Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> Gail > wrote:
>
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>> In article >,
>>> Gail > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I've made this before (recipe link below) and it turned out great
>>>> following the recipe. I'd like to do it in pint jars instead of 1/2 pint.
>>>> I could save on lids etc.
>>>> I would get 3 pints from this recipe. How long would I need to BWB for
>>>> pints? Would it set in pint jars?
>>>>
>>>> SURE.JELL® Hot Pepper Jelly
>>>>
>>>> http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes...lly-51962.aspx
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Gail
>>> Try it. I'd probably process it for 5-10 minutes since the main point
>>> in processing the sweet spreads is to destroy airborne spores that might
>>> have landed on the inside of the lid. People used to can jam in pint
>>> jars all the time; made more sense to put up a pint than a half pint if
>>> you had a large family.
>>>
>>> A tip for your own discretion: Quick cooling speeds the set and helps
>>> retain a fresher color. After the jars have been out of the BWB for
>>> maybe 5-10 minutes (have cooled a bit), place them in a container of ice
>>> water for 20-30 minutes.
>>>
>>> When a small company in Duluth was manufacturing the Gedney State Fair
>>> line of preserves, I watched my Peach-Raspberry Preserves being made,
>>> 400 jars at a time. They did a hot fill into a cold jar (the product
>>> was siphoned from the cooking vat through tubing into the jar in a
>>> pre-determined portion), the lid applied by hand, and the jars began
>>> their 10-minute journey on a snaky conveyor that inverted them and then
>>> returned them to an upright position during that journey. Near the end
>>> the filled and sealed jars were blasted with 63 degree water from Lake
>>> Superior, the exteriors blow-dried, and the paper labels and packing
>>> information (laser printed) were applied at the end. Three random jars
>>> were pulled from each batch for QC and storage in the event that a
>>> consumer ever reported a problem with product; they could then sample
>>> one of the pulled jars for testing. It was pretty interesting.
>>>
>>> BTW, the jars weren't washed before filling, either. :-) They were
>>> blown clean of any loose debris with a high pressure air hose. They
>>> were assumed clean coming from the factory on sealed pallets and boxes.
>>>
>>> It was a very interesting experience and I don't know that I've ever
>>> explained it in any detail here before now.
>>>
>>> PLEASE NOTE: The ice water bath is contrary to anything you will ever
>>> read in any reliable website for home preserving methods.
>>>
>>> If you're not given to the ice water soak, expect the cooling and
>>> setting to take quite a while.
>>>
>>> FWIW.
>> Thanks for the detailed info, expert advice is appreciated!
>>
>> I think the peppers will be ready in 3-5 days. I hope not any sooner
>> because I need to recover from our Canadian Thanksgiving!
>>
>> Gail
>
> I reiterate: Please remember that the ice water cooling is at your own
> risk and is nowhere recommended or discussed (to my knowledge) on any
> reliable site for *home* food preservers. It came to me from a food
> scientist with intimate knowledge and experience making spreads for
> commercial distribution.

I'm going to try the ice water cooling. I've got many Mason pint jars I
do not need. I've offered them for free in our local area and no one
wants them! I'll do a trial run with a few jars to see if the lid or jar
will fail when plunged into ice water.

My Grandmother taught me canning basics. I remember helping her do mint
jelly in pint jars with glass lids and rubber rings. My job was to cool
the jars with running tap water in the sink and "never" let the cold
water hit the jars directly.

Back in the 1970's I shared a century old farm home with three others.
It had a 100 acre apple orchard. Wild mint grew on part of the property
and we had the biggest raspberries I've seen to this day. We had a huge
garden. Very self sufficient and enterprising we were. Our parents
called us "hippies" and "misfits" because we were not "into the
corporate climbing ladder". Today we would be called "organic farmers".

With the apples we made cider, apple jelly, apple and mint jelly, mint
jelly, raspberry preserves, etc. We did the pint jar jellies, they were
lifted out of the canners after processing, set on the wood countertop
and they would "pop". A few minutes later they were put in a tub with
refreshing very cold well water. We cooled the jars as fast as possible
because we did not have enough counter space. The cooled jars went into
the 12 pack cardboard cases they came in and into the room next door.
Four of us, plus a few friends could do an amazing amount in a week. We
sold our products at the end of our lane way on weekends and also
through some local stores and farmer's markets. After a few years we all
went our own ways.

Gail