Clear Jel® and Sure Jell
Pectin
Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of terrestrial plants. It was first isolated and described in 1825 by Henri Braconnot. It is produced commercially as a white to light brown powder, mainly extracted from citrus fruits, and is used in food as a gellin…
What is a substitute for clear Jel?
- What these two products are
- How they are used (and not used)
- Where the heck you can get this elusive Clear Jel that advanced canners talk about.
What can I use in place of clear Jel?
What can I use in place of clear jel? Cornstarch. Cornstarch is the most famous thickening agent. … Tapioca Starch. Tapioca starch is also used as a thickening agent in cooking. … Gum Arabic Powder. Another Gluten-free option instead of clear gel is Gum Arabic Powder. … Spelled Flour. … Lecithin Powder. What is the ratio of cornstarch to clear jel?
How do I substitute cornstarch for clear Jel?
Tips on Using ClearJel:
- This stuff turns tick like no other starch you've ever seen, so use it sparingly, and late in the process. ...
- Blend ClearJel with sugar or other dry ingredients before adding to liquids . ...
- There are about 3 cups in 1 pound of ClearJel. ...
- Regular Clearjel is the only thickener the USDA recommends for use in home-canning of fruit pie fillings. ...
Is sure Jell the same as liquid pectin?
Sure-Jell makes a pectin called MCP (Modified Citrus Pectin). …The main difference between liquid and dried pectins is when you add them to the jam or jelly. Whereas liquid pectin is added when the fruit is simmering after boiling for some time, powdered pectin is added earlier in the process.
What is the difference between sure jell and Clear Jel?
Answer: Sure Gel is a pectin. You use it in jams and jellies, whereas Clear Jel is what you want for pies.
Is there a substitute for Clear Jel?
No, when canning pie filling, there is no substitute for Clear Jel®. Other thickeners like cornstarch clump when canning and may interfere with heat being able to reach throughout the jar.
Can I substitute pectin for Clear Jel?
Could they be used interchangeably, she asked? Unfortunately, the answer is no. While they both have thickening properties, they act upon the fruit in jams and jellies differently. Pectin is a water-soluble fiber that is divided into very fine particles.
Is Knox gelatin the same as clear gel?
Knox® Unflavoured Gelatine contains only 6 calories per serving (or 25 calories per envelope) and can easily be used to prepare "lower-in-calorie" recipes. A clear or simple gel is a basic juice or broth mixture.
Is sure gel the same as pectin?
Fruit pectin is a compound commonly found in jams and jellies, and both the Sure Jell and Certo brands are manufactured by the same company, called Sure Jell.
How do you make clear gel?
3:5113:08How to make CLEAR GEL | GELLING AGENTS & THICKENERS | EP.1YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd also xantham gum clear it's going to give you a very clear gel if you're looking to make a clearMoreAnd also xantham gum clear it's going to give you a very clear gel if you're looking to make a clear gel whereas. The food grade might be a little bit more cloudy.
What is a substitute for Sure-Jell?
If you want an easy one-for-one substitute for low-sugar Sure-Jell, low-sugar Ball RealFruit is the one to pick. Sure-Jell and Ball can be used interchangeably, but Pomona's is tricky to substitute.
What is the difference between pectin and clear gel?
Pectin is for jam and jelly. It's a plant-based product. And lastly, Clear Jel is a cornstarch for pie fillings.
How do you thicken clear gel?
This is generally the preferred type to use in products to be canned. To use Clear Jel® in a hot dish such as gravy, first mix a small amount in cold water, then add gradually to the hot liquid, mixing constantly. Or, mix everything together while cold, and then heat and stir to thicken.
Can you use Clear gel for gelatin?
Clear Gel is a modified cornstarch. I use it for home canning as it becomes clear when cooking vs regular cornstarch which can become cloudy and make your home canned goods look very unappealing. I have never used gelatin. Depending on what you are making clear gel may or may not be a suitable substitute.
What is clear gel for pie filling?
Clearjel (Cook Type) is a modified cornstarch used by many commercial bakers in fruit pie fillings. This cornstarch works well with acidic ingredients and tolerates high temperatures. The first starch to be recommended by USDA for canning fruit pie fillings at home.
Can I use unflavored gelatin instead of pectin?
Replacing gelatin with pectin may not yield the desired texture in the end product. Pectin firms up more than gelatin, which remains syrupy. There is no exact substitution method for the two, so expect to experiment to achieve the best results.
