How To Make And Can Blackcurrant Jostaberry Jelly
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We’ll be the first to admit that the story of our blackcurrant jostaberry jelly is far from ordinary. On a recent U-pick trip, we were convinced we were picking gooseberries. After all, the owner himself told us so! Our plan was to combine them with blackcurrants to make a delicious blackcurrant gooseberry jam.
Back at home, we started having doubts. Yes, these berries looked like purple gooseberries. However, they were much, much smaller. After some diligent online research, we discovered they were actually jostaberries—a cross between gooseberries and blackcurrants.
Ribes × nidigrolaria, commonly called jostaberry, is a hybrid, deciduous, fruiting shrub resulting from a complex cross between two hybrid Ribes: a powdery mildew resistant selection of R. divaricatum (spreading gooseberry or coastal black gooseberry) × R. nigrum (black current), and the white pine blister rust resistant R. uva-crispa (European gooseberry) × R. nigrum.
So, what do you do when you end up with jostaberries instead of gooseberries? The answer really depends on the type of jostaberries you have. Be that as it may, we went ahead with combining the two berries and making a blackcurrant jostaberry jelly. Lo and behold, it turned out to be a good choice.
Our blackcurrant jostaberry jelly is sweet and tangy, a pleasant surprise that made our original plan even better.
What does jostaberry taste like?
We are glad you asked! Surprisingly, the answer is “it depends”. The jostaberries we picked had a distinct gooseberry flavor. Fortunatelly, they weren’t tart like blackcurrants but still carried that earthy note typical of blackcurrants. Overall, our jostaberries tasted more like gooseberries. However, this isn’t always the case since there are many different jostaberry hybrids. If you have jostaberries and want to combine them with other berries to make jam or jelly, we strongly recommend tasting them first to ensure their flavor match your expectations.
Yield:
The specified in this jelly recipe quantity of ingredients should yield enough jelly to fill three 8 oz. (250 ml.) mason jars. The final yield may vary based on your preferred level of jam doneness.
Blackcurrant Jostaberry Jelly
Ingredients
- 1 lb. gooseberries 450 g.
- 1 lb. blackcurrants 450 g.
- 1.2 lb. sugar 550 g.
- 1 tsp. pectin
Instructions
Preparing the berries:
- Place the blackcurrants and jostaberries in a large pot or salad spinner. Fill it with water and let the berries soak for 5 minutes to loosen any debris and leaves. Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear.
- Because we only need juice for this preserve, there’s no need to remove the stems and blossom ends from either the blackcurrants or jostaberries.
Rendering the blackcurrant and jostaberry juices:
- Place the blackcurrants and jostaberries into a suitably sized pot and add roughly one-third of the sugar required for this recipe.
- Use a potato masher to mash the berries with the sugar.
- Cover the pot and let it sit for at least 8 hours or overnight. This allows the sugar to draw out the juices from the berries, which is essential for making the jelly.
- After the resting period, you should see plenty of berry juices in the pot. Bring the berries and their juices to a boil over medium heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar.
- Don’t worry about skimming the foam at this step.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and use a fine mesh strainer to strain the blackcurrant and jostaberry juices into a separate pot. We will use these juices to make the jelly. You can discard the berry pulp or use it to make a crusty pie.
Making the Blackcurrant Jostaberry Jelly:
- First, mix the remaining sugar and pectin together and set aside.
- Pour the strained blackcurrant and jostaberry juices back into the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let the liquid simmer for 10 more minutes.
- As the liquid simmers, remove any impurities that form on the surface.
- Add the sugar and pectin mixture to the simmering blackcurrant jostaberry liquid. Stir vigorously to ensure the sugar and pectin are well incorporated into the mixture.
- Cook for an additional 15 minutes. If desired, perform a chilled plate test to check the jelly’s consistency. Cook for 5-10 minutes more if you prefer a denser jelly.
- Pour the hot jelly into clean, sterilized canning jars. Process using your preferred canning method.
Tools & Equipment to use:
Choose your preferred canning method to preserve your jam
For those processing this preserve using water bath or steam canner, the processing time guidelines at various altitudes are as follows:
0 – 1,000 ft: 5 mins
1,001 – 6,000 ft: 10 mins
Altitudes Above 6,000 ft: 15 mins
We can’t wait to learn how this preserve recipe worked out for you. Leave us a comment below, like us on X, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. And remember, sharing is caring!
Frequently asked questions
Is blackcurrant jostaberry jelly acidic?
Blackcurrant jostaberry jam tends to be moderately acidic. While both blackcurrants and jostaberries have natural acidity, they get balanced by the sweetness of the berries and the sugar added during the jam-making process. As a result, this jelly has a pleasantly tart and sweet flavor.
Keep in mind that the exact level of acidity in your jostaberry jelly will vary depending on the specific hybrid of jostaberry you end up using to make the recipe.
Can I skip pectin in this jelly recipe?
Indeed, both blackcurrants and jostaberries are naturally high in pectin! However, to make this jelly, we are not using the pulp of the berries, a source of these berries’ natural pectin. Therefore, you must add extra pectin to help this jelly set properly. By adding extra pectin, you ensure that your jelly achieves the right consistency and firmness. Without it, your jelly might end up too runny.
How to use blackcurrant jostaberry jelly?
In addition to the classic “Spread on Toast, Bagel or Bread” suggestion that applies to any jam or jelly, this jostaberry jam offers a variety of other delicious uses you might not have considered. Give these ideas a try and discover the many ways to use this jelly!
- Layer in Yogurt or Parfait: Add a sweet and tangy twist by layering this jostaberry jelly in yogurt, parfaits, or overnight oats.
- Glaze for Meats: Use it as a zesty glaze, particularly when making duck or venison dishes
- Cheese Pairing: Pair with soft cheeses like brie or goat cheese. Also, this blackcurrant jostaberry jelly works great over the cream cheese too!
- Swirl into Ice Cream: Jazz up boring vanilla or chocolate ice cream with a swirl of this jam. You won’t believe the difference!
- Flavoring for tea: Stir this jelly into hot tea to add a fruity and tangy touch to your drink. It works especially great if mixed with black tea.
- Add to Salad Dressings: Incorporate this jelly into salad dressings to create a unique and zesty vinaigrette.
- Mix with Oatmeal: Enhance your morning oatmeal with added sweetness and flavor of this jostaberry jelly.
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