Crabapple jelly is fun and easy to make! It takes a little longer than jam as you have to strain it first, but it’s definitely worth the extra effort.

I used 5.5 lbs of crabapples, which made 10 x 125ml (1/4 pint) jars.

Buy equipment you need:
Jars – http://amzn.to/12mVzVR
Waterbath Canner Starter Set – http://amzn.to/1veExnU
Cheese Cloth – http://amzn.to/1pKASx2
Potato Masher – http://amzn.to/1yIcwpA

– place trimmed crabapples in a large saucepan and add 1 cup of water for every pound of crabapples.
– bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
– boil for 15 min and then crush crabapples with a potato masher and boil for a further 5 min.
– strain the crabapples through a jelly bag or cheese cloth into a container for at least 2 hrs or overnight.
– place a small plate in the freezer for checking set point later.
– place juice in a saucepan and add 2/3 cup sugar for every cup of juice.
– bring juice and sugar gently to a boil while stirring constantly. Continue to boil for 15-18 min while stirring.
– after 15 min, remove the plate from the freezer and add a small amount of jelly onto the plate and return to the freezer for 1 min.
– remove plate again and run finger through the jelly. If the jelly wrinkles, it’s ready. If not, continue to boil jelly for another couple of minutes and test again.
– remove jelly from heat and skim any foam/scum off the top.

To preserve:

8 qt. pan for jam
Smaller pan for lids
Large pan/stockpot for canning – I use a 21 qt. canner that has a jar rack as well.
Mason jars
Funnel
Jar-lifting tongs

– wash jars and lids with hot and soapy water and rinse well.
– to sterilize jars, place jars in canner with just simmering water. Leave the jars in there until ready to use.
– warm lids (do not boil) in smaller pan.
– pour hot jelly into jars.
– make sure there’s no jelly on the rim of the jars that could affect the seal. Clean with a damp cloth.
– place lids on top of jars and screw on bands until finger tight.
– place jars in canner and lower into water. Make sure there’s at least 2 inches of water over the top of the jars. Bring water to a boil and process jars for 10 min. Use the following chart to adjust water canning times for different altitudes:

Altitude (feet) Increase processing time
1001 – 3000 5 minutes
3001 – 6000 10 minutes
6001 – 8000 15 minutes
8001 – 10000 20 minutes

– remove jars from water and place on a towel for at least 12 hrs. During this time you’ll hear each of the lids pop as they seal.
– check the jars have sealed properly – they shouldn’t move up and down when you press in the middle of the lid. If a jar hasn’t sealed, you can refrigerate it and eat it or you can process the jar again using a new lid.
– keep processed jars in a cool, dry and dark place. They will last for about 1 year. Enjoy!