Sunday, September 7, 2008

Raz-Pepper Preserves Step by Step

You don't need fancy equipment to can delicious preserves. I use an ordinary sauce pan and a metal 13x9 pan for most of the work.

Step 1: Place all ingredients (1 cup raspberries, 1/2 cup chopped red pepper, 1/4 cup chopped jalapeno, 3 cups sugar & 3/4 cups white vinegar) in a saucepan. Stir and begin cooking on medium/high heat.

2. In a metal 13 x 9 pan, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil and sterilize the bottles and lids by boiling them for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and dry on a clean dishcloth.
3. Bring the raspberry mixture to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. It will start out looking bright and chunky like this picture, but as it boils, the raspberries will start to break down and the peppers will soften. The mixture will get a bit foamy. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
4. After mixture has cooled for 5 minutes, add 1 (3 oz.) package liquid pectin, then stir well.

5. Put your canning lids into the boiling water and let boil for 2-3 minutes.

6. Fill jars with preserves using a funnel. Place hot lids on top and screw down with rings.

7. Turn filled jars upside down and place back in the boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Within a few minutes you should hear the lids popping which means they are sealing. You will know they have sealed if you press down on the lid and it doesn't pop up and down.

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