A glut of blackcurrrants is not an easy thing to get rid of! I stopped picking blackcurrants at my Mother in laws allotment when we just about filled the tub we were using and I started to get worried that there was only so much blackcurrant jam one could eat, especially when my husband announced that he didn’t like blackcurrant jam! Picking blackcurrants is a bit of a pain, so many tiny berries attached to little stalks, after a while I perfected the art of pulling the berries downwards off their little stalks, thus saving much picking over later when I got home. I needn’t have bothered as I later decided that it would be much easier to make jelly which actually needs the stems for added pectin! Luckily I still had a lot of stems attached in the tub!
Making this blackcurrant jelly is really easy but does require some time, perfect for a rainy Sunday or make it one evening and leave to strain while you sleep. I really enjoyed the bright flavour of this jelly without all the seeds and bits blackcurrant jam has.
I just realised that I can link this to the Simple and in Season blog event, held by Ren at Fabulicious food but hosted this month by Fleur at Homemade by Fleur
Blackcurrant Jelly
ingredients
- Blackcurrants, rinsed well (I had 4 lbs)
- 3 pints water (for 4 lbs of berries, adjust according to your berry weight)
- 1 lb of granulated sugar for each pint of blackcurrant juice
method
- Having rinsed and drained the blackcurrants put them in the preserving pan of your choice, a really big stock pot is good if you don’t have a special jam pan.
- Add the water and simmer until the blackcurrants are soft, this takes about 20 minutes.
- Squish the blackcurrants up, a potato masher does the job well, then strain the pulpy liquid through a jelly strainer. This takes about 3 hours or leave overnight. This is a really messy part, blackcurrant juice splashes stain badly so take care! Keep away from anything pale, such as walls! I placed my strainer in a box to catch the splashes.
,
- When the jelly bag is no longer dripping measure the juice.
- Add 1 lb of sugar for each pint of juice obtained. I got 2.5 pints of juice from my blackcurrants so needed 2.5 lbs of sugar.
- Put the juice and sugar into your jam pan and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for the setting point, mine was a little stubborn and took about 9 minutes of hard boiling, I tested after 5 minutes then at 7 minutes then at 9 minutes when finally the jelly wrinkled up on my cold plate.
- Test for setting, I use the cold saucer method which means putting 2-3 saucers in the freezer while you are boiling the juice and sugar. When testing for a set take a saucer from the freezer remove the pan from the heat and take a spoon of the boiling juice onto the cold saucer. Wait a couple of minutes and push the jelly with your finger if it wrinkles up its set, if no wrinkling happen then return the pan to the heat, boil for another 5 minutes and re-test for a set using another cold saucer.
- Pour the jelly into your sterilized jars, seal and follow your usual canning procedure. I simmered mine for 10 minutes in a water bath ( I use my large stockpot filled with boiling water).
- I got 7 mixed sized jars.
Update
I made this jelly again this year (2014). After straining my cooked blackcurrants I had 3.5 pints of juice to which I added 3 pounds of sugar and the juice of a lemon. A 10 minute hard boil and the jelly was ready, its a particularly tasty batch this year!
#1 by Wendy Read (@Sunchowder) on July 15, 2012 - 02:12
I love the color of this! I have never made black currant jam as they don’t grow here 🙂 Your set looks amazing!! I hope Andy changes his mind and gives it a go. You can use this when you make a trifle, make smoothies with it, lots of ways to use it up. Great post!
#2 by Jayne on July 16, 2012 - 14:52
Its funny I never see blackcurrants used in America yet Martha Stewart recently had a recipe for redcurrants. I was pleased with the set, thanks for noticing – praise indeed coming from you the jam Queen!
#3 by Homemade by Fleur on July 20, 2012 - 23:20
I would love a blackcurrent bush as I think there are so many things you can do with them. Your jelly looks fabulous. I’m imagining it spread inside a croissant, mmmm. Thanks gor entering Simple and in Season.
#4 by Jayne on August 1, 2012 - 21:31
Thanks! One bush produces a lot of berries, more than enough to start of with.
#5 by The Wimpy Vegetarian on August 1, 2012 - 19:12
This looks just delicious, Jayne! We get some red currants, but rarely see black currants. I’m with Wendy – I love the color too!
#6 by Jayne on August 1, 2012 - 21:37
Thank you! It’s a mystery why black currants are less popular? Pinkcurrants are really pretty and getting more popular here.
#7 by Cheryl on July 11, 2014 - 23:23
Currants were banned in the US for years because they harbor a disease which affects the White Pines. My Grandmother, and others of a former time, had them and so us lucky folk have a bush or two. They are now completely legal to plant and grow. I use a low sugar pectin with great success and super yields 🙂
#8 by Jayne on July 15, 2014 - 11:15
How interesting! Lucky they are ok to plant now.
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#10 by Jayne on January 27, 2015 - 15:57
Thank you very much!
#11 by Carl Hight on March 18, 2015 - 20:53
I just ordered 2 plants from Starks Nursery plus I planted Elderberries 4 years ago and made my first jelly this winter, can’t wait for the Black Currant Jelly.
#12 by Jayne on April 21, 2015 - 18:33
I have not used elderberries before, how was the jelly?
#13 by Virginia on July 11, 2015 - 13:35
Just made the jelly with a mixture of red, white and black currants. They all grow well here in Cornwall. The recipe was really useful.
#14 by Jayne on July 11, 2015 - 14:31
I am so pleased it was helpful! I love the idea of the mixed currants!
#15 by Maria on July 23, 2015 - 09:46
Have just been gifted some black currants as were quite a few others by a very generous lady here in my village in Cornwall. She said this was a bumper year, so my first shot at making “currant ” jelly rather than “jam”. left dripping overnight so will finish today. Will share results when it comes to tasting.
#16 by Jayne on July 24, 2015 - 11:04
Sounds lovely, let me know how it goes!
#17 by Jayne on July 25, 2015 - 02:49
Look forward to hearing how your jelly turns out!
#18 by Dennis on July 24, 2015 - 03:19
I have black currants in Idaho and didn’t know what to do with them and they were wasted for two years. I AM GOING TO MAKE THE JELLY THIS YEAR. I HAVE SOME READY RIGHT NOW TO PICK. I ALSO HAVE YELLOW CURRANTS. HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF YELLOW ONES?
#19 by Jayne on July 24, 2015 - 11:06
I have not heard of yellow currants, they sound good! I have seen white ones which are sort of clear looking.
#20 by Dennis on July 24, 2015 - 21:39
Does anyone know if the currants can be juiced with a steam juicer and if the jelly would turn out OK?