I'm still learning at preserving things so I have a few questions that
I hope the experienced can help me with:

Are CERTO and SURE JELL and Bernardin recipes interchangeable?

I made some great Bread and Butter pickles from a recipe I found
through Google, and thought that I'd like to use the recipe to
substitute pickled cauliflower and pearl onions. Would that be safe
(ie pH level), and how long would I BWB, etc?

I know I sound really stupid but it's better to ask first than be
sorry later. Thanks to anyone who can help.

Karen

justme[Karen] wrote:

> I'm still learning at preserving things so I have a few questions that
> I hope the experienced can help me with:

Welcome to canning. It is a fun hobby that I'm sure you will really
enjoy. As mentioned in another reply be aware, the hobby quickly
becomes addicting
>
> Are CERTO and SURE JELL and Bernardin recipes interchangeable?

They are *but* powdered pectin can't be interchanged with liquid pectin.
If the recipe calls for powdered pectin use either powdered certo or
powdered sure jell. If it calls for liquid pectin use liquid of either
brand. Both brands come with a recipe sheet as well.

>
> I made some great Bread and Butter pickles from a recipe I found
> through Google, and thought that I'd like to use the recipe to
> substitute pickled cauliflower and pearl onions. Would that be safe
> (ie pH level), and how long would I BWB, etc?
>

BBB had a pickled cauliflower and onion recipe. Try homecanning.com for
the recipe. If it isn't there let me know and I will post it for you.
Any pickle is high acid so BWB is the appropriate method. BBB indicates
BWB of 10 min for pints. No timing is given for quarts.

> I know I sound really stupid but it's better to ask first than be
> sorry later. Thanks to anyone who can help.
>
> Karen

In article >,
"justme[Karen]" > wrote:

> I'm still learning at preserving things so I have a few questions that
> I hope the experienced can help me with:
>
> Are CERTO and SURE JELL and Bernardin recipes interchangeable?
>
> I made some great Bread and Butter pickles from a recipe I found
> through Google, and thought that I'd like to use the recipe to
> substitute pickled cauliflower and pearl onions. Would that be safe
> (ie pH level), and how long would I BWB, etc?
>
> I know I sound really stupid but it's better to ask first than be
> sorry later. Thanks to anyone who can help.
>
> Karen

No question is stupid if you don't know the answer - my second grade
teacher told me so.

One thing to note, Karen: I believe that most (but certainly not the
most knowledgeable jammer here) of the regular posters here are in the
USA -- and to us, AFAIK, Certo (Kraft Foods product) is a liquid pectin
and a liquid only. HOWEVER, Certo is available as a powder in Canada
(can you get it as a liquid, too, Ellen? I don't remember). So when you
say Certo to me, I think liquid. And SureJell (also Kraft Foods
product) is one of several powder pectins (most of which are Kraft Food
products) available (check their website for info) in the US. Our
Canadian friends know the Bernardin name in food preserving the way we
know Kerr and Ball. The Ball/Kerr canning site, homecanning.com is
homecanning.ca for the Bernardin site.

The recipes for liquid pectin and powder pectin are not interchangeable
AND they are *used differently.* I ran across someone who said she
interchanges the recipes with impunity because her mom told her pectin
is pectin, but I wouldn't. However, IME, interchanging brands for the
same kind of pectin has worked out just fine. But be sure it's the
*same kind* of pectin and the same size package. I.e., don't try to use
a reduced-sugar-pectin recipe with a full-sugar package of pectin.

I usually have several different kinds of pectin around and I compare
the recipes from each one for, say, strawberry jam. If that recipe is
the same, I'll swap out the pectin. That's important to me because I
can get Ball Fruit Jell brand powder pectin here (1.75 oz box)
*considerably* cheaper than SureJell powder. Same thing with Certo
brand liquid and Ball brand liquid - Ball is considerably cheaper than
Certo, so I use that.

All of a sudden, I feel like you asked for the time and I'm telling you
how to build a watch.

