We get a lot of questions at AnswerLine about Clearjel® and Sure Jell. Because their names are so similar, there is confusion for two very different products. Clearjel® and Sure Jell are trade names of two thickening agents used in canning and gelling, respectively. In addition to having different uses, Clearjel® is not shelf-accessible to most while Sure Jell is easily found among the canning supplies. Let’s explore what these two products are and how they should be used.
Clearjel®
Clearjel® is a waxy maize or corn starch that has been modified to resist break down under high temperatures and different pH levels. This product is manufactured by the National Starch and Chemical Corporation for the food processing industry and is sold in bulk but is also available in smaller quantities for home use. It is an ideal thickening agent and is widely used commercially. Clearjel® is recommended for home canning of pie fillings as it remains thin during processing to allow heat to penetrate into the jar and then thickens upon cooling. It does not break down at high temperatures; thus, it remains stable as the pie filling is cooked in preparation for canning, heated during the canning process, and heated a third time as the pie is baked. Clearjel® is not recommended for frozen sauces since it tends to weep during thawing.
Cornstarch, tapioca, or flour should not be used in canned pie filling. These thickeners are not suitable because they tend to clump during canning and cloud on the shelf rendering the pie filling unappetizing and unable to thicken when baked. Pie fillings made with Clearjel® also increase the safety of the products. Because Clearjel® remains clear and does not clump, heat is better able to penetrate the contents of the jar evenly to kill bacteria and other contaminants during the boiling water canning process. Jars of pie filling will keep the same consistency after processing, remain shelf stable for at least 12 months, and bake into a perfect pie by simply pouring the filling into a crust and topping as desired. There will be no starch or flour taste in the filling.
There are two types of Clearjel®, Regular and Instant. Regular must be used for canning. Instant Clearjel® will thicken foods without heat thus it is not suitable for canned pie fillings; it thickens when liquid is added. This makes Instant Clearjel® useful for thickening a room temperature sauce or dressing. It is also freeze/thaw stable which makes it a good option for preparing a pie filling, pouring into a crust and freezing. Regular, on the other hand, requires heat and can be used for thickening fresh pies and everyday foods. If preparing a gravy or sauce, mix Clearjel® with a small amount of water and gradually add to the hot mixture, stirring constantly. Or, everything can be mixed together cold and then heated (stirring constantly) to thicken. Regular Clearjel® can be used to replace cornstarch or flour as thickening agent in cooking or baking, but cornstarch or flour should not replace Clearjel® for canning.
While there is plenty of praise for Clearjel®, it is not readily available. For those who live near an Amish grocery, it is likely available there. The best source is to shop online to find a supplier. Therefore, one needs to think ahead and allow time for purchase and/or shipping if Clearjel® is to be used. Clearjel® is recommended, but not required for canning. The filling can be prepared and canned without thickening with a thickener of choice added at the time of use as if preparing a fresh pie.
There is differing information on the shelf life of Clearjel®; most agree that in a tightly closed container, it should be good for 1 year in the pantry but some list up to 2 years.
Sure Jell
Sure Jell is pectin. Pectin is a type of starch, called a hetero-polysaccharide, that occurs naturally in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables giving them structure. Most commercial pectins, made from apple pomace or citrus rinds, are sold as a dry powder or in liquid form. When combined with sugar and acid, pectin makes jams and jellies develop a semisolid, gelled texture when they cool.
Pectin is available in various forms for regular, low-sugar, and freezer jams and jellies depending upon the type of methoxyl used. High methoxyl is the most common type and used for high sugar jams and jellies; it needs to be cooked to a temperature of 220 F in combination with acid and sugar to form a gel. Low methoxyl is generally the type used for low- or no-sugar preserves as it relies on calcium (provided in the pectin package) rather than sugar to set or gel. (Liquid pectin is only offered in a regular version and is similar to the regular dry pectin.) Because pectins behave differently, it’s best to use the product listed in the recipe being used or follow the pectin insert directions carefully to assure success.
Sure Jell and other pectin products are readily available where canning supplies are sold. Sure Jell or other pectin products are not suitable for pie fillings.
Powdered pectin can be kept in the pantry and is best used within a year; after that time, it may not perform as well. Unopened liquid pectin is good for a year in the pantry; if opened, it should be refrigerated and used within one month (Still Tasty.com).
Wondering if I can open kettle tomato preserves without using sure jel?
Are there any tomato preserve recipes wihout butter.
I have open kettled all my tomatoes and have done so for years and never had any problems.
I am 75 and comfortable with doing so.
Now would like to try my hand at some tomato preserves as easy as possible. Difficult to find products in local hyvee stores.
Would like to make as simple as possible as my grandmother and mother would have done.
Any Advice would be appreciated .
