I have learned how to make my own pectin. One less thing to have to go to the store for.
Make your own pectin
To prepare liquid apple pectin, it is best to use Crabapples or you can use under-ripe apples that are still a bit green, hard, and sour. . You can use your damaged or misshapen apples for making pectin. If you can only get a few at a time you can throw them in the freezer until you have enough. Chop them in halves or quarters, If they are small like the crabapples I just leave whole, fill a large pot, and then add just enough water to almost cover the apple chunks. Cover the pot and place it on low heat for a long time, until the apples are fully cooked and you have something that looks like runny applesauce with skins and seeds in it. Stir the apples every twenty minutes or so while they are cooking. I put mine in my large electric roasting pan turned on med low for about 12 hours.
Arrange a strainer for this "sauce" by placing a cheese cloth (actually I use pantyhose that I buy on clearence or on sale then cut the legs out and tie the holes then it fits over the pot nicely, save the legs for smaller straining jobs) over the top of a five-gallon pail or large pot, secured by a cord tied around the rim if using panty hose you do not need to tie a cord around it. (A piece of cheese cloth in a colander works fine for smaller amounts.) The hot applesauce is then poured into the strainer; what drips out the bottom should be a clear, thick liquid that's a little bit slimy to the touch. That's your liquid apple pectin. I usually let mine strain overnight, because it drips slowly. You can get more pectin by pressing it, but then it comes out a little cloudy and carries more of the under-ripe apple flavor. you can test your pectin to see if it will gel properly. To do so, get a spoonful of your pectin, and let it cool. Pour a little rubbing alcohol into a glass, then drop in your cooled pectin ( will not work with hot pectin). The pectin ought to form a blob of gel, which you should be able to lift with a fork. If it is too runny to be lifted, then you’ll need to boil it down some more to increase the concentration. It seems like I always have to boil mine down a little more.If you need to boil it down more be sure to watch closely and stir often so it doesn’t burn or boil over. Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving ½" headspace. Remove air bubbles. Cap and seal.Process in water-bath canner 10 minutes.
Use 4-6 Tbsp of pectin for every 1 cup of fruit juice when making jams/jellies. Once your pectin and fruit juices are mixed, add an equal amount of sugar (ie: 2 cups of pectin/fruit mixture to 2 cups of sugar).
