WILD CRANBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Note: 3 1/2 cups of wild cranberries equals 3 cups of prepared juice.
• ------Day1------.
• Pick cranberries.
• Remove stems and leaves.
• Wash and drain.
• Prepare a pan as a strainer.
• This is done by using 2-3 layers of good cheesecloth, (or you can use an old but clean linen dish towel).
• Drape over a large pan and secure with clothes pins.
• A large enamel basin works well.
• Using a stock pot or a large canning pot, add berries.
• Add water to barely cover the berries.
• Bring to a boil.
• Turn down heat to medium or medium low.
• Continue cooking until cranberries start popping and they look translucent.
• (about 1-2 hours) Pour the cranberries onto the prepared strainer.
• Do not handles the berries, even with a spoon, while draining.
• (Handling the berries will make a cloudy jelly.) Drain overnight.
• ----------Day2-----------.
• Measure out 3 and 1/2 cups of the wild cranberry juice into a stockpot or small canning pot.
• Add the 7 cups of sugar.
• Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.
• Add the 2 pouches of"Certo" or"Fruit Jel", still stirring, and bring back to full boil.
• Boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and let sit 3 minutes.
• Skim the form off with a skimmer or metal spoon.
• Pour quickly into prepared jars.
• Process jars.
• (Note: Instead of processing the jars I pour melted parrafin over the top of jell. About 0.125 of an inch. Cover with lids and let cool on a towel.) Once jars are cool, test each one for a seal by pressing the center of the lid.
• The lid should not flex up and down.
• If it does fefrigerate or reprocess with a new lid.
• Note: Apple juice can be added to the wild cranberry juice if there isn't quite enough juice to equil the 3 1/2 cups.