Food safety starts with cleaning!
Wash hands for 20 seconds
- Wet hands under hot running water. Add lots of soap.
- Rub and wash back of hands, wrists, between fingers and under fingernails for 20 seconds.
- Rinse well under running water.
- Dry with paper towels.
- Use paper to turn off the water faucet.
Clean and sanitize sink and counter tops
- Wash counter tops and prep sinks with hot soapy water.
- Fill squirt bottle with 1 quart water. Add 1 teaspoon of unscented regular chlorine bleach or ¾ unscented ultra (6% sodium hypochlorite) chlorine bleach. Or use commercially prepared cleaner and follow directions on label.
- Spray counter tops and sink with bleach solution. Let air dry.
- Wash hands.
Clean as you go
- Wash dishes, utensils, cutting boards, etc. in hot soapy water.
- Let air dry.
Pincherry jelly recipe
Jelly is made from fruit juice and sugar. A gel structure will be achieved only if the mixture contains sufficient pectin. Often commercial pectin will be added to obtain this desired structure. Extraction of juice from the fruit is the first step in the preparation of fruit jelly.
Steps for extracting juice
- When extracting juice for pectin-added jelly use ripe pincherries.
- Wash the fruit in cool running water.
- Add 1/2 cup water for each pound of pincherries.
- Bring to a boil in a covered stainless steel or enamel kettle and then simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Cool and strain through cheesecloth or a damp jelly bag.
- Most fruit gives 1 to 1-1/3 cups juice per pound of fruit.
When extracting juice from pincherries, DO NOT crush the seeds. These seeds contain a cyanide-forming compound which can cause illness or death if eaten in large amounts.
Ingredients
- 6 1/2 cups pincherry juice
- 7 cups sugar
- 1 box powdered pectin (1.75 ounces) or 6 Tablespoons
Procedure
- Combine ingredients. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat, skim off foam.
- Pour jelly into hot, sterilized half-pint or pint jars to 1/4 inch of top. Seal with two-piece canning lids.
- Process in a boiling water bath. The time in the boiling water bath varies by elevation. For Minnesota, it is 5 minutes for half or quarter pints and 10 minutes for pint jars.
Wild pincherry syrup recipe
Wild fruits from Minnesota's fields and woods can make very good syrups. Extraction of juice from the fruit is the first step in the preparation of fruit syrup.
Steps for extracting juice
- Using ripe pincherries, wash in cool running water.
- Place in a stainless steel or enamel kettle.
- Add 1/2 cup water per pound of pincherries.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
- Cool and strain through cheesecloth or a damp jelly bag.
- A pound of pincherries will yield l to 1-1/3 cups of juice.
When extracting juice from pincherries DO NOT crush the seeds. These seeds contain a cyanide-forming compound which can cause illness or death if eaten in large amounts.
Ingredients
- 2 cups wild pincherry juice
- 1/2 cup white corn syrup
- 3 cups sugar
Procedure
- Combine ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Turn down heat and simmer 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and pour into hot, sterilized half-pint or pint canning jars. Seal with two-piece canning lids.
- Process in a boiling water bath. The time in the boiling water bath varies by elevation. For Minnesota, it is 5 minutes for half or quarter pints and 10 minutes for pint jars.
- Expanded Food and Nutrition Program, Becker County
Reviewed in 2021