Using the Inversion Method for Canning Jelly, Jam and Preserves

Making and canning jelly, jam and preserves is one of the easiest ways for you to preserve fruit and fruit juices, and the inversion method is the easiest canning method that you can use. It also has the most limited use. Imagine having your own home made jelly on your toast for breakfast!

Inversion Method Defined

This technique for canning jelly, jam and preserves is really quite simple.

Fill the canning jars with the hot jelly or jam mixture (prepared per the recipe), and putting the lids and rings on tightly.

Turn the jars upside down on your counter on an old towel or cloth, and leave them for 5-6 minutes.

Turn the jars back upright and leave them sit to cool down and seal.

Press down on the middle of the dome lids to make sure that they sealed.

The heat from the jelly inside the jars create a vacuum while cooling down which causes the jars to seal.

Always label the jars to identify what's in them, and when it was made. You'd be amazed how much alike concord grape jelly and blackberry jelly look. This is true of many jellies and jams.

Where to Find Recipes

When you buy a box of pectin (and you must to make jelly!), you will find that there is a paper inside that has recipes for making jelly, jam and preserves of many types. I have found this to be true of all the major brands.

Another source for recipes is the canner's bible (The Ball Blue Book of Preserving). It has many "old standards" and some unique ideas as well.

Some of my personal jelly and jam favorites are:

-Concord Grape Jelly

-Crab apple Jelly

-Blackberry Jelly

-Strawberry Jam

-Raspberry Jam

-Plum Preserves

-Peach Preserves

These are my favorites probably because I grow the fruit myself!

Try it yourself - making jelly is fun and easy! And it's a lot less expensive than buying jelly in the grocery store.

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