[Bombers]

PLeeeeze... I'm out of my depth here. My lottie neighbour has gone on holiday today, and asked if I would like a few blackcurrants. So, I've got about 4lbs.... Lovely they are ... Sorry I digress.
Anyway, I brought them back home to present to mrs B, and she's b**erred off and left me for the evening!
Now my question is.... I really like blackcurrant jam, and I've looked on the recipe section at Val's lovely recipe, which tells me to wash and remove stalks, but I wan't to freeze them, so she can make the jam another day. Should I wash pre freezing? or just put them on trays and freeze as they are? Come on girls, give me a hand here.....

[sunshineband]

If you freeze them the little stalks are easier to snap off TBH. I daresay others are not so lazy, but hey, werks fer me 

[Val H]

Remove the stalks from them and freeze them in a bag. For jam making they'll be fine as they go down to a mush anyway. It may actually help as if you cook blackcurrants too quickly the skins will toughen. Allow an extra 10% fruit to sugar to make up for the loss of pectin caused by freezing.

[Bombers]

Aww.. thank girls. 
So can I just put them in one big bag and freeze?

What about the dirty ones?

[sunshineband]

Aww.. thank girls. 
So can I just put them in one big bag and freeze?

What about the dirty ones?

Rinse them first - unless you want gritty jam of course 

They will freeze into a large block if they are wet though, so it might be worth spreading them out on a tray until  frozen, then break off the stalky bits, and keep in a bag in the freezer then 'til you are ready.

Val might have a better idea though.

[Bombers]

Aww.. thank girls. 
So can I just put them in one big bag and freeze?

What about the dirty ones?

Rinse them first - unless you want gritty jam of course 

They will freeze into a large block if they are wet though, so it might be worth spreading them out on a tray until  frozen,

That's what I thought... So it's Mrs B's cunning plan, that if i wash them, I have to remove all the stalks before they can be frozen. Great.. Thats my night sorted then!

[sunshineband]

Have a good evening Bombers -- just think of all that luscious jam  to come 

[Bombers]

mrs b says thanks for all the advice, but the one thing you didnt say to my lazzzzzy husband is how about making the jam yourself.  he really inst incapable is he girls!!!!!!

[Bombers]

hahahahahaha Mrs B's only got one bag of sugar. OHHH DEAR!  In the freezer they go then!

[Poolfield2]

How black are your fingers then Bomber?

[Bombers]

How black are your fingers then Bomber?

I've used 3 tea towels, 1 t shirt, and I'm still covered in it!

Not my turn to wash up tonight 

[Poolfield2]

Well it's my turn now, I picked all the rest of the blackcurrants this afternoon so you know what I'll be doing while I watch telly tonight.

[SAMANTHA MOLLY]

hope that this is not too late my book says to freeze in sugar - apparently it helps to keep the colour!

[Bombers]

hope that this is not too late my book says to freeze in sugar - apparently it helps to keep the colour!

What.... "Freeze with Sugar"...... no one mentioned freezing with sugar
It's too late now,

Mrs B recons I should get some sugar with pectin?

[Bombers]

Well it's my turn now, I picked all the rest of the blackcurrants this afternoon so you know what I'll be doing while I watch telly tonight.

hehehehe.... Have fun.