Redcurrant Jam/jelly

[Hazel at the Hill]

Daft question time - do you use normal sugar or preserving sugar for redcurrant jelly?

Either, but I wouldn't bother with JAM sugar. All currants have loads of pectin!

Rightio - will prob use granulated on a cost basis, in that case. Cheers.

[valmarg]

Another method would be to open freeze the best 'strings' of redcurrants. You then carefully place in a container.

They defrost beautifully, so that you can have 'fresh' fruit to decorate in midwinter.

valmarg

[Snadger]

I like to get a bunch of ripe redcurrants and suck them from the stalks!

[bubblewrapbaby]

I've a huge crop of redcurrants this year which I put down to Croypost - a great mulch we get free from our local council. I mulched well in spring as per Bob Flowerdew No Work Garden and then watered thoroughly once only when the bushes were flowering. So I needed a quick redcurrant jam recipe without seeds. Here's one I made up from web advice (this jam has a grown-up slightly bitter taste like marmalade!) Just put 500g of redcurrants (stalks and all but pick over beforehand) in a pan and slowly heat til the berries burst. Then put the lot through a stainless steel sieve leaving the seeds and stalks behind - don't press too hard on the sieve as you might break it. Measure the juice and use 1lb of sugar for 1 pint of juice to make your jam. I made this the first time last night and it's a perfect spreadable jam this morning.

[Birdie Wife]

We've loads and loads of redcurrants and need to use them up, so we were thinking of making jam or jelly.
But we're a bit clueless here, never having this many before.
Whats the difference between jam and jelly? Jelly you are supposed to eat with meals or something... venison?

Or other good uses?

I usually chuck a good dollop of redcurrant jelly into a lamb casserole too would also be nice with duck, goose or other feathered game.

[pigletwillie]

If you buy a steam juicer you can make any jellies much easier, be it currants, bramble etc.

You just put the fruit, stalk an all into the top, water in the bottom and put it on the hob, the steam extracts all of the juice which collects in the middle section which has a handy drain off tap. Drain off the juice, which will be as clear as you like and you can then make your jelly.

No hanging of bags, no mess, no prep work on the fruit, just fruit in, juice out.

[Scottishnewbie]

i picked some blackcurrant yesterday and had some cooking apples lying around so i chucked the whole lot in (roughly chopped apples but left pips, skind, etc on), a litre and a half of water - boiled it up for about 30 mins and then tipped into the jelly bag last night.

this morning, i added 1lb granulated sugar for every 600ml/pint of juice and boiled it for about15-20 minutes - checked for set and then bottled.

had a wee teeny bit left over and popped into a tiny jar, which my daughter had on bread at lunch time and apparently it was "yum"

will be making this again! Colour was great too

[seasprout]

Bags.

Anybody know the best way to clean a jelly bag, I've just finished some Bramble Jelly and the bag even after being through the sink looks like I've left a severed head in it.

Currently its soaking in hot water with 4 denture tablets.

[seasprout]

Jammin

Anybody know the best way to clean a jelly bag, I've just finished some Bramble Jelly and the bag even after being through the sink looks like I've left a severed head in it.

Currently its soaking in hot water with 4 denture tablets.

Actually its worked really well, just a bit of staining now.

All that minty freshness has gone thank goodness.!

[rustylady]

Made raspberry and redcurrant jelly yesterday. Did it the traditional way, stew the fruit to soften, mash and then strain through jelly bag. Measure the juice and add 1lb sugar to 1 pint of juice.
Would question Delia's method, esp straining hot jelly through a nylon sieve - THEY MELT