I just did a quick inspection and swapped out a drone frame from one of my 2 hives. (A few mites here in central Indiana Joe, but with SBBs and drone comb swapping, I don't think I will have any trouble.)
So here I am stealing several ounces of honey from the drone frame because my wife and kids want a taste from 'their' bees... :) I am straining it through a paper towel into one of the small jars my wife was getting ready to use to put up some strawberry preserves when I wondered... Has anyone ever put up preserves or jam with honey instead of sugar? Would it work? Would the honey overpower the taste of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.? Would crystalization be a problem?
I probably will not have enough excess honey to worry about since this is my first year, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this. If not, we may just have to experiment. :)
I make preserves with honey every year, and can't seem to make enough.
Friends and family constenly beg for more. I find that honey doesn't overpower the preserves, it's just the opposite, the natural flavor of the fruit is actually enhanced. Keep in mind though, if you like really sweet preserves this may not be for you, certain fruits will have a little tartness to them, just as if you were eating them fresh. This so happens to be the way I like it though. Here's a basic recipe you might consider...
6 cups berrys ( any kind...I even mix them....yum) sliced
2 boxes (1 3/4 oz each) powdered pectin
1 3/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Bring berrys and pectin to boil for 1 minute in large sauce pan, stir in honey and lemon juice, boil hard 5 minutes stirring consently. Remove from heat, skim off foam. Place in clean preheated jars 1/4 inch from top.
Put on proper lids, place in canner and boil 10 minutes.
Apple jelly is a little different to make but a really big hit, we'll save that for another day when I have more time.
I canned pears last year with honey, with some cloves added. Only problem I had was I added too much cloves.
-- Kris
If you want to preserve with honey,try the book---Stocking Up III--by Carol Hupping and the staff of Rodale. Almost all of thier recipes for preserves use honey and a few use pure maple syrup. A whole lot of recipes here for the "homesteader". Pickles,jellies.fruits, vegetables and much more. We have been using a lot of these recipes for years now, and really enjoy them. Also-- a lot of the beekeeping clubs offer pamphlets on cooking baking etc. with pure honey.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1567310737/sr=8-1/qid=1151036206/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-3697481-1302306?%5Fencoding=UTF8
Great book
i haven't tried it in preserves but me & the wife quit using sugar in our coffee 3 years ago. nothing but a spoon of honey per cup now. tastes great. colvin
Thanks for the link Hi-Tech,now everybody can find this great book!