Last year we made a mistake and gave the redcurrants away to a family friend. I think we regretted it from the minute we handed the fruit over. This year our aim is to use as much of our produce ourselves, preserving and canning too and then we will give what is left to friends. There are sure to be too many runner beans and green beans for the three of us. But redcurrants are the first produce that we are enjoying this year. What to make? Redcurrant Jelly of course!
We collected 3 1/2 pounds from our one bush. Back home the currants were gently washed.
The recipe is simple. Weigh the fruit (stalks included). Whatever the weight you will use the same quantity of warmed sugar.
Place the sugar in a lined baking tin and heat gently in the oven for five minutes. Place the currants in a saucepan and begin to boil the fruit. Stir the fruit to release the juice. Once the mixture has come to a boil add the warmed sugar slowly to the mixture whilst stirring.
Whilst the mixture boils for eight minutes. Make your contraption. Ours looked like this:
Yep. A stool turned upside down with a saucepan at the bottom and netting held in place at the top with elastic bands.
Once the eight minutes are up. Seive the mixture into another pot. This helps an awful lot in not having lots of pips and stalks in the netting. Slowly pass this mixture through the netting. It took quite a long time. But the result was worth it. When this is done put the jelly into your heated prepared jars and seal.
Do you have any good recipes that we can use the jelly with? I’d love to know.
~ Pru
Perfecting Pru 