Chokecherry Jelly and Crab Apple Jelly Question

[prism]

Hi! New here.
We have had a lot of chokecherries this year so I have been busy making chokecherry jelly. Anyone else loaded with chokecherries? I did a search and didn't find any messages here. Our altitude is 3000ft and I almost gave up on jelly after having so many batches come out as syrup. Finally got it figured out and it is coming out so yummy!

If anyone is having the same problem, try this recipe and process:

High Altitude Chokecherry Jelly
http://www.xomba.com/high_altitude_chokecherry_jelly_recipe

I hope to try crab apple jelly for the first time also. We picked some Sunday but I probably won't get to make it until mid-week. I've seen recipes that typically don't call for pectin because of the pectin naturally in the apples. Anyone at a higher altitude have any experience with this? Is there enough in the apples or should more be added as a precaution when making apple jelly at higher altitudes?

 

[user251]

no issues here (but were at a mind blowind 700 feet above sea level) and never tried crab apple jelly aftre getting sick off em before tends to turn the stomach against em for ever.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I mis chokecherries soo much! When we lived up north, they grew along our laneway. I used to make chokecherry jelly every fall. I also used to make rose hip jam and jellies. they were awesome! My kids still ask for them, but there are not enough around here to pick. I'm glad your ejlly turned out!!

Oh, and Welcome!

 

[Rogue Rooster]

Just noticed this weekend that the chokecherry are loaded! Also notice the huckleberry's are ripe so I guess my weekend is planed for me. I love this time of year.
P.S. Thanks for the recipe

 

[Iceblink]

Welcome to SS! I made crabapple jelly this year, it was pretty easy, wash and cut the ends off the crabapples, don't peel them, cook the crabapples until they are mushy, strain them through cheesecloth, measure the juice and add the same amount sugar and boil until it gels. I think it took about 30 minutes for me.

The juice alone was pretty thick after straining, more like a thin syrup than juice.

I think it is my favorite jelly that I have made this year. It tastes a little like pink lemonaid. If I could find more crabapples I would try more things with them. I think I could substitute the juice for lemon juice in some recipes.

I don't know what altitude I am at, but when I pressure can, I have to increase the pressure by 1lb because of our altitude. Don't know if that helps.

 

[prism]

no issues here (but were at a mind blowind 700 feet above sea level) and never tried crab apple jelly aftre getting sick off em before tends to turn the stomach against em for ever.

I'm not sure that 700ft would make a difference. If I recall correctly, most recommended modifications start at 1000ft.

Oh no! Not fun getting sick on certain foods. It is definitely a life changing experience. That also happened to me when I was a kid with a hot open faced turkey sandwich with gravy on top. I tried several times over the years and feel sick after just a couple bites. Strange, because up to the time of becoming a vegetarian a couple years ago, I still loved turkey prepared any other way. <shrug>

 

[prism]

I mis chokecherries soo much! When we lived up north, they grew along our laneway. I used to make chokecherry jelly every fall. I also used to make rose hip jam and jellies. they were awesome! My kids still ask for them, but there are not enough around here to pick. I'm glad your ejlly turned out!!

Oh, and Welcome!

Thanks!

Too bad we aren't a little closer, I'd give you some! Each year, a couple more bushes show up and one of the oldest is about 12 feet tall x 8 feet wide with the biggest chokecherries!

Oh my, I can't believe you just reminded me of rose hips. We have tons of those but I can never find enough time to try and do anything with them. I heard they make really good wine too but last time I made wine was about 13 years ago and never got to try rose hip wine. Maybe someday!

 

[prism]

Just noticed this weekend that the chokecherry are loaded! Also notice the huckleberry's are ripe so I guess my weekend is planed for me. I love this time of year.
P.S. Thanks for the recipe

Did you see it with the modified quantity of chokecherries to water? I just changed it early Monday morning. My first few batches had mostly all ripe bigger chokecherries and produced a lot of juice. My later batches had about 2/3 ripe and 1/3 smaller semi-ripe and I didn't get nearly as much juice. The latter basically flavored the amount of water I used so 2 1/2 cups of water gave me 2 1/2 cups of juice. The former gave me 3 1/2 cups of juice when started with 2 1/2 cups of water. Big difference.

I wish I had access to huckleberries! Mouth is watering just thinking about some huckleberry pie!

 

[prism]

Welcome to SS! I made crabapple jelly this year, it was pretty easy, wash and cut the ends off the crabapples, don't peel them, cook the crabapples until they are mushy, strain them through cheesecloth, measure the juice and add the same amount sugar and boil until it gels. I think it took about 30 minutes for me.

The juice alone was pretty thick after straining, more like a thin syrup than juice.

I think it is my favorite jelly that I have made this year. It tastes a little like pink lemonaid. If I could find more crabapples I would try more things with them. I think I could substitute the juice for lemon juice in some recipes.

I don't know what altitude I am at, but when I pressure can, I have to increase the pressure by 1lb because of our altitude. Don't know if that helps.

Thank you, Iceblink!

I don't know about the pressure canning but if it took 30 minutes to hit the jelly stage, maybe we are at the same general altitude. This does help. I think I am going to try without added pectin first. If it won't set, I can always remake it with the pectin. It would be the first time I try remaking jelly. Or..... I also saw a yummy recipe for apple butter using crab apples. I guess I could always continue cooking it into apple butter instead of jelly as an option too.

I actually have never had crab apple jelly but have been told it is very, very good. I can't believe we've let them go to waste for 20 years. Well, at least they don't go totally to waste. The deer wander through and eat what they can reach from the bottom branches and what has dropped to the ground. But there is so much more that gets wasted and it's not even that big of a tree!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Hey Prism, if yo have freezer space, rosehips do well being frozen first before doing sanything to them. If I remember correctly, the best time to pick them was after the first heavy frost.
I have picked them and thrown them in the freezer until the season slowed down enough tobe able to tackle them. rosehip jam is my favourite.