How to Make Kiwi Jam

Kiwi Jam

Kiwi Jam

Kiwi Jam is one of my favorite jams. This sweet chunky spread is wonderful on toast, waffles, and pancakes. I've had people make thumb print cookies with it, pour it over ice cream (hot or cold) and even top a pork roast with it.

 Kiwis typically ripen in the fall. I'm fortunate to live in an area where Kiwis are grown so I can buy 'seconds' at a Farmer's market to make my Jam. 'Seconds' are the imperfect ones that don't make it to the store - typically they're doubles or triples - the ugly ones - looks don't matter, because we're going to make Kiwi Jam.

I also make Pomegranate Jelly. Both Pomegranates and Kiwi ripen in the Fall, the Green Kiwi Jam and Red Pomegranate Jelly make a wonderful Christmas pair to give as gifts.

Ingredients:

3 Cups peeled & cut up Kiwi
5 cups sugar
3 drops green food coloring
1 pat of butter (eyeball it)
1 pkg dry pectin

Makes a little over 5 - 8oz Jars

Directions;

Add Kiwi, Pectin & butter to pan on med/high heat - stir often and bring to a good boil,
add 3 drops food coloring to sugar - add sugar, stirring into boiling kiwi mixture - stir & bring to boil for 2 minutes. Once it's brought to a boil take pan off heat and let cool for 3-5 minutes. Allowing the jam to cool will thicken the jam, which keeps the chunks of fruit from floating to the top of the jar. Ladle the hot jam into the jars to within 1/4" of the lip - this is known as head space.

Canning Instructions:

There are a few tools you may want to buy, some places sell them as a kit
Wide mouth funnel
Lid lifter (stick with magnet on end) lift hot lids out of water
Jar lifter (lower & lift jars in & out of hot water) the straight plastic parts are the handles - the curved pieces fit around the jar
there's a clear stick that may come in the kit for knocking bubbles out of pickle jars - you don't need it for Jelly/Jam)
Timer - or a watch

I start with 3 pans:
1 REALLY big deep one with enough water to cover the jars with at least 1" of water (be mindful not to put so much water that it would overflow if you add 6 full jars to it, bring to a boil then turn the heat down to just under a boil.
1 large shallow frying pan with about 1" of water - put 6 empty jars and the flat lids in it and put on med/low heat don't boil - the sealing compound on the lid could get damaged if you boil it.
1 3 or 4 quat or so pot for making the jelly.

Follow the directions above to make the Kiwi Jam.Once you've allowed the completed Jam to cool for 5 minutes and thicken, ladle the hot jam into the jars within 1/4" of the lip try to ladle an even amount of juice and fruit into each jar. Use a napkin with the corner wet from your boiling water to wipe the mouth rim of the jar (to remove any jelly that might keep it from sealing properly). Using your lid lifter, retrieve a flat lid from the heated water and place the lid on the jar, then screw on the ring band - only lightly  finger tight. Set the jar aside and fill another until you've put all the Jam into your jars. Any leftover jam can be put in the refrigerator and eaten soon, or if you're going to make another batch of Kiwi Jam immediately, put the jam in a clean canning jar and place that jar in your warming pan, ready to be filled with the hot jam from your next batch.

Place all jars in the big pot of water, it's best if you have some sort of rack for the jars to sit on, I've heard that some folks place a towel in the bottom, the jars are tempered which makes them strong but brittle, so there is the posability that they could crack if they bounce on the bottom of the pot - you could risk it if you cn't find a suitable rack - I use a round cookie cooling rack. Jars stay in the water bath for 10 minutes. With Lids on finger tight the hot water forces air out and creates a vacuum when it cools.

Place hot jars on a towel, or a wooden or plastic cutting board - NOT cold Tile, Granite or Marble counters! (again to prevent risk of jars cracking when hot meets cold). As they cool - you may hear 'pop' - that's the jars sealing. The next day check to see that jars sealed properly -the flat lid should be concave (sucked down). Pushing on the lid should make no movement - if lid pops up & down with finger pushing - you can just refrigerate and eat soon or remove lid, clean lid and jar rim, replace lid & band ring and try putting in waterbath for 10 minutes.

