Over the summer, the folks at Ball sent me one of their new to FreshTECH Jam and Jelly Makers
Essentially, it’s a terrific tool for beginning jam makers focused on small batches, folks who don’t want to heat up their kitchens in the summer months, and anyone else who needs an extra hand when it comes time to preserve. If you make larger batches, really like using your stovetop and controlling the process (count me among that group), then it may not be the perfect appliance for you. Happily, there’s enough space in the canning world for all of us.
One of the limitations of the FreshTECH is simply that there aren’t a ton of recipes designed to make use of it at this time. However, the recipe developers over at Fresh Preserving (that’s Ball’s online home) are trying to change that. They are regularly adding new fruit and spice combinations to the website (click here to see all the currently available recipes) and are asking for input on which seasonal recipes they should work on creating in advance of the holiday months.
If there’s a particular preserve that you’d like to see, make sure to click over to the Ball Facebook and leave a suggestion. You can also tag them on Pinterest if you’ve made a preserve you think might be good transformed into one for the FreshTECH.
Now, for the fun part. They’ve given me a FreshTECH Jam and Jelly Maker
- Leave a comment on this post and share your favorite method for cooking preserves. Crock pot? Stove top? Dehydrator? FreshTECH?
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Saturday, November 3, 2012. Winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog over the weekend.
- Giveaway open to US residents only (so sorry, far-flung friends).
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post. I do not accept submissions via email.
Disclosure: Ball provided both the review unit pictured above and the giveaway unit at no cost to me. However, my opinions remain firmly my own.
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I preserve my food on the stovetop, but I would love one of these
I like all the different ways you mentioned. I like the slow cooker, when I need to get things done and don’t have the time to stand at the stove. I like the dehydrator, when I need to reduced the amount of space for the produce. Lastly I like the stove, when I’m in the kitchen just puttering around.
I switch between crock pot and stove, but I would definitely use one of these if I had one.
I’ve only used my stovetop, so I guess that’s my favorite.
So far, the crockpot!
I am a fan of the crockpot for preserves. I start things on the stove but move them to the crockpot. It may take longer but I worry less about the food getting burned on the bottom of the pot from lack of vigilance and stirring. However I would be happy to learn a new way with a new device
I am going to comment! I follow your blog in google reader. I have only ever made them on the stovetop!
Stove top, though I’m going to give the slow cooker a shot this week, I think.
I’ve only used my stovetop, but this would broaden my horizons!
Turkey frier
Crock pot!
slow cooker! I have a friend that makes a day of her apple butter – doing it in a big copper pot over an outdoor fire!
I use my stovetop, but in the summer I hate heating up my house and have been known to drag out my camp stove on our back porch to put up some jam! This looks awesome, though!
Crock Pot.
crockpot
I have only used a stove so that’s my favorite? I however only deal in small batches and have destroyed preserves by being too impatient so I’d like to try one of these!
I tend to use the stovetop but my 11 year old son is now loving to help and this would be a perfect size for him to experiment with some of his ideas in smaller batches and with less risk.
I have only used a stove top method, but I would love to experiment with other ways! Thanks for the giveaway!
I preserve on the stove top with my Mauviel Copper Jam Pot and also Use a Kilner Jam Pot when I cook on my induction burner. I often make small batches though and this would be GREAT for those times.
All I have is the stove and a crock pot. I tend to use the stove but only because I have not learned enough to use the crock pot more. I would love something for smaller batches. It would be really helpful.
I usually do the stovetop. Although to be fair I have only tried stovetop and my slow cooker so some experimentation with the other methods is still in order. Thanks for the chance to win.
I DEFINITELY prefer stovetop. Problem is, I make such small batches that it’s often overwhelming to think about making such a huge mess for six half-pints!
I prefer preserving on the stovetop, so I can obsessively keep an eye on what is happening. But this device seems like a great way to control recipes that tend to spatter more! Just look at that nifty lid.
I have tryed the slow cooker, this FreshTech looks interesting. Sign me up!
I’ve only ever tried the stove top method. I have a recipe for the crockpot and hope to try it soon. This tool looks useful! Thank you for the giveaway!
I mainly use the stovetop for my canning/jamming efforts, though my favorite apple butter recipe that uses NO added sugar, just some Italian prune plums to sweeten, is dynamite when cooked down in the crockpot. After it’s sufficiently thickened, it goes into the hot water bath so there again I’m using the stovetop. So, I’ll need to learn more about this new method, and would love to be a winner of one! Thanks for the opportunity.
I haven’t canned by myself,but this looks like a great way to start, I was hoping to can for Christmas gifts this year
I haven’t tried making preserves yet, but I really want to learn. Thanks for the terrific giveaway.
Favorite method for cooking preserves?
Crock pot – yes.
Stove top – yes.
Dehydrator – yes.
FreshTECH – don’t know. Maybe this will be my new favorite.
I would love a new toy to experiment with. I use my crappy rental kitchen stovetop, which works, but isn’t without its drawbacks. Making something like apple butter has been difficult on a stovetop with pronounced hot spots.
I’ve done stove top and slow cooker. I like both methods!
Right now I have only cooked on the stove. I thought about doing a very small batch in the microwave, but I chickened out (splatter-patrol!). I would love to use this appliance! Thank you for such a generous give-away!
I do it with my crock pot, but I’m excited to have the chance to win one of these!!
Stove top for now. It would be nice to try this new way.
I’ve made preserves using the stovetop and crockpot. I like the crockpot for its ease and just letting things sit for awhile without having to constantly be watching over it. But then again, I like the feeling of doing work and accomplishing something after being over the stovetop all day!
I am relatively new to preserves and canning. Everything is on the stove top at the present time. I read your review and it seems like this would be good for the small batch of preserves or jams I might make. We have satsumas that are getting close!
My crockpot is truly my best friend. I use it for making a lot of my preserves, homemade greek yogurt, and of course dinner on a regular basis. I’d definately start making my jam in a freshtech if I had it, because that would allow me to get the crock pot working on something else.
Since my kitchen is shared with four others and I only have one big pot, that is what I use to make jam!
I love my crockpot for butters and sauces (apple, pear, peach) but use the stove top for more traditional jams. I’ve recently started making smaller batch/less sugar jams in a large open skillet. I would love to have one of these jam pots to play around with!
I haven’t made preserves yet because I haven’t had time. This looks like it would be a great way to get into making them though!
I love using the crock pot. But I’m still a beginner and trying to find “my method”
I’m all about the stovetop, but I make so much at a time, I’d love an additional method in the madness!
I’ve only used the stove top, but have been working on utilizing my slow cooker for more things and more often. As a person relatively new to preserves, I’m trying to get a range of experiences.
I’ve only ever used my stove so this would be fun to try!
I use the stove top for jam making, but we stay at a RV park April thru October and the stove top in our camper is pretty small. A FreshTECH would definitely help. Maybe my 3 year old can help in making jam, instead of just helping in eating it.
I generally use the stovetop, but I have been known to make some in the crockpot from time to time.
I’m very new to making preserves and the few times I’ve done it have been on the stovetop, but I’m planning to give the crockpot a try to see how I like it. It’s an awesome tool when used well.
I ususally cook my jams outside on my outdoor cooktop but I would LOVE to have one of these!!! Thanks.
My favorite way of making preserves is the old school way. Fruit, sugar and pectin, maybe a little water, but not much.
I own a grove of lime, orange & grapefruit trees. I make a lot of Marmalade on the stovetop. I’d love to try this machine…I’d also love to find a machine that can supreme the fruit for me!