Okay, I'll give it a shot, then I have to get back to canning, LOL.

1. Spiced Oranges - Topp says "Bring to a boil, REDUCE HEAT, cover and SIMMER for 45 minutes . . ." So not boiling, just gently bubbling most of the time.

2. On the caramelized onions, a recipe I have made myself, the onions might have had more water content and hence, reduced more, or you might have cooked them down more than required before bottling. The jars are still safe. You might note over time some discoloration (oxidation) at the top due to the greater headspace, but with all the vinegar this is quite a safe recipe.

3. It would have been helpful to have the watermelon jam recipe to refer to. (OK, I think I found it on fooddownunder.) Many of these old recipes aren't easily reproducible with modern fruits. For example, watermelons today are bred with much thinner peels, so old watermelon pickle recipes often have to be adjusted in amounts and cooking times.

Your watermelon was probably much more watery. There are these variations anyway. Forget the recommended time. That's just a ballpark figure. The preserves take as long as they take. One way to avoid overcooking the fruit is to use the French Plunge method. When the fruit pieces look candied and translucent, strain them out of the syrup. Cook the syrup rapidly (quick boil) down to the jell point, add the fruit, return to a boil and cook another minute or so until fruit is hot through and jell point has been restored. Pull off heat and let sit 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to distribute fruit before bottling. This reduces the likelihood of floating.

4. Don't double jam recipes. The seal sounds fine, despite the crease. Jam is low, low risk. You don't have to refrigerate it, though if you have room and prefer to, that's great.

5. The pectin question would require a dissertation. I'll leave that to someone else right now, though it is worth noting that liquid pectin and powdered pectin are different products and require different handling.

6. Yes, fruit can be prepared ahead. Many traditional preserves can be broken into stages and left to sit overnight. Be sure to add some ascorbic acid if the fruit (like peaches) has a tendency to brown. If the fruit is sitting in water, when you drain it, rinse well. If the fruit is already in the sugar, just add a pinch or two of ascorbic acid and stir it through. No more than say 1/4 teaspoon per batch. Otherwise your jam will have a bitter undertone.

7. Maintain a rolling boil. Fill your canner, if necessary, with extra jars filled with water (no lids). Or use a smaller kettle with a towel or rack in the bottom for small batches of jams.

8. Artichokes - hot pack. Pressure can 25 minutes pints, 30 minutes quarts, 10 pounds pressure. Adjust for altitude. 1/2-inch headspace.

Carol

P.S. The artichoke processing times came from Costenbader's "Preserving the Harvest." I wouldn't accept it as gospel. I haven't researched further.

Be careful what you read on the internet.

Carol

Carol-

Thank you for the hints. It is a shame to have something taste so good and look so ragged. The oranges are the perfect garnish, now I just need them to look like a garnish.

I will try the french plunge method with the watermelon. I really want some watermelon preserves that bottle the essence of summer for the long, cold winter days. I haven't been able to find anything that will give me a waterlemon product that has the heft of peach or plum preserves. Thats really what I'm looking for.

Carol- The watermelon recipe required 3 lbs of watermelon pulp and 3 lbs of sugar. It directed me to dice the pulp, and then layer the pulp and sugar in a bowl to rest for 4 hours. At that point I was to put it in a pan and bring to a boil, "untill it started to swell-approximately 45-50 minutes" put it in jars, seal and process.

Am I to understand that given any ratio of sugar and liquid, jelling will occur if you give it enough time on the heat? Does the long and slow process of reducing until it jells give a more flavorful product than the process that uses pectin?

I found a brand of commercial watermelon jam. It uses pectin. Here is a recipe from the watermelon promotion board:

Watermelon Jam
A rosy pink, sweet spread with a bit of crunch. Try it with peanut butter on an English muffin...yummy!

