The purpose of canning is so that your food will last for a long, long time. It cannot do that if there are microbial organisms living with it. So what do we do? We kill ‘em all! . . . Well, as many as possible. Throughout the canning process, it is important to have a pot of almost boiling water on hand to put things like spoons and ladles in so they stay sterile as we go.
You will need to acquire (through legal means) a set of 8 oz. jam jars with metal rings and lids. Please do not try to reuse the Grey Poupon jar or any other crazy jar you have in your house, you are looking for a headache. Canning jars are made for what we are putting them through and I cannot and will not guarantee any sort of success with crappy jars. When they are empty, reuse your jam jars and the rings again and again. So don’t worry, they pay for themselves in a couple of uses. Note: You can only use the lids once. It’s okay – I don’t want my next batch of blueberry syrup to taste like beets anyways. Lids are relatively cheap.
Besides the jar assemblies, you will also find handy a jar funnel, head space measuring tool & jar tongs. These come in a kit at places like Target & Fleet Farm. Some kits even come with a handy magnet to help you take the lids out of the boiling water later. Other items you will need are a ladle, a couple of tea towels, paper towels, either labels with your product information or a sharpie pen.
But this does take up a lot of space. So the alternative method is the dishwasher. Place your jars on the top rack and instead of using your normal gel or tablet, use a sterilizing powder like OneStep. I steal out of my husband’s stash – he uses it in the wine making process.
Now, let us proceed . . .
In a food processor, add roughly chopped up red, green and habanero peppers with the seeds removed.
Add the pureed mixture to a heavy bottomed 6 quart pot. Add cider vinegar and pectin and bring to a boil. Cook for another minute.
Add sugar to the mixture and stir until dissolved. Set a timer for 6 minutes and boil until the timer runs out.
Place lids in a small pot and bring to a boil. This softens the wax on the lids.
The jelly is ready. You should have 8 prepped, sanitized 8 oz. jelly jars for this recipe. Run your finger along the top of the jar before you start to make sure the edge of the jar is smooth. If it is rough, you may get leaks and is a sign that your jar is broken. Be sure to check even if they are brand new jars before you use them.
Ladle the jelly into the jars using the funnel. Measure to see that you have ½ inch of head space The correct amount of head space is important because it allows the jar to seal properly. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. I dip mine in the water from sanitizing the jars.
With the magnet, fish out the lids and place them on the jars. Add the metal rings to the jars. Tighten just so they are hand tight. Do not wrench on the jars, we want to prevent leaks, but allow the air to escape the jar when the lid seals.
You have two options for sealing. One options is to place in a water bath (a large pot of boiling water) for 5-10 minutes. Or you can utilize what I like to call the jam method . . .Once the rings are on, flip lid side down and let sit on the counter like this for 5 minutes.
Note: The jars are still hot.
Turn back right side up and leave them alone. Just walk away!!
You will hear them make a “puck” sound after awhile, meaning they have sealed.
When they have cooled, label and enjoy! If you have any jars that do not “puck” you will have to refrigerate and consume sooner than later.
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Let's make the meatballs! In a bowl, add beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt, ginger and milk. Mix together - though you don't want to over mix. Shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.
Add pineapple chunks and bell peppers - shredded carrots might be lovely as well.
All cooked through!
