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Safely Canning Blackberry Jelly with Chambord Added #872114
Asked June 07, 2024, 4:31 PM EDT
This is for the Food and Nutrition Extension. I am hoping to use the Ball recipe for canning (water bath) Blackberry Jelly, found on page 109 of the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. For additional flavor I was wondering if it would be safe to add 1/4 cup of Chambord Liquor to the recipe without needing to worry about ph or any sugar adjustments. To add, Ball has a syrup recipe that allows for the ingredient, but it is not the same result I want for using it for jelly.
I was unsure what the rules are for adding alcohol to recipes and safety; several blogs offer input but I know a majority play fast and loose with tested recipes.
Thanks for any help you can give!
Marie Keehn
Larimer County Colorado
Expert Response
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On Jun 21, 2024, at 2:02 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
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Hello Marie, I checked with another specialist who is more experienced with wine jellies and here is here reply: I have been unable to verify the pH of Chambord, which could be a concern for both safety and jelling. Also, at 16.5% alcohol this could weaken the jelling properties. Because of these 2 factors I would recommend using only 1- 2 tablespoons of Chambord per batch of blackberry jelly as written in the Ball publication.
