Ball Canning Back to Basics

The household name for canning in the US is Ball. At some point in our lives we have all come in contact with the familiar glass jars – either finding them in our grandmother or mother’s pantries or having bought them for craft or canning projects ourselves.

Ball Canning Back to Basics: A Foolproof Guide to Canning Jams, Jellies, Pickles, and More by the Ball Test Kitchen was published this July. This full color water bath canning guide shares 100 classic recipes that we should all have in our arsenal. Ball breaks down every step in water bath canning for both the novice canner or for those looking to improve their technique.

Recipes include Nectarine-sour cherry jam, Low sugar honey-pear jam, Meyer lemon marmalade, Blueberry butter and Tomato-apple chutney.  Perfect for Fall and the approaching holidays, the publisher is sharing a recipe for Apple pie jam today. This jam would be great on scones or wrapped with a ribbon as a lovely hostess gift. Time Inc. Books, the publisher, is providing three copies of Back to Basics in our contest open to members in the US – be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to enter.

Apple pie jam 
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Makes about 5 (1⁄2-pint) jars

This jam plays well with graham crackers or ice cream for a sweet pick-me-up.

  • 6 cups diced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 6 apples)
  • 2 cups apple juice or apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ cup chopped raisins (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons Ball® Classic Pectin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups sugar

1. Bring the apples, juices, and, if desired, raisins to a boil in a 6-quart stainless-steel or enameled Dutch oven; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally.

2. Whisk in the pectin and next 3 ingredients. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high, stirring constantly.

3. Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim the foam, if necessary.

4. Ladle the hot jam into a hot jar, leaving 1⁄4-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rim. Center the lid on the jar. Apply the band, and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place the jar in the boiling water canner. Repeat until all the jars are filled.

5. Process the jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove the lid, and let the jars stand 5 minutes. Remove the jars and cool.

Excerpted from Ball® Canning Back to Basics. Copyright © 2017 Hearthmark, LLC. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Time Inc. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

The publisher is offering three copies of this titles to EYB Members in the US. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post.

Which recipe in the index would you try first?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. Please be sure to check your spam filters to make sure you receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on October 23, 2017. 

 

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70 Comments

  • catmommy9  on  September 16, 2017

    The peach-rosemary jam looks very interesting.

  • Maefleur  on  September 16, 2017

    I'd like to try the pear roasted garlic preserves.

  • lgroom  on  September 16, 2017

    I'd be all over the sour cherry jam.

  • ravensfan  on  September 16, 2017

    Peach jam

  • Siegal  on  September 16, 2017

    Drunken peaches sound yum

  • vickster  on  September 16, 2017

    Low sugar plum jam. I am interested in low sugar jams, and they seem to have a lot of recipes.

  • robynnemellor  on  September 16, 2017

    Orange-chile marmalade

  • rivergait  on  September 16, 2017

    Fig and pear jam. I used to preserve for my large family,but now with just me, I can make fig whatever (from my own tree) because I'm the only one who would eat figs.

  • hillsboroks  on  September 16, 2017

    Definitely Honey Pear Jam. I have ripe pears ready for this.

  • SnarkyLarane  on  September 16, 2017

    Mmmmm beet pickles!

  • rrwrites  on  September 16, 2017

    peach cobbler jam!

  • TNLamb  on  September 16, 2017

    Myers lemon marmalade!

  • jezpurr  on  September 16, 2017

    Not sure about which book, but willing to try almost any recipe!!!^_^

  • t.t  on  September 17, 2017

    blueberry jam

  • Phizz_17  on  September 17, 2017

    Strawberry and rhubarb jam. We grow them both.

  • Rooks  on  September 17, 2017

    Fig and pear jam!

  • kmn4  on  September 17, 2017

    Blood orange-ginger marmalade

  • mcrimmins  on  September 17, 2017

    Peach Cobbler Jam

  • Suzw  on  September 17, 2017

    Habanero-apricot jelly

  • amylou61  on  September 17, 2017

    I'd like to try Cheryl's perfect BBQ sauce

  • motherofpearl81  on  September 18, 2017

    Raspberry-honey jam

  • matag  on  September 18, 2017

    Drunken Peaches

  • sgump  on  September 18, 2017

    Ooh–sign me up for the watermelon rind pickles!

  • sarahawker  on  September 18, 2017

    Tart lemon jelly – citrus is such a favorite of mine.

  • Cmgitan  on  September 18, 2017

    Champagne jelly!