Ingredients:
3 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups finely chopped seeded watermelon (do not puree)
¼ cup lemon juice
1 package (1/75 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
¾ cup water

Instructions:
In large bowl, stir together sugar, watermelon and lemon juice. Set aside for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In small saucepan, blend fruit pectin and water. Bring mixture to boil over high heat; boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir pectin mixture into watermelon mixture. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Quickly pour into jars and cover. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours to set. Store jam in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Servings:
Makes about 4 cups. Per 1 tablespoon serving: 38 calories, 10g carbohydrate, 0.4mg sodium

Lately I've been inclined to make no pectin jams using the french plunge method Carol described. (We both like the book Mes Confitures by Christine Ferber.) However, I think one sounds like one that would benefit from a shorter cooking time. And then there is the whole world of no sugar pectin. Search for Pomona's on this site and you should get more info that you ever wanted :) One of the jams that I really like is reduced sugar peach made with the no sugar needed pectin. It takes nice and fresh.

hi, the curious! welcome to canning. sounds like you're extremely ambitious and energetic!!!

I am not as expert as many here, but I have a hint for only your #7:

"7.Boiling-The recipes say to put the product in the water bath canner and start timing when the water comes to a boil again. When you are processing less than a a full load, a rolling boil tips the jars over."

I use a smaller pot for smaller loads. Found a cheap round backing rack that fits into the bottom of my smaller pot to use as a rack. (Though I've canned without a rack many times with no problem; the rack reduces the chances of a glass shattering from uneven heat, but that chance doesn't seem to be that high to begin with, at least in the aluminum pot I use.)

Oh, and I also have a response from even my limited experience to this query:

"Am I to understand that given any ratio of sugar and liquid, jelling will occur if you give it enough time on the heat?"

Not necessarily. Some batches of jam just don't ever set, for reasons understood by powers greater than those of mere Harvest forum posters! And much depends on the pectin content of the fruit. When in doubt, if using no-pectin-added recipes, including some apple often seems to help, as apples are v. high in pectin.

Good luck, and do keep telling us about your adventures!

Zabby

Here is another watermelon recipe for you.
Watermelon Jelly
4 cups watermelon, remove seeds (not rind)
3 1/2 cups granulated organic sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 (6 ounce) bottle liquid fruit pectin
Place watermelon in blender or food processor and blend or process until smooth. You should end up with 2 cups purée. In large cooking pot combine watermelon purée, sugar and lemon juice. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Add pectin all at once. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle jelly into clean hot half-pint jars; seal. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Makes 4 half-pints.

I forgot to say welcome to the Forum, thecurious. I hope you find this a good place to visit.

Zabby's already answered the question about jelling. Any "jam" will thicken if you cook it down, but it won't necessarily jell. You might just end up with an overcooked puree (or sludge). Working with traditional no-commercial pectin recipes can be a bit like walking a tightrope. Sometimes jelling comes at too high a cost because you have to cook the recipe down for so long it loses its freshness of flavor and character.

I think you'll find a variety of "jam philosophies" on the Forum. There are those who like the convenience of commercial pectins. I'm one of those who prefers not to use them, except for the unavoidable like Pepper Jelly.

If we're speaking of regular pectin (as opposed to low-sugar types or Pomona pectin, which is in a different category altogether), it requires a high ratio of sugar to fruit to set. The reason I like to go with traditional preserves is that the ratio of fruit to sugar is higher and that's a taste I enjoy.

There are those who like low-sugar pectins for health reasons or because they just don't want quite so much sugar. I don't like such pectins because I detect an aftertaste and I find Pomona Pectin chalky. So I just eat less jam and figure it balances out. But obviously it's individual.

Thanks for posting the watermelon preserve recipe. That's the one I found, but it's always helpful to know what we're dealing with and sometimes such recipes provide inspiration for other members.

As far as your question about the watermelon preserves is concerned, I've never made them. I might give a melon preserve a try this summer if the crop is good, but watermelon is so high in water (well that's obvious!) it's difficult to imagine it would ever result in a preserve with the character (i.e. discernable "meaty" chunks in syrup) of a peach or a pear. It may be that some varieties of melon or homegrown ones bring you closer to the qualities you're looking for. Also, generally speaking, you'll have better luck using at least 1/4 slightly underripe fruit. The pectin is in the cell walls and as the fruit ripens, the pectin level goes down. Riper fruit needs less sugar but it's also less likely to set because of the loss of pectin. You have to have the proper balance of sugar, pectin and acid, the "Big Three," and that will vary from fruit to fruit and even crop to crop. As I said, it's a tightrope.

