It’s apple season! The leaves are changing colors, and your local orchards are filled with apples. Drying apples for chips, freezing apples, and canning apple pie filling are all great ways to enjoy fall flavors all year round! Extension offices have received numerous calls asking for safe canning recipes for pie filling. One of the main ingredients in canning pie filling is Clear Jel®, a flavorless modified corn starch that works as a thickener for canning pie filling. Clear Jel® doesn’t break down through the canning and eventual baking process. Additionally, it can withstand a variety of pH levels. There is not a safe substitute for Clear Jel® when canning pie filling. There are about three cups of Clear Jel® per pound. When preparing to can, do a kitchen inventory to ensure all the supplies and ingredients are available. Read on for common questions about Clear Jel®:
Can you substitute tapioca, flour, or cornstarch for Clear Jel®?
No, when canning pie filling, there is no substitute for Clear Jel®. Other thickeners like cornstarch clump when canning and may interfere with heat being able to reach throughout the jar. Without heat penetrating throughout the jar, yeast, mold, or other harmful bacteria can form. Other thickeners are unable to withstand the heat of the canning process and will produce a more liquid product.
Is there a difference in using regular (cook type) or instant Clear Jel® for canning?
Yes, regular (cook type) Clear Jel® is required for canning, not instant. The instant type of Clear Jel® does not require heat while regular does. Instant Clear Jel® is freezer stable, thus popular but not necessary when freezing pie filling. Always check the label before buying to ensure it is the cooking variety and not instant.
Aren’t Sure Jell® and Clear Jel® the same?
No, each commercially branded product serves a different purpose. Sure Jell® is a commercial brand that sells pectin. Pectin is another type of starch found in fruits and vegetables. Powdered or liquid pectin works as a gelling agent in jams and jellies. Liquid and powdered pectin are not interchangeable and are not suitable for canning pie filling.
Where do I find Clear Jel®?
Clear Jel® can be hard to find locally or at the grocery stores. It is typically sold in bulk stores, cooperatives, and online.
What if I can’t find Clear Jel®?
If Clear Jel® is unavailable, freezing pie filling may be another option. Packing sliced apples in syrup are best for pie-making. The syrup is created using sugar and water and poured over the fruit. Consider putting pie filling in a pie pan, freezing for a few hours, and storing it in a freezer bag. Perfect for quickly popping into a crust and in the oven. Canning apple slices in syrup may be another option. Find reliable canning and freezing recipes through the National Center for Home Preservation.
For additional questions about food preservation, please contact your local extension office. Curious about other ways to preserve apples? Check out our webinar all about apples!
SOURCE:Lisa Petersonis a Nutrition and Wellness Educatorserving Christian, Jersey, Macoupin, and Montgomery Counties.
FAQs
No, when canning pie filling, there is no substitute for Clear Jel®. Other thickeners like cornstarch clump when canning and may interfere with heat being able to reach throughout the jar. Without heat penetrating throughout the jar, yeast, mold, or other harmful bacteria can form.
Do you have to use clear jel for canning pie filling? ›
SAFETY ALERT: Pie fillings thickened with starches other than Clear Jel, such as flour, cornstarch, or tapioca, are not safe for canning. The heat penetration of these products is poor, and this may interfere with the destruction of bacteria during the canning process.
What can you use instead of clear jel for pie filling? ›
Pies made with Instant ClearJel can also be frozen. How much should you use: In general, Instant ClearJel can be substituted in equal parts as tapioca, cornstarch, or arrowroot.
What thickener to use for canning pie filling? ›
Home canned fruit pie fillings make it easy to prepare delicious pies and desserts all year long. Since 2015 the USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation has recommended Clearjel® (cook type, not instant) as the thickening agent for some home canned fruit pie fillings.
What is the best thickener for pie filling? ›
Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.
Can pectin replace ClearJel? ›
Unfortunately, the answer is no. While they both have thickening properties, they act upon the fruit in jams and jellies differently.
What's the difference between ClearJel and instant clear jel? ›
Unlike regular Clear Jel or cornstarch that are activated by heat and iquid, Instant Clear Jel sets up as soon as it comes in contact with liquid, and is not adjustable. It is typically mixed with sugar, which slows it down a bit, then mixed with the wet ingredients, but it still needs to be mixed in quickly.
How to thicken no bake pie filling? ›
- Cornstarch: Mix with cold water, add to filling, and cook until thick.
- Flour: Stir a few tablespoons into the filling.
- Tapioca: Use instant tapioca as a thickener.
- Reduce Liquid: Cook the filling on the stovetop to evaporate excess liquid.
This is a thickening agent like corn starch, not a congealing agent like gelatin.
How much clear jel to use in pie? ›
Use about about one to two tablespoons of ClearJel in a typical 9″ dry fruit pie like apples. Berries and other juicy fruits need two to five tablespoons of ClearJel, depending on whether you want the filling somewhat runny, or very stiff. pie filling.
Pie filling is naturally hyper-sweet, so you'll want to tone down any other sugary elements you add, to avoid making your breakfast cloying. You can also mix in some contrasting flavors, like a bit of lemon juice or zest.
How do you make canned pie filling thicker? ›
Another way to thicken your pie filling is with cornstarch. Mix the cornstarch with a bit of sugar to prevent your filling from taking on a chalky taste. Or try any number of different pie thickeners like flour, arrowroot or tapioca.
Are ThermFlo and Clear Jel the same? ›
On the surface, ThermFlo and ClearJel are very similar, and can be used interchangeably with recipes that require a thickening agent. However, there are a few key differences. For one thing, ClearJel is better suited for use with acidic foods than non-acidic foods, while ThermFlo works well with both.
What can I use instead of clear jel? ›
For Compotes and Pie fillings—Substitute equal parts cornstarch for Instant Clearjel and cook all filling ingredients over the stove until you reach your desired thickness. Cornstarch requires heat to thicken, so it will take more time, but you should be able to reach similar results.
Is it better to use flour or cornstarch in pie filling? ›
Which one you use is a matter of personal preference. Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish.
Can I use cream of tartar to thicken pie filling? ›
No. Cornstarch is a starch used for thickening, while cream of tartar is an acid used for leavening, stabilizing, and preventing crystallization.
What is the most appropriate starch to use for thickening cream pie fillings? ›
There are plenty of situations that require the thickening power of a pantry starch: your pie filling, soup, sauce, gravy. Cornstarch, tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour), arrowroot, potato starch and plain old wheat flour are typical options.
Can you use cornstarch instead of pectin for jelly? ›
Use cornstarch.
It's also a viable option for jam recipes with less added sugar or ones that feature fruits with naturally less sugar or pectin. One thing to keep in mind with cornstarch as a thickening agent is that it makes the jam a little bit cloudy or milky-looking.
