Canning Pie Filling - An education in Clear Jel

We are coming into the apple season and one of the most popular things to make in canning is apple pie filling. It seems that over the years with all the testing that has gone on in making recipes safer for canning the thickener, or cornstarch, that makes the luscious almost caramel filling for the pie has been stricken from the record. In its place a more difficult product to find, but the results are so much better.

I have been getting some negative feedback about not being able to use cornstarch since it's so readily available. I wanted to show you what happens when you use this to can your pie fillings. It's clumpy and unstable and not appetizing by any means. The consistency is more revolting when you put it in the crust without first heating the entire contents back to a simmer. Now if I am going to all the trouble to cook the apples with the filling the first time, I certainly do not want to cook it again just to fix the consistency.

Apple Pie Filling made with cornstarch

In addition, here are the other products that are less than desirable to use in your pie filling recipe which will leave a similar effect on the final product after about four months. Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch, Arrowroot, Quick cooking Tapioca Pearls and especially flour.

The substitute for all canners of pie filling had come to the scientists and

testers of recipes in the form of a modified cornstarch that will produce a more successful product. It was found by way of commercial bakers and used as their ingredient to have a consistent creamy filling. This product is called Clear Jel. The final product will show a clear filling that has no starch or flour taste. There is an "instant" version that can be used for the freezer recipes for doing the filling, cream sauces, puddings, and custards as well.  The positive side with regard to the safety of Clear Jel is that the modified cornstarch does not start to thicken the produce and filling until it begins the cooling process. The heat is better distributed during water bathing in the jar which leaves you with a safer product.

Picture courtesy of  My Country Blog of This and That
(This link will take you to their apple pie filling recipe)

The question is where to find the product that seems to be the only solution for all the canners of the world. I have found three locations online that carry the product and did a price comparison and some feedback on my purchase of this "powdered" gold.

For all of the vendors below I chose a 1 pound package of Clear Jel which makes approximately 3 quart size pie fillings.

Barry Farm - www.barryfarm.com 2.99 per pound + 8.25 for shipping = $ 11.24 
(multiple pound discounts available)

My Spice Sage - www.myspicesage.com  9.50 per pound + 3.00 Handling  = $12.50
(Handling fee is only charged if you order less than $10. Shipping is free) (you also get a 1 oz sampler of a spice of your choice as a gift with purchase)(multiple pound discounts available)

Kitchen Krafts - www.kitchenkrafts.com 5.95 per pound + shipping = $ 12.90 to $ 14.90  (Standard (10-12 shipping days): $6.95 Ground, Warehouse Priority:$8.95)( 5lb bag also available for 27.95)

All of these vendors also have a lag time for processing. I purchased from Barry Farms and it took two weeks to get my order. The product was perfect but I would order in advance of the fall season to make sure that you have it on hand.  The shelf life for Clear Jel is one year stored in an airtight container.

I am sure that there are more vendors that sell Clear Jel online. If you have a happy story that you would like to share and a website with a competitive price, please share!