Carol

Globe artichokes are only to be frozen, not canned.
There is a recipe for pickled Jerusalem artichokes.
FREEZING ARTICHOKE, GLOBE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Select those with uniformly green color, compact globes
and tightly adhering leaves. Size has little to do with
quality or flavor. Remove outer bracts until light yellow
or white bracts are reached. Cut off tops of bud and trim
to a cone. Wash the hearts in cold water as soon as
trimming is completed. Drain.

Scald 7 minutes. Cool, drain and pack in plastic
freezer bags or can or freeze jars or plastic freezer boxes.
Seal, label and freeze.

JAMS AND JELLIES

Q. What makes a gel? Why is it sometimes too stiff and sometimes runny?

A. Gels result from the interaction between acid, sugar, and pectin. A satisfactory gel requires the correct proportion of each of these ingredients. That is why it is important to follow recipes exactly and measure carefully.

Heat extracts pectin from fruit and boiling evaporates water, thus concentrating sugar and acid, producing gelatin. Jelly should be boiled in a large kettle to permit a rapid boil over a large surface area to evaporate water quickly. Recipes should not be doubled. When jelly fails to gel, it is because of incorrect proportions of ingredients. This can result from insufficient pectin, acid, or excess sugar, insufficient cooking, slow cooking, or overcooking. Jelly that is too stiff or tough results from using too much added pectin or boiling too long.

Q. Why do some recipes call for added pectin and others do not?

A. Some fruits, such as sour apples, lemons, and cranberries, contain enough pectin to form a gel without added pectin. Others, such as apricots, peaches, strawberries, and cherries, are low in pectin and need added amounts.

Q. Why is lemon juice called for in some recipes?

A. Lemon juice provides additional acid to fruits that are too low in acid to make a firm gel or a good tasting jelly. Very ripe fruit may need extra acid.

Watermelon does not have that much natural acid. I don't know how much pectin it has. Probably not much, since it is mostly water. Notice the added lemon juice in the recipes posted by the others, that would help it gel. Plus, it has added pectin. I would think you would need both in order to get watermelon to gel.

If you double jam/jelly recipes they will not gel. Do not double recipes as the mixture may not set. When a recipe is doubled, there is not enough surface area in the saucepot nor adequate boiling time for sufficient amount of liquid to evaporate.

Normally the lids crease because you put the rings on too tight. That or they can if in a pressure canner and the pressure fluctuates too quickly.

If the jars tip over, you may need a different rack or you can put a folded towel in the bottom of your rack and see if that helps. You need to keep them at a full boil.

I am not familiar with the spiced orange slices, but that sure seems like a long time to cook them. Unless you are talking about this glazed recipe, that seems they are candied...
Glazed spiced orange slices
Categories: Canning Preserves Etc
Yield: 4 Servings
4 Seedless oranges
2 c Sugar
½ c Cider vinegar
¼ c Water
5 Whole cloves
3 Inch pieces of stick cinnamon

Slice oranges 1/4 inch thick. Discard ends. Place orange slices in saucepan. Add water to cover. Cover pan and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and rinse well. Return to pan. Add sugar, vinegar, water, cloves and cinnamon. Simmer 1 hour uncovered. Orange slices should be tender and well-glazed. Pack slices in sterilized jars, fill with hot syrup and seal. Excellent with game or poultry. Makes 1 quart.
*They give no processing time..you need to process according to your recipe. I can see how the recipe above would work, since it is uncovered during cooking and the liquid should evaporate.

HI Zabby,

Thanks for the support. I cant tell you why I wanted to start canning, I just knew it was time.