Thank You
Victory, I cannot advise on open kettle canning except to say it is not a safe canning method. For nearly 40 years open kettle canning has been advised against. The reason open kettle canning is no longer recommended is that the food is not heated adequately to destroy the spoilage organisms, molds and yeasts that can enter the jar while you are filling the jar, and it does not produce a strong seal on the jar. This method is not safe! Processing jars in a boiling water bath or in a pressure canner drives air out of the jar and produces a strong vacuum seal. It is especially dangerous when used for canning tomatoes or tomato products where the acid level may be low enough to allow bacterial growth. Never open kettle can low acid foods (meats, vegetables, soups) that should be pressure canned. Just because a lid “pops,” it doesn’t mean the contents inside the jar are safe. The time saved with open kettle canning is not worth the risk of food spoilage or illness. My grandmother used to open kettle can, too; as soon as new recommendations were made, she moved forward with the advice of science. I hope you will reconsider also.
My recipe calls for clearjel but then has an asterisk that says it’s optional.
In the directions it says to mix the clearjel with the sugar and then mix with cream. If it says it’s optional does
that mean I don’t have to use it or does it mean I can substitute the sure jell? It’s for
a cake roll filling.
Susan, thank you for contacting AnswerLine. From the information provided in your message, I suspect the answer is “yes” to omitting the Clearjel. However, my answer is conditional as I don’t know your recipe. Further, you do not say if it is instant Clearjel or regular Clearjel that is suggested for use. Since you are making a filling for a cake roll, my suspicion is you are making a whipped cream filling. If that is the case, then it is instant Clearjel that is being used to stabilize the whipped cream. Instant Clearjel is a modified food starch made from corn that thickens instantly when it comes into contact with liquid. By mixing a small amount in with the sugar for your whipped cream, you sweeten and strengthen the cream at the same time. Stabilized or strengthened whipped cream holds up much longer. If you are making a cooked filling with cream, then you would use regular Clearjel; Clearjel or another thickener would be needed to thicken the filling.
I made apple pie filling for canning and the recipe called for cornstarch however it didn’t thicken very much. Can I use Clearjel to thicken it more if I already used cornstarch? Thank you.
Hi Maria, thank you for contacting AnswerLine. Cornstarch should NOT be used for any pie filling that is to be canned. All the reasons why are given in the blog. If you have already canned the pie filling, use it quickly and when you do use it, add additional thickener (in this case cornstarch is probably the best choice) before baking. If you haven’t canned it, please put it in the freezer and again when you use it, add additional thickener to help you pie set up properly. In the future, please use a recommended and tested recipe for canning. The National Center for Home Food Preservation is a USDA approved site with researched based recipes.
I have a large plastic bag that is marked Sure Gel. How can I test it to see if it is Clear Gel? I am thinking my aunt mislabeled it. It is probably 2 years old, so maybe it would be best if just pitched out. Thank you.
Hi Judy, a bag marked ‘Sure Gel’ is somewhat unlikely. A bag marked ‘Clear Gel’ is more likely. I am unaware that Sure Jell is sold in bulk while Clear Jel is. Clear Jel is white and resembles cornstarch while Sure Jell is granular and not pure white. Assuming that it is Clear Jel (cooked not Instant) you can test using 1/4 cup Clear Jel to 1 qt of water. Bring to a boil. It will thicken slightly upon cooking, but it thickens even more as it cools. When cooled, it should have the consistency of pie filling. Even though Clear Jel manufacturers list 1-2 years for best results, I personally have found that it is usable for longer. Thank you for contacting AnswerLine.
I understand Clear Jel is a modified waxy maize starch. I am a chemist (organic, retired) and would like to know exactly how the starch is “modified.” There are many modified food starches as you know produced by various processes for different functions.
Dextrin (INS 1400), acid-treated starch (INS 1401), alkaline-modified starch (INS 1402), bleached starch (INS 1403), oxidized starch (INS 1404, E1404), enzyme-treated starch (INS 1405), monostarch phosphate (INS 1410, E1410), distarch phosphate (INS 1412, E1412), acetylated starch (INS 1420, E1420), hydroxypropylated starch (INS 1440, E1440), starch sodium octenyl succinate (OSA) starch (INS 1450, E1450), starch aluminium octenyl Succinate (INS 1452, E1452), cationic carboxymethylated starch
I am interested in specifics of Clear Jel. Can you define this product in chemically relevant technical terms? For cooking vs. non-cooking applications? Is it E1412, for example, for cooking applications?
I am not able to help you with the specifics of Clear Jel. Prior to writing this blog, I did an extensive literature search to learn more about the processing to create the modification. As a consumer scientist, I am well aware that there are many modified food starches but do not have a strong chemistry background to ascertain anything more than it is a modified corn starch. Further, it has been rendered by the USDA as the only product acceptable for use with home canning (reasons explained in blog). If you are able to resolve your question with further research, I would be only too happy to learn more about the productvif only to quench my own curiosity.