The shorter answer is to use the recipe provided with the particular
pectin you have - don't use a powder pectin with a recipe that uses
liquid -- the recipe will or SHOULD specify, and if it doesn't, know
that powder pectins are cooked with the fruit first, before adding the
sugar. Liquid pectins are added AFTER the fruit and sugar have cooked.

If you're in the US, you can use those Bernardin recipes quite nicely -
they have some good ones in their canning text (equivalent to the Ball
Blue Book that we get in the USA.)

If you haven't found the NCHFP (National center for Home Food
Preservation) site at the U of Georgia, check it out --
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html. Lots of information there for you.
I don't know your bread and butter pickle recipe but my sister used to
add cauliflowerettes to hers. You can check pH level with litmus paper
- below 4.6 is safe for waterbath processing. I'd process for the same
time as the bread and butter pickles or, say, Dilly Beans.

Gotta go - leaving on a jet plane.
I hope I didn't confuse you more. it's possible. "-)
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 10-20-05 with a note from Niece Jo.

"justme[Karen]" > wrote in message
...
> I'm still learning at preserving things so I have a few questions that
> I hope the experienced can help me with:
>
> Are CERTO and SURE JELL and Bernardin recipes interchangeable?
> Karen

Yes. And no. The pectins are interchangeable. The *directions* aren't.
You can't use the directions for liquid pectin with powdered pectin and vice
versa. If you found a recipe calling for a liquid and want to use up some
powdered pectin then follow the directions that come with the powdered
pectin.

Ms P

Hermione wrote:
Your right, it is addicting! <g> By reading all of the posts in this
group I'm trying our a whole bunch of new ideas.

Thanks for your help, and if you could let me know what you're recipe
for the pickles are that would be super. I'd like to make a batch of
pearl onion and a batch of cauliflower pickles too.

Thanks again for your help
Karen

Melba's Jammin' wrote:


Thank you _so_ much for your patience with me!!
I'm printing out your response and it's going into a 3 ring binder
with nifty recipes and ideas from people in here for a reference for
me.

Have a safe trip, a wonderful and see ya when you get back home. Once
again thank you for all your help, tips and links!

