I’m pretty new to canning. I am currently making this Ball apple preserves recipe. I have two general questions about substitutions that might apply beyond this recipe. First, the recipe calls for an 8 ounce jar; could I use pint jars instead? If that would be OK, would I process them for a longer amount of time? Also, this recipe calls for nutmeg. If I wanted to use a spice mix with a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., would that be ok? I understand that I don’t want to substitute anything that would be critical to the canning process. Would these two substitutions qualify as critical? TYVM.
by agnesmatilda
5 Comments
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Picture shown is the Ball Apple Preserves recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
You cannot size up, only down. So no to pints.
Yes you can change the dry spices totally safely. I’d recommend keeping it to 2 tsp’s total. I’ve made this with a mix of nutmeg cinnamon clove and a sprinkle of ginger and that quantity of spice is prefect for this recipe
here’s a good resource for safe changes in substitutions
https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/play-it-safe-safe-changes-and-substitutions-tested-canning-recipes
Nchfp has an extremely similar recipe that allows for pints
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/make-jam-jelly/jams/apple-preserves-pectin/