Fresh currants are used to make a traditional red currant jelly. This was taken from one of my mother’s recipe cards that she had penned. Although I am not sure of its beginnings, I do know that it most likely began in the early 1940s.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr |
| Servings: | 64 |
| Yield: | 8 (1/2 pint) jars |
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh red currants
- 1 cup water
- 7 cups white sugar
- 4 fluid ounces liquid fruit pectin
Instructions
- Place red currants into a large pot and crush with a potato masher or berry crusher if you have one. Pour in 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the fruit through a jelly cloth or cheese cloth, and measure out 5 cups of the juice.
- Pour juice into a large saucepan and stir in sugar. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in liquid pectin immediately. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and skim off foam from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth. Cover with new sterile lids and rings. Process covered in a bath of simmering water for 10 minutes or the time recommended by your local extension for your area.
Reviews
First batch didn’t set. I am rebooking and adding the pectin for a second try I did reduce the recipe to two half pints
This turned out really well. The flavor is a little sweeter than I’d like for currant jelly but it set up nicely and looks great. I’m not enough of a jelly pro to know if I could lower the sugar amount and still have a nice jelly. I won’t be able to test that until next year when our currant bush is full again!
This was my first attempt at jelly and I didn’t have pectin. But as others had mentioned they didn’t use pectin with currants, did a bit of research and learned that currants produce their own pectin. So, I felt confident trying it without the pectin. I didn’t have 5 cups of juice so I just reduced the recipe which was easy and this was AMAZING! Even my husband, a jelly fan and skeptic, was a big fan. I had about 2.5 cups of juice and got 5 jars of jelly! It is sweet (I did equal parts juice and sugar) but not too sweet. It is great on toast and with PB&J. Easy and delicious so there is no reason not to try it!
I always test my jelly using a drop of jelly on a cold plate to ensure that it is starting to thicken.
Tastes great and so easy to make!
It was OK, I didn’t use any pectin at all as I never have with red currants. I prefer the crystal clarity produced by straining overnight in a jelly bag and this was a tad too sweet, I think I will continue to use Delias’ Eliza Acton recipe. Probably because I’m so used to it!
Substituted “Autumn Olives,” but the recipe still came out wonderfully.
Great tasting recipes, but my current jelly never sets up!! I live at 5000 ft. Maybe I’m not boiling it long enough?? Any suggestions
I never made currant jelly before and my currant bush finally got big enough to bear (almost) enough berries for a batch this year. I was short some so I follwed the recipe for 75% of everything. Instead of cheese cloth and waiting for it to drip, plus thinking there would be no way I’d have enough juice, I smooshed it through a fine mesh sieve. I was still short in the amount of juice I needed so I added unsweetened Apple juice to bring it up to the amount I needed and it all turned out great! Will definitely be making this every year!
I made no changes to this recipe. I did win first place at the county fair this year and can’t wait until next year to make it again.
This recipe is delicious! I only wanted (and had enough berries) for 1 jar so I changed the serving size to 16 and it was perfect! I only used 1 1/2 cups of sugar instead of 1 3/4 because I didn’t want it to be too sugary. It says to only use 1/4 cup of water and I was about to add more but I’m glad I didn’t, at the end when you pour it in the jar it has just the perfect amount for my jar (only a little extra just perfect for a little taste test). Also at the beginning, instead of a jelly/cheese cloth, I just used a wire strainer and let it drip out (after I couldn’t drip anymore juice out, I just mashed it down with a spoon) into a pot. Great recipe and can’t wait for next year when our lovely currants come out again.
Excellent recipe. One thing: leave the stems on the currants when you cook them, enhances the flavor and you won’t need to add pectin.
good recipe, but I have always filled as close to the top as possible, wiped the rim with a clean hot damp cloth, then turned jars upside down after securing lids and bands.
I’ve never made jelly before. This was fun, easy and tastes wonderful
Outstanding Jelly!!! I was only able to get just under 3 pounds of currants from my bush so I had to modify the measurements some but it turned out great. First time making jelly and after having this jelly I can safely say that I will never buy another jar of jelly from the store again.
I was hard pressed to get that last cup of liquid from 4 pounds. Next time I would add more water. The 7 cups of sugar seemed like a lot to me but I followed the recipie this first time around. Next time would proably cut down by 1 cup and possibly 2. What I didn’t like is that the Certo packets are 3 oz so you have to cut into the second packet and throw out the balance. Maybe next time I’d just go with the 3 oz packet.
I use roughly the same recipe, but sometimes when I have an abundance of currants, I need to freeze. In this case remember to use less water from frozen currants. Also good to note that when picking the currants, take stem and all. The currants lose their own pectin if taken from the stems when picked. Since the berries are strained anyway, the stems can be strained then:-) All tips provided by a 94 year old friend who gave me her currant bushes.
This recipe worked fantastically even without the added pectin! I haven’t had it fail yet. I also add herbal flavourings such as rosemary during the cooking phase. It adds a nice touch to the final product.
This is the exact recipe that is included in the Certo brand liquid fruit pectin box. I actually used 5 cups of sugar instead of 7 and it’s still tasty!
Excellent recipe! This was my first time using liquid pectin and I like it alot. Thanks for sharing.
I am a 47 year old man, that has never made jelly before. I had a bumper crop of currants this year and hated to see them go to waste. I used this recipe almost exactly as written and the jelly turned out great. It tastes between cranberry and rhubarb.