Karen

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> "justme[Karen]" > wrote:
>
>
>>I'm still learning at preserving things so I have a few questions that
>>I hope the experienced can help me with:
>>
>>Are CERTO and SURE JELL and Bernardin recipes interchangeable?
>>
>>I made some great Bread and Butter pickles from a recipe I found
>>through Google, and thought that I'd like to use the recipe to
>>substitute pickled cauliflower and pearl onions. Would that be safe
>>(ie pH level), and how long would I BWB, etc?
>>
>>I know I sound really stupid but it's better to ask first than be
>>sorry later. Thanks to anyone who can help.
>>
>>Karen
>
>
> No question is stupid if you don't know the answer - my second grade
> teacher told me so.
>
> One thing to note, Karen: I believe that most (but certainly not the
> most knowledgeable jammer here) of the regular posters here are in the
> USA -- and to us, AFAIK, Certo (Kraft Foods product) is a liquid pectin
> and a liquid only. HOWEVER, Certo is available as a powder in Canada
> (can you get it as a liquid, too, Ellen? I don't remember). So when you
> say Certo to me, I think liquid. And SureJell (also Kraft Foods
> product) is one of several powder pectins (most of which are Kraft Food
> products) available (check their website for info) in the US. Our
> Canadian friends know the Bernardin name in food preserving the way we
> know Kerr and Ball. The Ball/Kerr canning site, homecanning.com is
> homecanning.ca for the Bernardin site.
>
> The recipes for liquid pectin and powder pectin are not interchangeable
> AND they are *used differently.* I ran across someone who said she
> interchanges the recipes with impunity because her mom told her pectin
> is pectin, but I wouldn't. However, IME, interchanging brands for the
> same kind of pectin has worked out just fine. But be sure it's the
> *same kind* of pectin and the same size package. I.e., don't try to use
> a reduced-sugar-pectin recipe with a full-sugar package of pectin.
>
> I usually have several different kinds of pectin around and I compare
> the recipes from each one for, say, strawberry jam. If that recipe is
> the same, I'll swap out the pectin. That's important to me because I
> can get Ball Fruit Jell brand powder pectin here (1.75 oz box)
> *considerably* cheaper than SureJell powder. Same thing with Certo
> brand liquid and Ball brand liquid - Ball is considerably cheaper than
> Certo, so I use that.
>
> All of a sudden, I feel like you asked for the time and I'm telling you
> how to build a watch.
>
> The shorter answer is to use the recipe provided with the particular
> pectin you have - don't use a powder pectin with a recipe that uses
> liquid -- the recipe will or SHOULD specify, and if it doesn't, know
> that powder pectins are cooked with the fruit first, before adding the
> sugar. Liquid pectins are added AFTER the fruit and sugar have cooked.
>
> If you're in the US, you can use those Bernardin recipes quite nicely -
> they have some good ones in their canning text (equivalent to the Ball
> Blue Book that we get in the USA.)
>
> If you haven't found the NCHFP (National center for Home Food
> Preservation) site at the U of Georgia, check it out --
> http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html. Lots of information there for you.
> I don't know your bread and butter pickle recipe but my sister used to
> add cauliflowerettes to hers. You can check pH level with litmus paper
> - below 4.6 is safe for waterbath processing. I'd process for the same
> time as the bread and butter pickles or, say, Dilly Beans.
>
> Gotta go - leaving on a jet plane.
> I hope I didn't confuse you more. it's possible. "-)
Here in western Canada, we get Bernardin and Certo liquid pectins. It
looks as though Certo is trying to take over, many stores now selling
Certo and not Bernardin as much. I have founds the two liquid pectins
to be about the same, Certo's powdered pectins I don't like. No success
with their "light". we use Bernardin's "No Sugar Needed" and find it to
be very good since we prefer less sugar in our jams and jellies.
Ellen

justme[Karen] wrote:

>
> Hermione wrote:
> Your right, it is addicting! <g> By reading all of the posts in this
> group I'm trying our a whole bunch of new ideas.
>
> Thanks for your help, and if you could let me know what you're recipe
> for the pickles are that would be super. I'd like to make a batch of
> pearl onion and a batch of cauliflower pickles too.
>
> Thanks again for your help
> Karen

Pickled Cauliflower - Ball Blue Book

3 qts cauliflowerets (about 2 lg heads)
1 1/4 c peeled pickling onions
1/4 c canning salt
2 c sugar
2 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp celery seed
1 tsp turmeric
1 qt vinegar
1 hot red pepper (optional)

Combine cauliflowerets, onions and salt. Cover with ice; let stand 2 to
3 hours. Drain, rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine sugar, mustard
seed, celery seed, turmeric and vinegar in lg saucepot. Cut 2 small
slits in hot pepper. Add pepper to vinegar mixture if desire. Bring to
boil. Add cauliflowerets and onions return to boil. Reduce heat and
simmer 5 minutes. Remove hot red pepper. Pack hot vegetables and
liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4 in headspace. Remove air bubbles.
Adjust 2-piece caps. Process 10 min in bwb. Yield: about 5 pints

