Directions:

• Wash currants, shaking off excess water. (It is not essential to remove stems for jelly.) Place is a large, deep saucepan.


• Squeeze juice from oranges into a measuring cup; add water to make 4 cups. Finely chop remaining orange pith and rind.


• Tie cinnamon stick, cloves and allspice in a large square of cheesecloth, creating a spice bag.


• Add juice, chopped orange and spice bag to currants. Over medium heat, bring mixture slowly to a boil, stirring and mashing fruit occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Discard spice bag.


• Pour cooked mixture into a damp jelly bag suspended over a bowl to catch the juice. (For clear jelly, do not press or squeeze bag.) Allow bag to drip at least 6 hours or overnight.


• Make Jelly


• Check pectin and acid levels of juice (see attached Fact sheet)


• Place 4 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.


• Measure juice; place in a large, deep stainless steel or enamel saucepan and bring to a boil.


• Add 3/4 cup (175 ml) sugar for each cup (250 ml) juice and stir until sugar is all dissolved. Boil rapidly over high heat until mixture reaches gel stage, about 12 minutes. (Gel Plate Test: remove mixture from heat; pour a spoonful of cooked recipe on a cold plate and place in freezer for a few minutes. A gel has been achieved when the product does not run together when separated with a spoon.)


• Quickly ladle hot jelly into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more jelly. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining jelly.


• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 10 minutes.*


• When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.


• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

Notes & Tips