When my mother taught me to make jelly, the first lesson was to gather everything needed for the entire process before you begin. Occasionally, I am reminded of her advice when I realize that I forgot to measure the sugar ahead of time and now the juice and pectin are boiling. Oops!
The basic ingredients, supplies, and equipment required to make homemade jelly:
- Ingredients Fruit, sweetener, acid, and thickening agent
- Supplies Jars, lids, and rings
- Equipment Pots, pans, canner, and utensils
You may wonder specifically what some of these items are and how they are used, so I will go into detail about each item and how they are used below.
Jam and Jelly Making Ingredients
The specific ingredients needed depends on the type of fruit product being made, i.e., jam, jelly, preserves, and the ingredients listed in your recipe. But generally, this is what you will need.
- Fruit – Select the fruit you are going to use. Often, this is done for you because you have fruit trees that are producing, someone has given you some fruit, or you have just found some Georgia peaches that you couldn’t go home without.
- Sweetener – Unless you are making refrigerator or freezer jam with no additional ingredients, you will need some type of sweetener, either sugar or a sugar substitute.
- Acid – If you are using a type of fruit or fruits with low acid content like blueberries and peaches, you will need to add at least 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per batch to complete the gelling process.
- Pectin – Again, unless you are making refrigerator or freezer jam with no additional ingredients, you will need either commercial pectin or a substitute.
Jam and Jelly Making Supplies
These are the basic supplies needed for any type of jam, jelly, or preserves:
- Jars
- Lids
- Rings
Jars
It’s important to use good canning jars for any canning projects, and they come in various shapes and sizes.
If you are making jam or jelly, though, don’t use any jar larger than a pint as trying to store your jam or jelly in a larger size jar will prevent the gelling process from taking place.
But you still have a variety of shapes and sizes to choose from, 4 oz, 8 oz, which are known as “jelly jars,” 12 oz, and pints. Here are some examples of what I am talking about. (Click the link to see the Amazon listing)
Jars also come in either regular mouth or large mouth varieties. I almost always use the regular size but it all comes down to personal preference.
Lids
Most new jars come with lids and rings, but if you are reusing jars, you can buy new lids at most grocery, dollar, or variety stores. You can even buy them on Amazon and have them delivered to you. Here is what I use:
Keep in mind that jars and rings can be recycled, but lids cannot. This is because there is no guarantee that recycled lids will reseal properly so it’s not worth the risk to try
Rings
Like jars, rings can be recycled. But, if you are reusing jars, you can buy lids and rings by the dozen. Here are the rings I that I recommend:
Jam and Jelly-Making Equipment
When it comes to making jam or jelly, you will need one kit for preparing the food and one kit for actually making the stuff.
For Fruit Preparation You Need:
- Pot
- Pan
- Knife
- Potato Masher
- Cheesecloth
- Spoon
- Funnel
Pots
If you decide to use your fruit to make jelly, you will prepare the fruit by washing thoroughly, and place the fruit in a large pot like this one found on Amazon.
Add water just to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for approximately 45 minutes, mashing with a potato masher to extract juice, then strain through a cheesecloth.
Pans
To prepare fruit for making jam or jelly, you will need at least two large mixing bowls or dishpans for washing, peeling, pitting, coring, and cutting up, or whatever you have to do depending on the type of fruit you are using and whether you are making jam or jelly. I have a large stainless steel mixing bowl that is about 16.5 x 16.5 x 5.5, like this one found on amazon, that works very well.
However, I actually prefer using an old-fashioned aluminum dishpan, like this one. I actually have about 6 of them and can’t imagine cooking and canning without them.
While you must use a stainless steel, coated cast iron, or coated aluminum pot to cook the jam or jelly, a regular aluminum one will work just fine and will be light and easy to work with.
Knife
A sharp paring knife is needed to prepare the fruit for making jelly and jam.
Potato Masher
While the fruit is boiling to extract the juice, use a potato masher like this steel wire masher to mash the fruit as it cooks.
Cheesecloth
When preparing juice for making jelly, this cheesecloth would be perfect for straining the juice from the cooked fruit.
Spoon
When cooking your fruit in a large pot to extract the juice, you will need a large spoon, like this one, long enough to stir the bottom of a very large pot without burning your hand.
Funnel
To store the juice in jars until you are ready to make the jelly, it is much easier to pour t