Linda Lou, you appear to be the grand dame of this board. I take you word that artichoke hearts can only be frozen and not canned. Is it something that has to do with the nature of the vegetable that makes it unsuitable for canning?

The sliced orange pickle recipe I have is basically the same as what you printed but not identical. Its from p. 164 of small batch preserving by Ellie Topp and is the following:

4 oranges
8 cups hot water
1 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 light brown sugar
1/2 cider vinegar
1/4 cup corn syrop
8 hwole cloves
4 cardamon pds
4 cinnamin sticks
1/2 tsp of peppercorns

simmer oranges for 45 minutes, cut in 1/2 lengthwise. Combine rest of ingredients bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, slice fruit, add and simmer for 20 minutes, fill jars, seal and process.

Hi Melly of the south. Thanks for the recipe. There seem to be few preserving recipes for watermelon pulp. You can find a million for watermelon pickles, but only a very few for the pulp. Thanks again.

Welcom to the wonderful world of canning. I got hooked in 2004 so this is my 3rd summer now. I looked on a ph chart. It says that watermelon is over a 5 in ph which means it is low acid. I wonder if that is why the watermelon board's recipe is refrigerated and not canned. I don't know if the quarter cup of lemon juice would be enough to be safe. It is an interesting idea.

What I seem to remember from my classes is that they are one of those foods that by the time they would be processed long enough in a pressure canner, there would be nothing left of them. It depends upon the density of foods, how long it takes the heat to penetrate them during canning, the ph level, that determines safe canning methods and times.
I tried to find more info online on the food safety sites, but all I find is the info about freezing them.
I know sometimes it isn't always a matter of a food being safe to can (sometimes it is), but sometimes they just are basically not something a person would find appetizing. (Like canned plain cabbage, most people say YUCK ! )
That is what I remember from my classes about the artichokes.

Sorry your oranges didn't turn out. It does seem that they should get sort of candied before going into the jars.
Hey, we all have those kinds of canning projects that don't turn out.

My first canning attempt involved clementines (it was January when I suddenly decided I needed to start canning --- like you, I've no idea why! the excuse was that my tomato garden was growing and I wanted to preserve more of it the next year but mostly I just wanted to play ;-) ). I had taken a half-dozen books out of the library (in summer the basic books like the Bernardin guides, Canadian equivalent of the Ball Blue Book, are easy to find but in this season in downtown Toronto canning was pretty much an nonexistent thing in the stores so I didn't know about them). I love clementines and they were in season and the only recipe I found for them involved using a dozen spices (including whole allspice berries, which I spent days hunting down, wanting to follow things to the letter!), cooking them, soaking them overnight, scooping them out with a slotted spoon and into something else, adding a liqueur --- it was immenensely complicated, and by the end I had mostly a brownish-orange sludge that I didn't even much like the taste of. (The recipe called for some liqueur I don't much like, and somehow it never occurred to me that the result would probably taste a lot like that. Duh!)

On the other hand, it was very satisfying to produce sealed jars of edible stuff! Soon I found some things that were easier and tastier, luckily (cranberry butter was next, I think).

Sounds like you're way smarter than I was to start off with, not to mention more energetic. Let us know what else you make!

Zabby

Zabby-

I think you hit it on the head. I'm surprised at the satisfaction I get as I come home from work and look at sealed jars of edibles on my kitchen table. I go, "wow, I did that and it will sustain me when its cold outside." There are 5 well stocked supermarkets within a mile of my home, but this feels different. Go figure

I have ready access to cheap, high quality, frozen veggies, so outside of tomato sauce and artichoke hearts, I problably won't do a lot of vegetable canning. My next choice is the pickled asparagus spears in the small batch preserving book by Topp, but if I do, I need to hurry up because asparagus season is almost gone.

