This weekend I picked almost 5 pounds of crabapples from our tree out front and decided to try my hand at making jelly for the first time. Crabapple jelly is super hard to find; it certainly isn't on any supermarket shelves!
I wasn't prepared for the level of work the jelly would require. Between slicing off the stem and blossom ends, cutting the fruit into chunks, boiling it with a cinnamon stick to extract juice, tying the whole pot of stewed fruit into cheesecloth and letting it drip into a bowl, cooking the strained juice with sugar until it reached the gelling stage, filling the sterilized jars with hot jelly, and processing them in a hot water bath, this took all damn day. All for this:
Three half pints! (It would have been four, but I spilled some of the juice in the middle of the process. I cursed like a sailor when that happened). Even though it's not a lot of jelly, isn't it beautiful? I'm amazed at the ruby red color, which was unexpected.
I sure hope it tastes as good as it looks! All in all, it was a fun experience even if it was time consuming. Our tree is still very young, so I expect I'll have the opportunity to make lots of jelly in the future as long as I feel like devoting the time to it.
Wow! Those jars look great, very impressive. I never would've thought to make jelly with those crabapples, good for you 👍 😊
ReplyDeletePart of the reason we planted a crabapple tree is so I could make jelly!
DeleteCongrats!!! Making jelly is not for the fain of heart. My grandmother used to make strawberry jelly and the process was spread throughout her entire kitchen.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah. My kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off.
DeleteWow! that's a lot of work. I've never heard of crabapple jelly. Hope yours is delicious!
ReplyDeleteWe tried some on toast last night. It was very nice!
DeleteHey, look at it like this .... that's more Crabapple Jelly you had before you started! And the color is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteExactly!
DeletePreserving food is not for the weak! As you become more experienced, the process will go a little faster, key word being "little."
ReplyDeleteGood for you! It's worthwhile labor. Beautiful jelly.
I keep holding the jars up to the light and marveling at the color.
DeleteAbsolutely gorgeous!!!! Are you going to be like me and keep those full jars until next summer so you can stare at them? It is crazy how much work there is to making jelly. I am sure I never appreciated the process when my grandmother was making jelly.
ReplyDeleteHaha! It's possible!
DeleteBeautiful! You have made magic!
ReplyDeleteIt felt a little like making a magic potion!
DeleteIt's beautiful. But I have reasons for making preserves rather than jelly, such as labor and time..
ReplyDeleteYes, I've made preserves before. Jelly is a lot more work!
DeleteWell, hey, it makes a great story. :)
ReplyDelete...and tastes great on toast!
DeleteI couldn't wait to blog about it, so you're right, Steve! And Debby, we had some on toast last night. Delicious!
DeleteWell done!! Yes, a lot of work, but you will certainly appreciate it when it comes time to open that first jar. I've never made crab apple jelly before. It is a beautiful colour. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI expected, at most, a pale pink color, not this beautiful deep ruby red!
DeleteI have only had crabapple jelly a couple of times. It’s so good. A hippie friend circa 1969 used to make it. She canned everything and said crabapple jelly was much harder work than other jams and jellies she made. Yum!
ReplyDeleteIt really is a lot of work, preparing such small fruit. Worth it though!
DeleteWell done Jellywoman!
ReplyDelete"I cursed like a sailor"... Shiver me timbers and splice the ****ing mainbrace! Lift that ******d anchor me hearties!
Yup, that was me! ha
DeleteCrabapple jelly, like Quince Jelly, is the most delicious and perfumed jelly on earth. I remember my mother making it, and I couldn't wait to try it. I hope yours has set OK.
ReplyDeleteIt has set beautifully! Thanks Cro!
DeleteThe jelly jars look like jewels!
ReplyDeleteNow you know why this particular type is not found on supermarket shelves 😊
They really DO look like jewels. I held a jar up to a light the other day and was struck by the beautiful ruby shine.
DeleteI've been on the lookout for crabapple jelly for over 20 years. When Gregg and I were first dating, Lou (his mom's husband) mentioned loving it but not being able to find it. It was something grandmothers in North Carolina made decades ago and he remembered it fondly from his youth. I found it once or twice for sale in the mountains and always bought him a jar. Even 20 years ago it was hard to find!
Of course, this means I need to give Lou one of my three jars of homemade jam as a Christmas gift this year! :) He just turned 90 years old.
I know it was a lot of work but look how pretty those jars look! You should be proud of yourself. Bet the jelly will taste great.
ReplyDeleteWe've already opened a jar! Haha. It's very good, but I added a little extra sugar (the fruit seemed somewhat underripe) when I probably shouldn't have. It's REALLY sweet. But the flavor is wonderful!
DeleteI've never seen Crab Apple Jelly in any shop in Glasgow either, Jennifer. Frank O'Connor, who emigrated to New York, published a book of stories titled Crab Apple Jelly. I met his
ReplyDeleteI met Frank O'Connor's American daughter in the seaside town of Kinvara, County Galway, Ireland.
ReplyDelete