Chef Thomas
Apple Chutney
A spiced autumn chutney made from a glut of apples and a quiet afternoon, simmered down until the kitchen smells of October and the jars line up on the counter like a small, useful insurance policy.
Culinary Explorer
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Redcurrant Jelly
Created by Chef Thomas
A small batch of garnet-bright redcurrant jelly made in early summer, the kind of preserve that sits in the cupboard waiting patiently for a roast lamb in October.
Sauces & Condiments
British
Make Ahead
Dinner Party
20 min
Active Time
40 min cook•PT1H plus overnight straining total
YieldAbout 3 small jars
Redcurrants come in a hurry. One week the bushes are still tight and green, the next they're hung with strings of glossy red beads, and you have about ten days to do something about it before the birds beat you to them. This is when you make jelly. Not later. Now.
There's nothing complicated here. Currants, water, sugar, a squeeze of lemon. The fruit gives up its juice with very little persuasion, and the pectin in the stalks does most of the setting work for you. It's one of those preserves that feels far cleverer than it is. You stand at the stove for twenty minutes, you wait overnight while gravity strains the juice, and the next morning you boil it up into something that will last you the year.
I make a few jars every July and they sit in the cupboard, quietly waiting. By the time the first proper roast lamb of autumn lands on the table, the jelly is exactly where it should be: trembling on a small spoon, a sharp, sweet, fruity counterpoint to the rich meat. It's also good with cold game, stirred into pan juices, melted into a gravy, or spread on bread with butter when no one is looking.
I wrote it down in the notebook the first time I made it: redcurrants, July, rain on the kitchen window. We're only making jelly. But there are few better feelings than lining up three little jars of summer on the shelf and knowing they'll still be there when the evenings have drawn in.
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Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
redcurrants
Quantity
1.5kg
stalks and all, no need to strip
water
Quantity
300ml
granulated sugar
Quantity
about 450g per 600ml of strained juice
lemon
Quantity
1
juiced
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| redcurrantsstalks and all, no need to strip | 1.5kg |
| water | 300ml |
| granulated sugar | about 450g per 600ml of strained juice |
| lemonjuiced | 1 |
Equipment Needed
- •Large heavy-bottomed preserving pan
- •Jelly bag or muslin and a colander
- •Deep bowl for straining
- •Wooden spoon
- •3 small sterilised jam jars with lids
- •A couple of saucers, frozen, for testing the set
Instructions
- 1
Wash and pan the fruit
Tip the redcurrants into a colander and rinse them under cold water. Don't bother stripping them from their stalks. The stalks contain pectin and will help the jelly set, and you're going to strain it all anyway. Pile them into a heavy-bottomed pan with the water.
Look for redcurrants that are glossy, plump, and a deep translucent red. The fruit at the market in early July is usually the best, before the season tips. - 2
Soften the fruit
Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat. As the currants warm, they'll begin to burst and release their juice. Help them along with the back of a wooden spoon, pressing gently against the side of the pan. Twenty minutes or so is about right. The pan should look like a deep, sloppy mass of crushed fruit and stalks, the colour of garnet held up to a window.
- 3
Strain overnight
Set a jelly bag over a deep bowl. If you don't have one, line a colander with a square of muslin or a clean tea towel. Ladle the fruit and juice into the bag. Now leave it. Don't squeeze, don't push, don't help. Squeezing forces solids through and turns a clear jelly cloudy. Let gravity do the work overnight, or for at least six hours. The juice that drips through should be a clear, jewelled red.
I know the urge to squeeze is strong. Resist it. A cloudy jelly will taste fine but it won't have that stained-glass clarity that makes redcurrant jelly such a quietly beautiful thing on the table. - 4
Measure and sweeten
Measure the strained juice into a clean preserving pan. For every 600ml of juice, weigh out 450g of sugar. Add the lemon juice. Warm gently over a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until every grain of sugar has dissolved. You should be able to draw the spoon through and see no graininess at the bottom. Don't let it boil yet.
- 5
Boil to setting point
Now turn the heat right up and bring it to a rolling boil. Properly rolling. The kind that climbs the sides of the pan and won't be stirred down. This is when the magic happens. After about eight to ten minutes, start testing for a set. Drop a teaspoon of jelly onto a cold saucer (keep one in the freezer for the purpose), wait a moment, then push it with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, it's ready. If it slides about like syrup, give it another minute or two and try again.
Skim any foam off the top with a slotted spoon as you go. It won't harm the jelly if you don't, but skimming gives you that clear, polished finish. - 6
Pot and seal
Take the pan off the heat the moment it sets. Have your jars warmed and waiting (a low oven for ten minutes does the job). Ladle the jelly carefully into the jars, filling almost to the brim, and seal at once with the lids. As they cool, you'll hear the small, satisfying click of the lids drawing down. Label them. Write the date on. You'll thank yourself in November.
Chef Tips
- •Don't strip the stalks from the currants. It feels wrong, but the stalks are full of pectin and they'll help your jelly set without any need for added pectin or jam sugar. They strain out at the end. Trust the process.
- •Whatever you do, don't squeeze the jelly bag. I know it looks like there's still good juice trapped in there. There is. Leave it. Squeezing pushes solids through and turns a clear jelly cloudy. The clarity is half the pleasure of redcurrant jelly. Let it drip in its own time.
- •If you've never tested for a set before, freeze a couple of saucers before you start. Drop a small spoonful of jelly onto a cold saucer, count to ten, then push it with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, it's set. If it stays liquid, keep boiling and try again in a minute. Better to test early and often than to push past the point.
- •Beyond lamb, this jelly is quietly useful all winter. A spoonful melted into the pan after frying duck breasts. A dollop alongside cold pork pie. A teaspoon stirred into a vinaigrette for a sharp, fruity salad dressing. It earns its place on the shelf many times over.
Advance Preparation
- •Sterilise your jars before you start boiling the jelly. A low oven (140C) for ten to fifteen minutes does the job, or a hot wash in the dishwasher. The jars must be hot when you fill them.
- •Sealed properly, the jelly will keep in a cool, dark cupboard for at least a year. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 20g)
Calories
50 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
1 mg
Total Carbohydrates
13 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
12 g
Protein
0 g
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