ellen wickberg wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> "justme[Karen]" > wrote:
>>
>>
>>> I'm still learning at preserving things so I have a few questions that
>>> I hope the experienced can help me with:
>>>
>>> Are CERTO and SURE JELL and Bernardin recipes interchangeable?
>>>
>>> I made some great Bread and Butter pickles from a recipe I found
>>> through Google, and thought that I'd like to use the recipe to
>>> substitute pickled cauliflower and pearl onions. Would that be safe
>>> (ie pH level), and how long would I BWB, etc?
>>>
>>> I know I sound really stupid but it's better to ask first than be
>>> sorry later. Thanks to anyone who can help.
>>>
>>> Karen
>>
>>
>>
>> No question is stupid if you don't know the answer - my second grade
>> teacher told me so.
>> One thing to note, Karen: I believe that most (but certainly not the
>> most knowledgeable jammer here) of the regular posters here are in the
>> USA -- and to us, AFAIK, Certo (Kraft Foods product) is a liquid
>> pectin and a liquid only. HOWEVER, Certo is available as a powder in
>> Canada (can you get it as a liquid, too, Ellen? I don't remember). So
>> when you say Certo to me, I think liquid. And SureJell (also Kraft
>> Foods product) is one of several powder pectins (most of which are
>> Kraft Food products) available (check their website for info) in the
>> US. Our Canadian friends know the Bernardin name in food preserving
>> the way we know Kerr and Ball. The Ball/Kerr canning site,
>> homecanning.com is homecanning.ca for the Bernardin site.
>>
>> The recipes for liquid pectin and powder pectin are not
>> interchangeable AND they are *used differently.* I ran across someone
>> who said she interchanges the recipes with impunity because her mom
>> told her pectin is pectin, but I wouldn't. However, IME,
>> interchanging brands for the same kind of pectin has worked out just
>> fine. But be sure it's the *same kind* of pectin and the same size
>> package. I.e., don't try to use a reduced-sugar-pectin recipe with a
>> full-sugar package of pectin.
>>
>> I usually have several different kinds of pectin around and I compare
>> the recipes from each one for, say, strawberry jam. If that recipe is
>> the same, I'll swap out the pectin. That's important to me because I
>> can get Ball Fruit Jell brand powder pectin here (1.75 oz box)
>> *considerably* cheaper than SureJell powder. Same thing with Certo
>> brand liquid and Ball brand liquid - Ball is considerably cheaper than
>> Certo, so I use that.
>> All of a sudden, I feel like you asked for the time and I'm telling
>> you how to build a watch.
>>
>> The shorter answer is to use the recipe provided with the particular
>> pectin you have - don't use a powder pectin with a recipe that uses
>> liquid -- the recipe will or SHOULD specify, and if it doesn't, know
>> that powder pectins are cooked with the fruit first, before adding the
>> sugar. Liquid pectins are added AFTER the fruit and sugar have cooked.
>>
>> If you're in the US, you can use those Bernardin recipes quite nicely
>> - they have some good ones in their canning text (equivalent to the
>> Ball Blue Book that we get in the USA.)
>>
>> If you haven't found the NCHFP (National center for Home Food
>> Preservation) site at the U of Georgia, check it out --
>> http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html. Lots of information there for you.
>> I don't know your bread and butter pickle recipe but my sister used to
>> add cauliflowerettes to hers. You can check pH level with litmus
>> paper - below 4.6 is safe for waterbath processing. I'd process for
>> the same time as the bread and butter pickles or, say, Dilly Beans.
>>
>> Gotta go - leaving on a jet plane.
>> I hope I didn't confuse you more. it's possible. "-)
>
> Here in western Canada, we get Bernardin and Certo liquid pectins. It
> looks as though Certo is trying to take over, many stores now selling
> Certo and not Bernardin as much. I have founds the two liquid pectins
> to be about the same, Certo's powdered pectins I don't like. No success
> with their "light". we use Bernardin's "No Sugar Needed" and find it to
> be very good since we prefer less sugar in our jams and jellies.
> Ellen