Store the filled jars in a cool dark place. They will typically keep for up to two years.

Home Canned Corn Relish

Here's a delicious way to save summer's bounty to enjoy throughout the off season. The crunch of the corn, onion and celery in a flavorful, syrupy sauce. It's wonderful served cold on hot dogs, hamburgers and kielbasa or served warm on broiled salmon, or just served as a side condiment with almost anything.

5 Cups corn kernels
2 1/2 cups minced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 - 4 Tablespoons corn starch
makes aprox 7 - 8oz jars

Canning tools
Several canning jars with corresponding lids and ring bands
Lid lifter
Jar lifter
Canning Funnel
Large skillet
2 Large pots

Use your sharpest knife to cut the kernels from the cob - you want to 'cut' the kernels cleanly not 'pop' the kernels with a dull knife. Mince the onion and celery so the pieces end up the size of the corn kernels. Hold the ear of corn stem side down, cut in one slice, from the tip to stem, as close to the cob as possible, turn the ear slightly and slice again. I use a plastic tray with sides, while cutting the kernels, as the kernels fall they won't bounce all over. Some people put down a tea towel to catch the kernels. Another method is to invert a small bowl inside a larger bowl, place the stem down on the bottom of the inverted smaller bowl as you slice.

One Large ear of yellow sweet corn can yield one cup of cut kernels. For this recipe I prefer the yellow corn to white.

Canning the mixture
I use 3 burners on the stove - you need your largest pot to be deep enough to cover your canning jars with an inch of water. Bring to a slow boil, enough water to cover your jars - leaving enough space to accommodate several jars without overflowing the pot - must be at least 180 degrees. Use a large skillet with 2" of water - place your empty jars in the water leaving room for a stack of jar lids, keep this water hot but not boiling, you're sterilizing the jars and softening the compound on the jar lids.
Place everything but the corn starch in another large pot. Bring to a boil - stirring often. When it starts to boil place 3 tablespoons of corn starch in a drinking glass and add enough water to stir into a paste, the add enough additional water to make it thin enough to pour. As you slowly pour your corn starch slurry into the corn mixture stir it in quickly or it could get lumpy. It will reach it's maximum thickness at a boil - if you like it thicker add a tablespoon of corn starch slurry at a time - being sure to wait until it boils.
Once the mixture has been brought to a boil for several minutes and reached the desired thickness, you're ready to place the mixture in the jars.

Canning your Corn Relish
Using your jar lifter, grab a hot jar from the skillet - place the jar close to the relish pot, put the canning funnel into the jar, use a ladle to put the mixture in the jar - leaving 1/2" 'head space' space at the top edge of the jar. Remove the canning funnel and place aside. Using a paper towel dipped in hot water, wipe off the lip of the jar, use the lid lifter to remove a jar lid from the hot water in the skillet, and place it on the jar, screw the Ring Band on just finger tight.
Set full jar aside and fill several. Once you've filled 5 or 6 jars using the jar lifter, gently place the jars in the pot of boiling water. the heat of the boiling water covering the jars forces air out (that's why you don't crank down the ring band) let them boil for 10 min then remove them in the order you put them in the pot. If you have a metal or stone counter top, placing hot jars on a cold counter can cause the jars to break. Place the jars on a towel or cutting board etc. Leave the jars undisturbed over night. As the jars cool, a vacuum forms, pulling the domed center of the lid downward - sealing the jar. The ring band is no longer necessary until the jar is opened.

For Taste Sake
This recipe can be doubled and tripled - I make triple batches all the time - just be sure to triple (or double) ALL of the ingredients - writing it down helps.

Canned goods should be kept in a cool dark place - the vacuum keeps it fresh, the vinegar keeps bacteria from growing - it's basically like pickles. Canned goods are typically good for up to two years.

Other spices that can be added or substituted:
2 teaspoons tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne peppeer
3/4 cup red bell pepper
substitute Dark Brown Sugar for the Light Brown sugar. 

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