Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[1muttsfan]

Finally a beautiful day, the sky is blue, the sun is yellow and the only haze we have is from moisture out over the lakes. What a lovely thing.

 

[CedarLane]

Interesting! I'd never even heard of PermaFlo or ThermFlo.

Where in Meijer would I find PermaFlo? Or would they probably not carry it?

I've only found it it bulk food stores. I've never looked in other stores for it so perhaps by now other stores have started carrying it. I'm not sure. I think you could find it online somewhere. I've never searched for it. It is Modified Corn Starch, but it works much better than regular Corn Starch (imo).

 

[CedarLane]

https://www.dutchmansstore.com/product/perma-flo-thickening-starch-bag

https://www.dutchmansstore.com/product/baking-thickener-clearjel-cook-type-28-oz-bag (If you buy ClearJel, be sure to buy the "cook type" rather than the instant)

Thought this store might carry the ThermFlo, but I couldn't find it.

 

[CedarLane]

https://fordragonfliesandme.com/tag...cornstarch-and-clearjel-and-instant-clearjel/
Quoted information from website above:
"The following information that is italicized was taken and slightly adapted from: http://www.foodsubs.com/ThickenStarch.html
This site had an awesome chart on thickener substitutions. A must read! It has types of thickeners that I’ve never heard of. This would be really good info for someone looking for alternative thickeners with particular food allergies

Perma-flo and Clear-jel are pretty much the same. Cornstarch I learned the hard way you can’t cook your stuff to the consistency you want. It will get thicker the longer it sets. Where the other two you cook to the consistency that you want. Personally I like the perma flo best.

Some people have complained that Clear-jel leaves an after taste. Clear-jel and cornstarch can be inter-changed equally.

Pema-flo can be used to thicken fruit and then frozen.

Cornstarch is used to thicken sauces, gravies, and puddings. Like other starch thickeners, cornstarch should be mixed into a slurry with an equal amount of cold water before it’s added to the hot liquid you’re trying to thicken. You then need to simmer the liquid, stirring constantly, for a minute or so until it thickens. Cornstarch doesn’t stand up to freezing or prolonged cooking, and it doesn’t thicken well when mixed with acidic liquids.

Clear-jel is modified cornstarch and is the secret ingredient that many commercial bakers use in their fruit pie fillings. Unlike ordinary cornstarch, ClearJel® works well with acidic ingredients, tolerates high temperatures, and doesn’t cause pie fillings to “weep” during storage. ClearJel® is an especially good choice if you’re canning homemade pie fillings, since it doesn’t begin thickening until the liquid begins to cool. This allows the heat to be more evenly distributed within the jar during processing. This is such an important safety advantage that ClearJel® is the only thickener the USDA recommends for home canning. You can also use ClearJel® to thicken sauces, stews, and the like, though it’s a rather expensive all-purpose thickener. One downside is that products thickened with ClearJel® tend to break down if they’re frozen and thawed. If you plan to freeze what you’re making, use Instant ClearJel®. ClearJel® is available either as pearls or powder from mail-order suppliers, but it’s not yet available in grocery stores. Don’t use this if you’re canning a pie filling.

Instant Clear-jel is a modified cornstarch that professional bakers sometimes use to thicken pie fillings. It has several advantages over ordinary cornstarch. Instant ClearJel® thickens without cooking, works well with acidic ingredients, tolerates high temperatures, is freezer-stable, and doesn’t cause pie fillings to “weep” during storage. Don’t use Instant ClearJel® for canning–it tends to break down.

Each product works differently and is better suited to particular recipes depending on if it is cooked or not. Be sure to check the recipe and understand the differences before you interchange them. I use Perma-flo in my canned pie filling because of the after taste I feel Clear-jel leaves."

 

[CedarLane]

Frozen Thickened Strawberries

Mix 1 C. PermaFlo (ThermFlo) with 2 C. Water. Set Aside.

Bring the following to a boil:
4 C. Water
6 C. Sugar (You can easily reduce this in half or whatever your preference. I reduce, but I'm posting the original recipe I was given.)
3 T. Lemon Juice
6 T. Karo Syrup

Stir the PermaFlo mixture again. Add to the Sugar/Water mixture and return to a boil.

Add 1 C. Strawberry Jello (The last time I made it, I just added a large box of Jello and it made a nice thickening even if it was 2 oz short of the 1 cup.)

Cool and add Strawberries. The recipe calls for 3-4 quarts of Strawberries, but I prefer more berries than just thickening so I double this and usually add between 6 & 8 quarts.

Put in freezer boxes and freeze.


I use the same recipe in the fall for Red Haven Peaches using Orange Jello.

 

[CedarLane]

Just found ThermFlo on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/ThermFlo-Canning-Thickener-Bulk-2-5/dp/B00NVGKMEE

 

[CedarLane]

More info on modified food starches from Penn State. I pasted a the section about ThermFlo.

https://extension.psu.edu/modified-food-starches

ThermFlo®​

• Provides good body
• Works well in high or low acid foods
• Has the strongest freeze-thaw stability of these starches
• Tolerates high temperatures and long processing times
• ThermFlo® is an acceptable alternative to use in canned pie fillings
• Stable during heating and exhibits about the same viscosity during heating as regular ClearJel®
• Holds up well during storage

• Has the strongest freeze-thaw stability of these starches (I think this must be why it is the most recommended for freezing)

Sorry for the several posts...I started searching and thought it may be of interest to some.

 

[saysfaa]

Thank you, everyone.
I have 1 qt freezing individually. Almost one quart, 4 berries weren't quite ripe and I ate a dozen or so while hulling them.

Both stores I stopped at for surejell are out except for the liquid type. One store had Mrs Wages pectin for freezer jam so I'm trying that.

My mother and grandmothers made freezer jam but I don't remember the details - do any of you pour paraffin to seal the jars? Or was that for the cooked jam?

Also, what container do you put freezer jam in? Will the half pint mason jars with tapered sides break from the freeze or thaw if I leave headspace? - the kind fruit stands sell locally made jam in.

I've sadly learned not to freeze liquidy-type things in mason jars with shoulders. Maybe not with straight sides either.

 

[saysfaa]

I found the wire racks, so the next batch should freeze faster. Yay.

For what it is worth, I'm getting pretty gun shy about modified food ingredients. The links in Peris' thread about emulsifiers and orange juice have reinforced that but I've been moving that way for many years.

But no need to stop talking about it - it is good info, CedarLane. Thank you.

 

[saysfaa]

Ok, my sister and search engines both think the glass jars can be used for freezer jam. Just leave a bigger headspace than plastic containers need. Internet says a half inch for the glass jars. And don't try to use big jars.

My sister remembers the paraffin being used for cooked jam, not freezer jam. The main advantage is the canning jars could be used for the things that don't have so much sugar to give such a safety margin - the jam could go in jars the canning jar lids wouldn't fit. I don't have a shortage of mason jars.