Pectin Test

Stir together equal parts cooked cooled (room temp) juice and grain or denatured alcohol. The larger the pectin lumps that form, the higher the pectin content. Small lumps that cannot be picked up with a fork indicate pectin levels too low to use as is. Reduce the juice and test again, use apple stock, or use commercial pectin.

15 August 2015

Chokecherry Syrup


Pectin test seemed to indicate a medium-ish level, so we'll try 3/4c sugar to each cup of juice. I need to pectin test the crabapple juice, so I have more of a baseline.


1 1/4c chokecherry juice
7/8c sugar


Bring juice to a boil, add sugar 1/2c at a time, returning to boil after each addition. JSR (since it's just a test, and a very small amount)


Yield: We didn't quite get (2) 8oz jars filled, but almost.

9 August 2015

Chokecherry Juice


Got 2qts plus a 1 1/2c out of 1 3/4 ice cream pails (5qt). The juice is really opaque; I wonder if it's the city water?