Ball FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker & Ball FreshTech Electric Water Bath Canner

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  • #4071
    BakerAunt
    Participant

      Last year I treated myself to the Ball FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker. It's a wide, removable pot that sits on an electric base, with a removable automatic stirrer. I used it last year for a single batch of jam and was quite pleased with the four (8 oz.) jars of mixed berry jam that I made. I particularly like not having to stand over a hot pot stirring. Instead, I put in pectin, chopped and slightly mashed fruit, a half-tsp. butter to prevent foaming, and, if the recipe specifies, some lemon juice, then start it. Four minutes later when it beeps, I gradually add the sugar, then I put the lid on, and 17 minutes later, it is done and ready to can. The pot is non-stick, so it is easy to clean up. It only makes about 3 1/2 cups to 4 cups of jam at a time, so it is not designed for people who do big batches of jam in one session. I'm not sure that I could handle a large batch, so it's perfect for me. As my husband and I like variety, small batches of different flavors work well for us.

      After making a batch, the machine has to cool down for 30 minutes or so before making another batch and will not turn on again until it is ready. That's not a problem for me, since when I made two different batches on Monday, it gave me time to can the first one of mixed berries, clean up, then prep the next one of peaches. It comes with recipes designed for the appliance, and it features a regular and a low-sugar option. A knowledgeable person would likely know how to adapt other recipes, but I'm still new to canning, so I stick to what has been tested with this appliance. I had difficulty finding the Ball RealFruit Classic pectin last year, but this part of Indiana has fewer stores than many places, and I did find it in a larger city about 40 minutes away when we were there for some other business and bought two containers. (It requires 3 Tbs. per batch, and I am only about half-way into the first jar.) The machine does allow for adjusting the time for jam of a different consistency, and it has a jelly setting, which I've not tried. I think that there is a salsa recipe online, but I'll have to look for it.

      The recipes say "makes about four 8 oz. jars," which is code for "unlikely to get the full four." I make low-sugar jams, so I've found that if I use about 4 cups of fruit (the recipes say 3 1/4) that gives me 4 jars of the mixed berry--with a bit left over for a small dish in the refrigerator. There is a warning not to use too much, in order to prevent boil over, so I would not exceed that amount. I usually have a bit left over from each recipe that goes into a small container in the refrigerator to be sampled and used over the next week or so.

      Last year, to do the processing, I borrowed a big enamel canning pot and rack from a friend. For this year, I had a Christmas gift from my husband: The Ball FreshTech Electric Water Bath Canner. Note that this appliance is not their electronic gizmo with canning programs, which is a lot more expensive. (The more bells and whistles, the easier for something to go wrong.) Instead, the Water Bath Canner has an electric base (just as the jam maker does) on which sits a 21-quart pot. It comes with a flat rack, as well as a diffuser plate, and like the jam maker has a glass lid. Jars are sterilized on medium-high, and there is a canning setting. It heats up a lot faster than that big enamel pot did on the c. 1970s avocado green electric stovetop in this house. The kitchen also stays cooler. It has a spigot on the side, so when I finish, it is easy to drain the water into either the sink, or repeatedly into a short pan, and re-use the water for dishes. (Waste not, want not.) The directions say it can also function as a multi-cooker, but I don't plan to use it that way, since I would be afraid of food sticking to the bottom. (The spigot is designed with a plug for that option.) However, it would work very well for a large batch of sweet corn. It can also be used as a steamer, with just an inch or two of water in the bottom and the diffuser doubling as a steaming rack for that purpose. My only issue with the diffuser is that it only has one folding handle, and it really needs one on each side for ease in removal without knocking jars over. (I suspect the company was afraid people would pull it straight up and spill boiling water on themselves.) I may try to rig one. In addition to half-pint jam jars (and one quarter pint), I also did four quart jars. The water does come right up to the fill line with quart jars, but it still works. The box specifies that it will hold 7 of the quart jars (which may be pushing it) or 8 of the pint jars.

      Although we have a water softening system here (mostly to manage iron in the water and rust), the hard water still left some stain on the bottom of the canner. I followed the manufacturer's direction to add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the canning water, and that helped. It's also a good idea, when finished, not to let the water sit in the kettle.

      I bought the jam maker with a 20% off coupon at Sur La Table (and got free shipping, I seem to recall). My husband--with hint from his wife--bought the water bath canner on sale with free shipping from Chef's Catalog, which sadly is no longer in business. (I think that this sale last December was their start of going out of business, but I didn't know that at the time.)

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      • This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
      • This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
      • This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
      • This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
      • This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
      • This topic was modified 7 years, 7 months ago by BakerAunt.
      #4077
      Mike Nolan
      Keymaster

        The last time I canned dill pickles, I used my 24 quart stock pot. We used to have one of those cheap aluminum canning pots, but we got rid of it. It takes a really long time to get 18-20 quarts of water up to a full boil, though.

        I think the 24 quart pot would work on an induction cooktop, but the portable induction cooktop we have is far too small to set such a big pot on. They make commercial induction cooktops that would handle my big stock pot, right now I don't know where I'd put it. If we ever have to replace our electric cooktop (on the island), I'd have to think seriously about replacing it with an induction cooktop, even if it would mean we couldn't use some of our favorite pans on it.

        I'm becoming a big fan of induction cooktops, although it is enough different from both an electric and a gas cooktop that it requires some re-education.

        #4082
        BakerAunt
        Participant

          oops: It's a 21-quart pot. I've corrected it in the original post.

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