Wash and rinse all fruits thoroughly before cooking. Do not soak. For best
flavor, use fully ripe fruit. Remove stems, skins, and pits from fruit; cut
into pieces and crush. For berries, remove stems and blossoms and crush.
Seedy berries may be put through a sieve or food mill. Measure crushed
fruit into large saucepan using the ingredient quantities specified in
Table 1.

Table 1. Ingredient Quantities.

Fruit: Apricots. Cups Crushed Fruit: 4 to 4-1/2. Cups Sugar: 4. Tbs. Lemon
Juice: 2. Yield (Half-pints): 5 to 6.

Fruit: Berries. Cups Crushed Fruit: 4. Cups Sugar: 4. Tbs. Lemon Juice: 0.
Yield (Half-pints): 3 to 4.

Fruit: Peaches. Cups Crushed Fruit: 5-1/2 to 6. Cups Sugar: 4 to 5. Tbs.
Lemon Juice: 2. Yield (Half-pints): 6 to 7.

Add sugar and bring to a boil while stirring rapidly and constantly.
Continue to boil until mixture thickens. Use one of the following tests to
determine when jams and jellies are ready to fill. Remember to allow for
thickening during cooling.

Temperature test: Use a jelly or candy thermometer and boil until mixture
reaches the temperature for your altitude. For more information see “Making
Jelly Without Added Pectin”.

Sea Level: 220 degrees F.
1,000 ft: 218 degrees F.
2,000 ft: 216 degrees F.
3,000 ft: 214 degrees F.
4,000 ft: 212 degrees F.
5,000 ft: 211 degrees F.
6,000 ft: 209 degrees F.
7,000 ft: 207 degrees F.
8,000 ft: 205 degrees F.

Refrigerator test: Remove the jam mixture from the heat. Pour a small
amount of boiling jam on a cold plate and put it in the freezing
compartment of a refrigerator for a few minutes. If the mixture gels, it is
ready to fill.

Remove from heat and skim off foam quickly. Fill sterile jars with jam. For
more information see “Jars and Lids”. Use a measuring cup or ladle the jam
through a wide-mouthed funnel, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and
process.

Table 2. Recommended process time for Jams without Added Pectin in a
boiling-water canner.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Half-pints or Pints. Process Time at
Altitudes of 0 – 1,000 ft: 5 min.
1,001 – 6,000 ft: 10 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 15 min.

=== * USDA
Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994) * format
courtesy of