We can get both liquid and powdered Certo as well as powdered Sure Jell
and powdered Bernardin. IIRC I did see liquid Bernardin at Canadian
Tire. I have some of Certo's light but have not tried it yet. I got a
free sample of Bernardin Freezer Jam pectin in a box of jars and I have
a couple of boxes of the Bernardin No Sugar pectin still. I didn't make
a lot of jams or jellies this year but the year isn't over yet One
thing I've noticed is the Bernardin regular powdered pectin has longer
expiry dates as the box I have expires Mar 2008. The NS Bernardin
powdered pectin has much shorter expiry dates. The boxes I have says
best used before May 2005 so I'm not sure whether I will use them or
just toss. In general the powdered pectin has a longer shelf life than
the liquid pectin. I've also noticed that the Bernardin powdered pectin
is cheaper than Certo by about 50 cents or more. That doesn't seem like
much but over the canning season those savings can add up. Bernardin
has a series of coupons out for $2 off 2 cases of jars, or a $1 off any
2 pectin. Similar $1 coupons are offered for salsa mixes, dill pickle
mix, and pickle crisp. All expire Jun 2007.

Hermione wrote:
>
> ellen wickberg wrote:
>
> > Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >
> >> In article >,
> >> "justme[Karen]" > wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>> I'm still learning at preserving things so I have a few questions that
> >>> I hope the experienced can help me with:
> >>>
> >>> Are CERTO and SURE JELL and Bernardin recipes interchangeable?
> >>>
> >>> I made some great Bread and Butter pickles from a recipe I found
> >>> through Google, and thought that I'd like to use the recipe to
> >>> substitute pickled cauliflower and pearl onions. Would that be safe
> >>> (ie pH level), and how long would I BWB, etc?
> >>>
> >>> I know I sound really stupid but it's better to ask first than be
> >>> sorry later. Thanks to anyone who can help.
> >>>
> >>> Karen
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> No question is stupid if you don't know the answer - my second grade
> >> teacher told me so.
> >> One thing to note, Karen: I believe that most (but certainly not the
> >> most knowledgeable jammer here) of the regular posters here are in the
> >> USA -- and to us, AFAIK, Certo (Kraft Foods product) is a liquid
> >> pectin and a liquid only. HOWEVER, Certo is available as a powder in
> >> Canada (can you get it as a liquid, too, Ellen? I don't remember). So
> >> when you say Certo to me, I think liquid. And SureJell (also Kraft
> >> Foods product) is one of several powder pectins (most of which are
> >> Kraft Food products) available (check their website for info) in the
> >> US. Our Canadian friends know the Bernardin name in food preserving
> >> the way we know Kerr and Ball. The Ball/Kerr canning site,
> >> homecanning.com is homecanning.ca for the Bernardin site.
> >>
> >> The recipes for liquid pectin and powder pectin are not
> >> interchangeable AND they are *used differently.* I ran across someone
> >> who said she interchanges the recipes with impunity because her mom
> >> told her pectin is pectin, but I wouldn't. However, IME,
> >> interchanging brands for the same kind of pectin has worked out just
> >> fine. But be sure it's the *same kind* of pectin and the same size
> >> package. I.e., don't try to use a reduced-sugar-pectin recipe with a
> >> full-sugar package of pectin.
> >>
> >> I usually have several different kinds of pectin around and I compare
> >> the recipes from each one for, say, strawberry jam. If that recipe is
> >> the same, I'll swap out the pectin. That's important to me because I
> >> can get Ball Fruit Jell brand powder pectin here (1.75 oz box)
> >> *considerably* cheaper than SureJell powder. Same thing with Certo
> >> brand liquid and Ball brand liquid - Ball is considerably cheaper than
> >> Certo, so I use that.
> >> All of a sudden, I feel like you asked for the time and I'm telling
> >> you how to build a watch.
> >>
> >> The shorter answer is to use the recipe provided with the particular
> >> pectin you have - don't use a powder pectin with a recipe that uses
> >> liquid -- the recipe will or SHOULD specify, and if it doesn't, know
> >> that powder pectins are cooked with the fruit first, before adding the
> >> sugar. Liquid pectins are added AFTER the fruit and sugar have cooked.
> >>
> >> If you're in the US, you can use those Bernardin recipes quite nicely
> >> - they have some good ones in their canning text (equivalent to the
> >> Ball Blue Book that we get in the USA.)
> >>
> >> If you haven't found the NCHFP (National center for Home Food
> >> Preservation) site at the U of Georgia, check it out --
> >> http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html. Lots of information there for you.
> >> I don't know your bread and butter pickle recipe but my sister used to
> >> add cauliflowerettes to hers. You can check pH level with litmus
> >> paper - below 4.6 is safe for waterbath processing. I'd process for
> >> the same time as the bread and butter pickles or, say, Dilly Beans.
> >>
> >> Gotta go - leaving on a jet plane.
> >> I hope I didn't confuse you more. it's possible. "-)
> >
> > Here in western Canada, we get Bernardin and Certo liquid pectins. It
> > looks as though Certo is trying to take over, many stores now selling
> > Certo and not Bernardin as much. I have founds the two liquid pectins
> > to be about the same, Certo's powdered pectins I don't like. No success
> > with their "light". we use Bernardin's "No Sugar Needed" and find it to
> > be very good since we prefer less sugar in our jams and jellies.
> > Ellen
>
> We can get both liquid and powdered Certo as well as powdered Sure Jell
> and powdered Bernardin. IIRC I did see liquid Bernardin at Canadian
> Tire. I have some of Certo's light but have not tried it yet. I got a
> free sample of Bernardin Freezer Jam pectin in a box of jars and I have
> a couple of boxes of the Bernardin No Sugar pectin still. I didn't make
> a lot of jams or jellies this year but the year isn't over yet One
> thing I've noticed is the Bernardin regular powdered pectin has longer
> expiry dates as the box I have expires Mar 2008. The NS Bernardin
> powdered pectin has much shorter expiry dates. The boxes I have says
> best used before May 2005 so I'm not sure whether I will use them or
> just toss. In general the powdered pectin has a longer shelf life than
> the liquid pectin. I've also noticed that the Bernardin powdered pectin
> is cheaper than Certo by about 50 cents or more. That doesn't seem like
> much but over the canning season those savings can add up. Bernardin
> has a series of coupons out for $2 off 2 cases of jars, or a $1 off any
> 2 pectin. Similar $1 coupons are offered for salsa mixes, dill pickle
> mix, and pickle crisp. All expire Jun 2007.