Right now, I'm mulling what Linda Lou said about jelling being an interaction between pectin, sugar and acid. The idea of the riper the fruit(i.e. better the flavor) the lower the pectin just seems like one of nataure's cruel jokes. The plum preserves I made from the recipe in Amendt's book are divine. I couldnt ask for a better flavor or a prettier look in the jar. But its just short of "jelling" as I understand it. It resembles a "thick, reduced poached fruit". The plums I used were dead ripe and based on the comments in this thread, I'm wondering if I should replace 1/4 of the volume of my recipe with slightly underripe fruit to get a better set? Maybe I've just eaten too much commercially prepared jam and don't have a clear idea of what the consistency of small batch, personally made jam should be like. We shall see.

Just a follow up to the watermelon issue. I tasted the melon pieces that were overflow from the two pints I processed. It had crumch, but it tasted "cooked". Not burned, but not the fresh taste I associate with watermelon. Maybe this is something that cannot be avoided. The peaches and plums I tasted still tasted "fresh", even though they are in jam and processed.

Lastly, my next project will be canteloupe jam. I have an older recipe that requires alum. I understand that alum is no longer used and that there are other ways to keep things crisp. What are they? I have seen the "pickle crisp". Can that be used for other fruits or is it only used for pickles? I'm just waiting for some really ripe canteloupes at a good price. I will let you know as soon as they are done.

After you taste a few batches, you can decide how you like the set. After all, you are making it for yourself. Some people like a softer set, some like a firmer set. If it is too soft, you can always use it as a sauce.

Melly, you have a point. A couple of tablespoons of Kirsch or Cognac would make this a wicked topping.

I have not heard of anyone using Pickle crisp in fruits, just pickled vegetables. To me, the taste of it would not be something I would like in fruits. I can taste it, sort of a bitter taste. It does make the pickles crisp, though.
From the Ball company on Pickle Crisp:
Pickle Crisp is a natural mineral salt that keeps cucumbers and vegetables firm; yields crisp "fresh pack" pickles. Not recommended for "fermented" pickle recipes. This product replaces the need for old-fashioned firming agents but it does not replace "pickling salt" used in pickling liquid recipes.

Pickle Crisp is a dry granular product that is added to each jar after vegetables are packed and before the hot pickling liquid is added - before heat processing. Add 3/4 tsp (4 ml) Pickle Crisp to each 500 ml jar; 1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) to each 1 L jar and 2 tsp (10 ml) to each 1.5 L jar of fresh pack pickles.

Each 78 g package yields 18 - 1 L jars. Each package contains three 26 g pouches, each yielding six 1 L jars, for a total of 18 1 L jars.

Available in stores selling home canning supplies, also available online.

Yes, if you use part fruit that is under ripe you will get a firmer gel due to the higher pectin.
Here is a description of the different types of fruit spreads:
KINDS OF FRUIT PRESERVES

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JELLY: is made from strained fruit juice. The product is
clear and firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of
the container, yet soft enough to spread.

BUTTERS: are made by cooking fruit pulp and sugar until
thick enough to spread easily. Spices are added depending on
personal taste. The butter needs to be cooked slowly after
the sugar is added to prevent scorching. Finer butters can
be made by straining the pulp through a food mill and then
through a fine-meshed sieve.

JAM: is made from crushed or ground fruit and tends to
hold its shape but is generally less firm than jelly. Jams
are cooked until they round up in a spoon. They should be
made in small batches and cooked rapidly until the sugar
dissolves.

CONSERVES: are jams made from a mixture of fruits, usually
including citrus fruit; often raisins and nuts are added.
Conserves are cooked until the mixture will round up in a
spoon. They should be made in small batches and cooked
rapidly.

MARMALADE: is a tender jelly with small pieces of fruit or
peel distributed evenly throughout. It should be cooked in
small batches and brought quickly to the jellying point
after the sugar is added. A marmalade commonly contains
citrus fruit; part of the white rind should be cooked
with the fruit for most of the pectin is found there.

PRESERVES: are whole fruits or large pieces of fruit in a
thick syrup, often slightly jellied. Preserves should be
cooked in small batches in wide pans. If the syrup gets too
thick before the fruit is tender and clear, add boiling
water. If the fruit is clear and tender but the syrup is too
thin, remove the fruit and cook the syrup rapidly to the
desired consistency.

