Canning tips: How to Avoid Cloudy Jelly

If you are part of my generation you will remember a song that went "I had some dreams there were clouds in my coffee..."  Great song! But nobody dreams of having clouds in their jelly so here are a few trouble shooter tips as to why it happens and how to avoid it happening to your jelly.

• Reason number one why your jelly can come out cloudy is using fruit that was under-ripe or too green. By using fruit that is fully ripe and firm you can avoid the clouds. 
• Reason number two for having cloudy jelly is overcooking the fruit before straining the juice. To avoid this cook the fruit only until it is tender. 
• Reason number three that jelly gets cloudy is there was some fruit pulp extracted during the juicing process. Keep the clouds away and get the clearest possible jelly by straining your juice through a dampened jelly bag or several layers of dampened cheesecloth, and do not squeeze the bag trying to rush the process.   
• Reason number four why you might get clouds in your jelly is that the jelly wasn't ladled into the jars quickly enough. To avoid this do not allow it to stand before ladling. When it is finished cooking,  quickly work to fill the jars before it begins to set and process it immediately.

The main take away from this trouble shooter is that it is important when canning jellies to have the proper equipment and preparation. Use the best quality of fruit. Have your hot clean jars ready to be filled before you start and your boiling water canner ready to go. Don't rush the juicing but also don't delay packing the jars after cooking.

If you follow these guidelines you should be able to enjoy cloud free jelly making and keep the clouds in the sky where they belong.   

Check out the new canning kitchen towel I have designed with a retro gingham vibe. These towels make great resting pads for cooling your jars overnight! Find more cool canning supplies in my shop HERE.

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