Thanks for the heads' up! I have bought Certo for years thinking that
I needed that brand to make the jams from the recipes. No more.
Especially since I can save about 20 dollars just switching over to
Bernardin. ( I make for the family and Church.)

Appreciate your helping

Hermione wrote:
>
> justme[Karen] wrote:
>
> >
> > Hermione wrote:
> > Your right, it is addicting! <g> By reading all of the posts in this
> > group I'm trying our a whole bunch of new ideas.
> >
> > Thanks for your help, and if you could let me know what you're recipe
> > for the pickles are that would be super. I'd like to make a batch of
> > pearl onion and a batch of cauliflower pickles too.
> >
> > Thanks again for your help
> > Karen
>
> Pickled Cauliflower - Ball Blue Book
>
> 3 qts cauliflowerets (about 2 lg heads)
> 1 1/4 c peeled pickling onions
> 1/4 c canning salt
> 2 c sugar
> 2 tbsp mustard seed
> 1 tbsp celery seed
> 1 tsp turmeric
> 1 qt vinegar
> 1 hot red pepper (optional)
>
> Combine cauliflowerets, onions and salt. Cover with ice; let stand 2 to
> 3 hours. Drain, rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine sugar, mustard
> seed, celery seed, turmeric and vinegar in lg saucepot. Cut 2 small
> slits in hot pepper. Add pepper to vinegar mixture if desire. Bring to
> boil. Add cauliflowerets and onions return to boil. Reduce heat and
> simmer 5 minutes. Remove hot red pepper. Pack hot vegetables and
> liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4 in headspace. Remove air bubbles.
> Adjust 2-piece caps. Process 10 min in bwb. Yield: about 5 pints

Many thanks for the recipe
I can almost taste it right now <grin>