  • ladybrooke  on  September 18, 2017

    Chocolate-raspberry sauce

  • Karla123  on  September 18, 2017

    Peach cobbler jam on homemade bread would be heaven.

  • NancyLynn  on  September 19, 2017

    Peach jam, because they are now in season.

  • ktwalla  on  September 19, 2017

    Peach Rosemary Jam

  • mjes  on  September 20, 2017

    Drunken peaches … assuming a daughter-in-law hasn't borrowed the book 🙂

  • fiarose  on  September 21, 2017

    mmm, i love savory preserved stuff–carrot-habanero butter, thai green tomato chutney, any of the pickles…especially curious about the watermelon rind!

  • cindyrn  on  September 22, 2017

    Habañero Carrot Butter

  • LaurenE  on  September 23, 2017

    watermelon rind pickles!

  • rionafaith  on  September 24, 2017

    I've been wanting to try canning and so many of these recipes look good! Raspberry-honey jam, brandied cherries, ketchup, and ALL of the pickles are just a few that appeal.

  • AnneOther  on  September 26, 2017

    Looking forward to the autumn and winter canning season, I think the red onion-cranberry marmalade sounds fabulous! It would also make nice holiday gifts, too.

  • Scotsman61  on  September 27, 2017

    Strawberry and rhubarb jam

  • LeePicard  on  September 28, 2017

    Blueberry Jam. My grandmother used to make enough jars every summer to give to us to last the year! I miss that jam (and my grandmother terribly) and would like to carry on the tradition. I belong to a CSA that offers case/bushel quantities of fruit on occasion. Now I need the know how and some good recipes…..

  • stephlinde  on  September 28, 2017

    Low sugar sour cherry jam!

  • Lafauvette  on  September 28, 2017

    green tomato salsa verde

  • ckline  on  September 28, 2017

    Fig and Pear Jam! I would love to give this in gift baskets next Christmas.

  • Rinshin  on  September 28, 2017

    apricot and plum jams

  • rennots  on  September 28, 2017

    Peach Jam

  • JaneRose  on  September 29, 2017

    Hubs and I love salsas and always have a plethora of green tomatoes during the summer from our few tomato plants. I would try the Green tomato salsa verde. The Ball canning book I have is my go-to book for all things canning. Several of my favorite recipes are found there and my copy is so dog-earred. A well read book.

  • circ2000  on  September 29, 2017

    Peach Cobbler Jam…

  • valorie  on  September 30, 2017

    Fig and Pear Jam – Yummo

  • CBLee  on  September 30, 2017

    Low Sugar Blueberry Jam is the one I would try first.

  • ljkish  on  September 30, 2017

    I would like to try the Apple pie jam recipe.

  • RSW  on  September 30, 2017

    Peach-rosemary jam

  • kbiggs  on  September 30, 2017

    Raspberry-honey jam

  • RickPearson54  on  October 1, 2017

    peach cobbler jam

  • allthatsleftarethecrumbs  on  October 1, 2017

    Guava-vanilla bean jelly.

  • bibliophile02  on  October 3, 2017

    Pear roasted garlic preserves

  • tjos  on  October 3, 2017

    I'd love to make the blood-orange ginger marmalade

  • jluvs2bake  on  October 5, 2017

    sour cherry jam!!

  • skipeterson  on  October 5, 2017

    Currant jelly

  • lhudson  on  October 5, 2017

    Any of the jams.

  • Dmartin997  on  October 5, 2017

    Honey pear jelly

  • jahqdruh  on  October 6, 2017

    Apple butter — I know someone who would like that for Christmas…

  • KarenDel  on  October 7, 2017

    I would like to make the Low sugar sweet cherry jam

  • smartie101  on  October 7, 2017

    Drunken Peaches sounds good

  • infotrop  on  October 7, 2017

    Peach-rosemary jam …I'm just learning about canning, so this cookbook sounds wonderful

  • bstewart  on  October 10, 2017

    Fig + pear jam!

  • Littlebirdchoc  on  October 12, 2017

    Drunken peaches?
    YES PLEASE!

  • Katiefayhutson  on  October 15, 2017

    Peach rosemary jam because when the season is right we get great local peaches

  • rivergait  on  October 16, 2017

    Meyer Lemon Marmalade

  • robynsanyal  on  October 18, 2017

    Tomato-apple chutney

  • orchidlady01  on  October 19, 2017

    Bread and butter pickles

  • ltsuk  on  October 19, 2017

    ketchup!

  • JenJoLa  on  October 20, 2017

    Thai green tomato chutney

  • Jenamarie  on  October 22, 2017

    Fig & Pear Jam – love figs!

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