Using Clear Jel

With Canning season and Pie Baking, just around the corner, we thought we would explore the powers of Clear Jel. Quickly becoming the new favorite thickening agent, this product has been around for years, only to gain steam again in the last few years.

To Purchase Cook Type Clear Jel, Click Here

To Purchase Instant Clear Jel, Click Here

To find out the difference between Instant and Cook Type and which one would work best for you, read below:

Special thanks to Joanne Austin, Skagit County Extension Faculty WSU Skagit County Extension for the original blog below:

Clear Jel®, a corn starch derivative, is a commercial thickening product used by bakeries and for frozen food. This product is used the same as flour or corn starch.

There are two types of Clear Jel® available, “nstant” and “Cook Type or Regular”.

“Instant” does not require heat to thicken. The product will thicken once the liquid is added. “Regular”, on the other hand, must be heated. This is generally the preferred type to use in products to be canned.

To use Clear Jel® in a hot dish such as gravy, first mix a small amount in cold water, then add gradually to the hot liquid, mixing constantly. Or, mix everything together while cold, and then heat and stir to thicken.

Pies and fillings which have been prepared with Clear Jel® and frozen need to be cooked or baked before serving. If the fillings become “thin” during baking, increase the oven temperature, and shorten the baking time to prevent what is called “oven boil out”. This usually is caused by excessive baking at a temperature too low.

Advantages:

It is clear in color when cooked.

It has excellent stability.

It remains smooth.

It prevents liquid separation and curdling after foods have been frozen.

Cream sauces, custard, and puddings may be frozen with excellent results.

It is less expensive than pectin.

The amount of sugar may be adjusted without losing the jelling capacity.

Recipes may be doubled, tripled or halved.

The jam may be frozen or processed in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Hints:

Using Clear Jel® in making jams and jellies is not an exact science. Many factors influence the quality of the product. It is best to try a small batch and make adjustments before making larger batches.

Use pint or 1/2 pint jars.

Any fruit jam or jelly recipe may be used as long as the product is processed for 10 minutes or frozen. Substitute 7 tbsp of Clear Jel® for the pectin in cooked jams and jellies and 3-4 tbsp of Clear Jel® for the pectin in freezer jam recipes.

Clear Jel® does not dissolve easily in liquid. To help dissolve the product, mix the Clear Jel® with a little sugar before adding to the fruit or juice.

Problem solving:

Jam is too stiff: To make softer, heat the product and add a little more juice or water, then reprocess.

Jam is too thin: To make stiffer, heat the product and add more Clear Jel® mixed with a few tbsp of sugar and dissolved in 1/2 cup of the product.