| One of the best things about home canning is that you can turn fresh fruit into so many delectable things, including fruit butters, jams and jellies, pie fillings, and more. Who doesn’t love the taste of summer available on the shelf all year around? YUM. While not always necessary, some recipes require thickening ingredients like pectin or Clear Jel. What’s the difference between these ingredients and when should you use what ingredients for canning? Read more about the difference between pectin and Clear Jel here. Before I knew any better, I used to can apple pie filling and other pie fillings with flour or cornstarch as a thickener. Now I know…it is NOT recommended for canning purposes. If you are making pie fresh, it is great. But for canning, you want to use a product called Clear Jel. Trust me - once you try Clear Jel, you’ll never go back to flour! It’s important for safety, yes, but the quality itself is also well worth it. Speaking of…if you struggle with jam and jelly making, especially getting a good thickness, you might also consider grabbing a Jam and Jelly Maker machine, which I reviewed here. |