Why You Shouldn’T Use Other Thickeners in Canning
You don’t want to use a traditional pie thickener like regular cornstarch, tapioca or even flour in your canned pie filling because you would be ve...
Do You Have to Use Clear Jel?
NO – You do not have to use it!What I tell my canning students is that in most recipes, you can skip the thickener all together and can up your rec...
If You Skip The Clear Jel
How much thickener would you add at baking time?Just open the jar and add whatever amount of thickener you would normally add for a pie of that siz...
Then What Is Sure Jell???
Sure Jell is standard pectin. It comes in a standard and a low-sugar version.It is used to gel or “set” your preserves such as jam and jelly.It has...
at Your Next Cocktail Party of Canners
So, the next time you are mingling with a group of advanced canners, you can now chime into the conversation with confidence and say something like...
Why shouldn't you use other thickeners in canned pie filling?
Those thickeners tend to gum up and get lumpy during the heating process of sealing the jars.
Is Clear Jel the same as Sure Jell?
Clear Jel® and Sure Jell® are trade names of two products used in canning in two VERY different ways. But because their names are so similar, there is often some confusion between them.
Can you use regular pectin in Sure Jell?
It would turn your filling to JAM. Personally, I rarely use Regular Sure Jell pectin only because it requires a lot of sugar to get the set. I like to use low sugar varieties of pectin ( Pomona is my favorite) or no pectin at all. But both types of Sure Jell work well, are easy to find and easy to use.
Does clear jel have flavor?
It has no flavor and comes as a white powder. The advantage of Clear Jel is that it is able to thicken the food evenly ( without lumps) even when it is subjected to the sustained temperatures of the canning process. ( Water bathed or pressure canned)
Is Clear Jel organic?
Also note: If you are trying to stay 100% organic, Clear Jel is not organic. This means it is probably GM corn ( as is most corn in the USA ). In fact, any corn product listed on any food package ( corn starch, corn syrup, corn flour) is usually genetically modified unless it is organic.
Do you need to use clear jel in pie?
NO – You do not have to use it! What I tell my canning students is that in most recipes, you can skip the thickener all together and can up your recipe without it. Later, just add a regular thickener when you open the jar to make the pie. This eliminates the need of tracking down Clear Jel.
Resources & Links Mentioned
Ultra Gel® * – as mentioned in the episode, I have not tried this product yet. It is an instant gel that is labeled as “non-GMO”. But the instant gel versions do not usually work in canning (it tends to break down). However, this brand IS labeled as a thickener for canning on the package.
Transcript
Theresa Loe is the founder of Living Homegrown® and the Canning Academy®. For 9 years, Theresa was the Co-Executive Producer & Canning Expert on the national PBS gardening series, Growing A Greener World®. Theresa homesteads on just 1/10th of an acre in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons and several disorderly but totally adorable chickens.
What is clear jel?
Clear Jel is a modified corn starch made to withstand the heat of canning. Use it just like you would flour. The wonderful difference is…it stirs in much easier, without clumping. Be sure you purchase the non-instant Clear Jel or regular type Clear Jel.
Is clear jelly a pectin?
Answer: Sure Gel is a pectin. You use it in jams and jellie, whereas Clear Jel is what you want for pies. NCHFP standards do not recommend flour or cornstarch, but most state extensions don’t really state that it is for safety. However, there is one extension at least that DOES indicate a safety issue.
Can cornstarch be used in jars?
However, using cornstarch or tapioca may cause the filling to be too thick for the heat to penetrate to the center of the jar and kill spoilage organisms throughout the product, which is a food safety issue.
How does clear jelly thicken?
Clear Jel thickens by creating bonds between the water molecules and the starch molecules. As you heat those bonded molecules up, they continue to expand until they form a network of sticky bonds that keep the liquid thick.
Can regular jam be cooked?
If jam is cooked with the regular instead of pectin, it can be re-heated to adjust thickness by adding more or adding water. Regular breaks down if frozen, after activated, so it can be used in uncooked fillings that are frozen, then cooked, but it can’t be cooked, then frozen.
Is clear jelly good for canning?
Clear Jel is a modified cornstarch that is recommended for canning because it doesn’t lose its thickening powers after extended heating (conventional cornstarch starts to break down at high heat and also doesn’t thicken high acid liquids well).