Thanks for the reminder! I make crab apple most every year....and it's time now.
I wash and stem the crab apples, cut out any obvious bad spots
Add some water....depending o0n how juicy the fruit is...enough to almost cover....and simmer until they are all mush.
Cool until I am no longer in danger of scalding myself...put the stuff into an unbleached muslin bag I made years ago and rig it up with a couple of chairs and a broom stick and some rope to hang over a very large stainless bowl....about 8 quarts, and allow to drip over night.
I do squeeze the bag....makes for not such a clear jelly....but I can't waste the extra juice.
Then I measure the juice and put an equal measure of sugar into a deep stainless pot and being to a boil stirring often and boil until it comes to the gel stage....you can tell by dripping some off the side of a spoon....when a drop forms a sheet....it's done.
I pour into sterile jars and top with parafin. I have never had any mold.
If I were adding cherries, I would add them with the crab apples and just treat the same...
Sounds wonderful!!
Linda C

I agree with lindac's method of making the jelly, but jar up and put on lids and rings then boiling water bath them for 10 minutes, let sit for 5 minutes after the boiling and carefully remove the jars and put them on a towel on a countertop. I know a lot of people still use the parafin top, but it is not considered a safe method. I'm not telling anyone who still does it and is pleased with it to stop because I know that causes a lot of problems, but I will not encourage anyone to do it. I am a certified food preserver and it is taught that using the BWB with lids and rings is the only approved method.

I know I know.....but what's to go wrong but mold? And that is obvious?
I have happily done this for 50 years as did my grandmother and my great grandmother. But I thought it was safe...but for the obvious mold....which I have only have happen once...and that on jelly that was not properly sealed with wax.
Seriously....what am I missing?
Linda C

I know I know.....but what's to go wrong but mold? And that is obvious?
I have happily done this for 50 years as did my grandmother and my great grandmother. But I thought it was safe...but for the obvious mold....which I have only have happen once...and that on jelly that was not properly sealed with wax.
Seriously....what am I missing?
Linda C

It's not "unsafe", LindaC, it's "not recommended", there's a difference, although the USDA doesn't differentiate.

Jelly is so full of fruit and sugar that it can't have botulism anyway. If it's moldy, then you shouldn't eat it, the mold can get all the way through the jelly. Still won't kill you, but could make you sick.

The most unsafe thing about paraffin is that it's hot, melted wax, so I always use rings and lids, it's faster, easier, more consistent and easier to find.

Annie

That's what I thought...
I made lots of candles for lots of years...I'm careful about melted wax...
And I don't eat moldy jelly!

Jelly is safe. It's always "safe" even if you don't cover it with anything. Just don't eat the moldy jelly. (Don't scrape the mold off and eat what's underneath - the mold's still there.)

As Annie said, the USDA doesn't differentiate between what's not recommended because it's unsafe, because it results in reduced quality or just because it's a pain in the neck. For inexperienced canners, paraffin is the latter.

Paraffin is harder to do properly and get a good seal and if you're the kind of person who keeps jellies on the shelf for eternity, they won't hold up as well. Plus, of course, as Annie said, it's messy and for the kitchen klutzes like myself, there's always the risk of burns.

The advantage is you can use a variety of glasses and other non-canning jars, etc. They can be attractive for gifting and thrifty.

I celebrated when my family gave up paraffin and I don't plan to go back. But if someone gave me a jar sealed with paraffin, I would happily eat it. (The jelly, not the jar, LOL.)

Carol

Semaj! Hah! No suggestions for your jelly here, but.....

A few years ago, it took my son James a couple weeks to figure it out when one of his good students started calling him "Semahhhj." Son looked it up in the urban dictionary, asked his colleagues, couldn't figure it out. He told the kid to start calling him Mr. Soandso again; when the kid said sure but called him "Mij" one day it finally dawned on my son.

Fast forward: Last year, the student showed up at the high school to show off his baby boy, named Semaj after his favorite teacher!

Thanks for all your help everybody. I don't think I'll use parafin top. Sounds to complicated. But everything else you said Linda sounds good to me. Annie, could I find the jars you were talking about just about anywhere?

Sherrman, hahaha that made me laugh. That's quite the story. Name his child "semaj"?! Wow. And if you're wondering, my username has an E at the end cause semaj was taken.

James, you should be able to get half pint jelly jars at your local hardware store, WalMart, even the grocery stores here have them. They come with lids, but when you want to make more jelly you can just buy lids and reuse both the jars and the rings.

canning jars come in quarts, pints, half pints and 4 ounce sizes, depending on what you are canning and how much jelly you eat!

Annie

Also 12 oz., though those are harder to locate in some areas.

Carol

Oh yeah, Carol, I like the 12 punce ones, but I haven't seen them here in a couple of years.

I guess you can still get 2 quart in some places, but that's only recommended for certain things.

Annie

Lindac, I do apologize to you. I was wrong by saying "safe" instead of recommended. I hope you'll accept my apology.