Jelly time!

[JasonGotaProblem]

I have so much more to add to this thread. Ive made probably a few thousand gallons of jam and jelly in my life. I have a lot more experience there than i do with fishing or tackle.

pretty interesting Jason.

are you Chemist ?

Amateur food chemist/former small batch hot sauce company owner/sold a ton of recipes after that but all included an NDA so no specifics will be given.

[Shellbelly]

pomona pectin

I'm going to get that!  Thanks.

About the sugar to juice ratio.  I sent my wife next door to learn how a 93-year-old makes jelly w/o pectin.  The recipe was 1:1.  Now, granted, they made a 2:2 batch, pints, and that can make a difference.  I've never made a single-pint batch and got away from the 1:1 method years ago. Too finicky.  Ripeness, moisture content, fruit density, wind direction.  Unless you're making candy, pectin is the stuff to use.     

Anyhow, the method was to let the mixture "cook down" until she said the hang time of drips from her spoon looked right, the boiling bubbles looked right, and the color looked right.  My wife said she was constantly stirring and changing the heat based on what she saw in and heard from the pot.  It skimmed over real quick, set up in less than an hour. She kept both jars!  I think one is already eaten up.  I got a spoonful.   It's good stuff.

Shifting gears.  Have you made pumpkin candy?  I haven't.  I tried some at a farmers market once and loved that stuff.  I've read about it, but I don't like to try that stuff without hearing things recipes don't tell you.  There's always a trick hidden in making sweets.