Equipment for Preserving

You will need a shallow wide preserving pan with a capacity of about 2.5 gal/9 L. A sugar thermometer will tell you when the preserve reaches 105°C/220°F: the jell point. Keep it to hand in a bowl of very hot water and do not rest the bulb on the bottom of the pan when testing. A funnel with a wide tube (4-5 in/10-13 cm diameter) is useful for filling jars with jam or jelly. Without a funnel, jam-making can be messy and burns are more likely. A tightly woven conical cloth sack, called a jelly bag (See Extracting juice for jelly), is used for draining the puréed fruit for clear jellies. The bag is suspended over a bowl and the juice is allowed to drip through. A thick dish towel can be substituted.