the freezer. Wash all the jars and use brand new lids on them. Put the jars in your water bath to sterilize them... or in the oven for 20 mins at 220F... your choice...(i do the oven and just put them on a cookie sheet so they don't tip or touch each other.) Once your jars are sterilized heat up your lids but don't boil them.

Now your ready to fix your jelly... turn on the heat and add a pack of certo. Bring it to full boil for 1 min... if your at a high altitude adjust this up a bit... up to 2 mins for 5000 ft. After it is boiled take it off the heat.... put about a teaspoon on the small frozen plate and give it about 15- 20 seconds and run your finger through the middle of it to test the set... that lets you know every single time.... if it is thick enough jar it up... if it still needs more add a little more of a pack of certo and repeat the process until it sets nicely.

Finally today I had everything I needed amd the time to fix my Red Pepper Jelly. I followed your instructions, and I am thrilled that it turned out perfectly. I will definitely use the frozen plate trick in the future each time I make jelly, and the jars in the oven is such a time saver, I loved that tip. Again Thanks cheeky for your help.

[Kitty77]

Anyone canning yet?
Making rhubarb chutney today, been having fun washing jars and getting everything ready for canning season. Made some cranberry sauce, strawberry jam and corn relish this week.

[cheekysaver]

I have been eyeballing the specials hard!!!! It is time to dig out canning supplies. Here is a list of things I want to get busy canning, Strawberries in syrup, Apricots (they are really easy, who knew?!?!?!) Peaches we really like them... they are a ton of work but very yummy. Pears they are way easier, plums, chili, canned beans, milk I found it online and it isn't recommended but i will give it a try... if carnation can can milk i can too! Fajitas, soup soup and more soup, I need to make some dill slices for burgers ... last years I was very unhappy with... they didn't call for nearly enough vinegar. I have to make a ton of red pepper salsa. We go through almost 20 in a year. Hamburger needs to get done... we use a lot of it for quick tacos... ready in 5 mins. I found a recipe for tomato free pasta sauce that i am going to pressure can. LOL yeah i have some work to do!

[cheekysaver]

Just to clarify... the dills from last year are not the bread and butter pickles... the bread and butter pickles were so good we made a second batch of them. You can't eat just one. Oh yeah and I need to make some spicy relish too. LOL the list goes on and on!!!

[sweetproserpina]

I've got to clean out the big freezer and can up anything that's left over- think I've got some peaches for jam, lots of blackberries/blackrasperries for jelly, and I have some canned grape juice that should be jelly too. Would peach rhubarb jam be weird? Maybe I'll try it Be nice to get the jamming out of the way earlier this season so I've more time for tomato and fruit canning in august/sept.

I'm totally getting a pressure canner this year!! I can't wait to can soups and meats I'll definitely be quizzing everyone for input on what I should get later this year when I'm ready to purchase, wahoo!

I got an excaliber dehydrator for my b-day this past year and look forward to doing lots of dehydrating this season too (I hear dehydrated strawberries are totally awesome Anyone else do a lot of drying? Tips?

cheekysaver- really interested on how your milk turns out.. I've been watching some youtube videos with ladies canning butter and cheese and while I would love to, I'm just not brave enough... Milk though, might be pretty nice to have on the shelf.

[Insane]

I've only ever canned jams and jellys but canning peaches and apricots would be brilliant. You can't buy them up here in the winter!