> I think you hit it on the head. I'm surprised at the satisfaction I get as I come home from work and look at sealed jars of edibles on my kitchen table. I go, "wow, I did that and it will sustain me when its cold outside." There are 5 well stocked supermarkets within a mile of my home, but this feels different. Go figure.

I think it seems especially magical to big-city folk. I don't know if you are in Chicago proper more or less; I have since moved to a small town but until 2 years ago I've lived in huge metropolises all my life. I am used to the idea of food as something from the store, and even more than that of the necessities of life as being somethign you pay for rather than that you create.

It's a long-standing joke between my BF and me that in my city-bred family if you need something, you call a guy; in his small-town family, if you need something, you ARE the guy....

Zabby

For some reason Zabby, this cracked me up!
"It's a long-standing joke between my BF and me that in my city-bred family if you need something, you call a guy; in his small-town family, if you need something, you ARE the guy...."

My life's been pretty much 180 degrees from yours (raised on farm/ranch, never lived in a town bigger than 140K people..and that was CROWDED!)

More than once I've had to figure out how to do something by myself, alter a recipe because I wasn't driving "to town" for ingredients, etc. It's so true that "necessity is the mother of invention".

When I graduated from high school, I lived on nearly 400 acres and drove 20 miles to school "in town". Population 7000. I couldn't wait to get away from that "hick" town. Moved to "the big city" (pop. 140K). Wasn't very many years and I couldn't get back to the country fast enough.
Now I live on 12 acres, 5 miles from a town of 4000 and 15-20 miles (depends on which part of town you're going to) from the 140K pop.

But yes, often you ARE the guy (or gal). Deal with it!!!
:+))
Deanna

How interesting. As a person who has lived in large cities all of my life( at least a million people-my high school graduating class had 1100 people in it), I was always the, "city kid who liked seeing things grow." I've dug up my backyard and grow pretty much anything that will tolerate a zone 5. I wont even start talking about the things I've done to "amend my soil". My Dad swears I need a farm.

I'm kind of on this path of, "How did it taste before we shortened the process?" Not only is it important to "taste the real", but of all the things I can give, giving my time and effort has become more important as I grow older. My broths are deeper, veggies usually roasted, greens pulled from the garden and quickly cooked. I want to taste it and I want others to understand that my offerings reflect the only thing that is uniquely mine. My effort in their behalf.

Deanna, I also grew up on a farm, about 7 miles from "town", population about 11,000 now, a lot less then. The nearest "big city" was Grand Rapids, population 198,000, about 50 miles away.

I moved into my home here about 20 years ago, in a much smaller "town", population a bit less than 1,000, not even a town, really. I still want to get back out "into the country" although Dad still owns the farm I grew up on and I go there several times a week.

And yes, most times I am "the guy". LOL

Annie

Well, having done both ways, I appreciate both lifestyles.

(One of the saddest things about moving to my rural area was that people here pretty universally hate the city and feel the need to dis it all the time. I'm always asked, "Aren't you glad you escaped? Isn't it awful?" I understand that many people don't like city life, and that most people who DO like it move to the city, so it makes sense that people here would mostly be of the sort who prefer to avoid it. But I am baffled by the apparent need to get everyone to agree with them. Different strokes for different folks --- or in my case, for different stages of one's life! Sorry to meander. I hope not to start a debate here on country vs. city life. It's just somehting I've noticed a lot lately that makes me sad, because while I lvoe my new life I also loved my old one. )

It's satisfying to "be the guy" and do more things for oneself, but I also have an admiration for the incredible expertise of some folks. I do love watching someone who really knows his or her stuff work. In my family you got big points for knowing just the right person to call for a given job (whether it's fixing the air conditioner or making good thai food), and it can be very nice to be able to do so, and trust that person while you go and do whatever it is that YOU do best.

But this lifestyle defintiely suits my BF. We recently shattered our rear windshield on the car, and he replaced it himself with plexiglass and some bolts and some caulk. It stands out a mile when we visit my parents in suburbia, but here it just fits right in. ;-)

Zabby