Ingredients:

• 6 cups (1500 ml) gooseberries
• 1 cup (250 ml) raisins
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) chopped, seeded orange pulp
• 4 cups (1000 ml) granulated sugar

Directions:

• Place 6 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner. Cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Keep jars hot until ready to use.
• Preheating Bernardin® lids is not advised. The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs better at room temperature than it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed. Preheating can lead to less vacuum being achieved during water bath canning, and to buckle failures during pressure canning.
• Wash, drain gooseberries. Remove stems and blossom ends. Combine gooseberries, raisins and orange in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Add sugar. To reduce foaming, add 1/2 tsp (2 ml) butter or margarine to mixture, if desired.
• Bring mixture to a boil slowly, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, boil vigorously for until mixture reaches gel stage – about 30 minutes. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to avoid over-cooking or scorching.

Gel Stage Tests (Remove pot from heat while conducting selected gel test)

• o Dip cool, metal spoon into jam. Lift spoon moving it away from steam. Gel Stage is reached when mixture sheets off spoon.
• o Place spoonful of hot mixture on chilled plate; place plate in freezer until cooled. Gel is achieved when product does not run together when separated with spoon.
• o Cook mixture to 220°F (104°C) or until it reaches a temperature that is 8°F (4°C) above the boiling point of water at your elevation.