Should I toss my cherry pie filling since I used Sure Gel instead of Clear Jel. I used the same amount that was called for for the clear jell.
Hi Tammy, the pie filling cannot be canned if you used Sure Jell. Sure Jel and Clear Jel are very different products and cannot be used interchangeably. If you have not made too much, it could be used for a fresh cherry pie–as in no bake–filling is put into a prepared crust and refrigerated or you could use it to top ice cream or cake. You might be able to think of other ways that it could be used similarly as essentially you have some kind of a gel. It could also be frozen for later use but I am not sure of the quality after freezing; it will be safe to eat but may watery or seperate. Thanks for contacting AnswerLine.
My jelly did not “set” and would like to know if after opening a jar, would it be ok to add lnstant Clear jel to thicken before eating on toast, etc. Thank you. Dianne
Cherry jelly was cooked with Ball fruit pectin and most probably wasn’t cooked long enough or not enough pectin added. I am not interested in reprocessing the jelly since it was hot water bathed after cooking, it jelled beautifully on the spoon and the pan before jarring. Thank you.
Hi Dianne, I truly do not know if using instant clear jel will work after opening; it certainly will help thicken but I have no idea how it will mix with the Sure Jell in the jelly. The usual method is to recook it when you open a jar. Besides not being cooked long enough or insufficient pectin, it could be that there was not enough acid. You can add 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice to a cup of jelly. Heat the jelly and lemon juice to boiling and boil until the gelling point is reached (220°F or 8 degrees above boiling at an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level or lower. If you’re at an altitude higher than 1,000 feet above sea level, you can determine the temperature of your gelling point by bringing a pot of water to a boil. When the water boils, check the temperature on your candy thermometer and add 8 degrees. This is the gelling point for your altitude.) Remove jelly from heat, skim if necessary, and pour back into the jar. After cooling, it is ready to use. I’ve done this myself and it really doesn’t take very long so watch the temperature carefully. This will work even if the issue wasn’t acid.
Can you use clear gel instead of sure gel for making jelly?
If so, what is the measurement of clear gel compared to a box of sure gel?
Hi Wanda, Clear jel will not make jelly; rather you will get a clear thicken fruit juice–not a gel. Pectin is needed to produce a gel so Sure Jell or a similar product is what you must use. Thanks for reaching out to AnswerLine.
I made a chicken pot pie filling recipe that is for canning that called for Clear Jel and after making it, it seemed very thick for canning. I added more broth than called for so it would be less thick but it was definitely thick. Is this ok to can something so thick? It was a very thick consistency and then called for half and half to be added after opening and heating.
Hi Susanna, this is a hard question to answer as I do not know the source of your recipe and if the source is a tested, science-based recipe. After an extensive search of reliable sources, I could not find a tested recipe for canning chicken pot pie using Clear Jel. If it is from a reputable source, then following the directions without change is imperative for a safe product. Starch inhibits heat penetration in the canning process so the exact amount for the processing time/pressure is highly important. Further, Clear Jel usually thickens as it sets over time.
Good job! Food safety is so important!
I have a recipe for peach jam with pineapple that calls for Clear Jel as a thickener. Since Clear Jel is not suitable for jams, can I substitute Sure Jell for Clear Jel using the same amount?
Hi Linda, Clear Jel and Sure Jell are two entirely different products so they are not interchangeable nor can you substitute one for the other. I suggest that you look for a different recipe that specifically uses Sure Jell. Clear Jel should not be used for jam; an exeption might be if it were to be freezer jam but it will not have the consistency of a true jam. Kraft Foods (Sure Jell) has an Apricot Pineapple Jam on it’s website; perhaps that is a place for you to start.
Hello, I’m wondering if I can bottle peach pie filling without the clear gel? I want to thicken it when I make my pies. Thank you!
Hi Tamara, thank you for reaching out to AnswerLine. Yes, you can make your peach pie filling without the clear gel and thicken it when you make your pie. Process as if you are using Clear Jel.
Could you give me the weight in grams for Clear Jel? It is hard to measure correctly.
Hi Marion, the recommendation is 1/4 cup Clear Jel per quart of liquid. In metric that would be 32 grams Clear Jel per .95 liter of liquid.
Hi Marlene. I’m going to be making the apple pie filling and eliminating the clear gel that the recipe calls for. What amount of headspace should I use? All the safe clear gel recipes say 1 to 1 1/2 inches and recipes without the clear gel seem to say half an inch. I’m going to be following a recipe that calls for clear gel, doing the recipe where are you Blanch the apples for a minute. Should I adjust the headspace or follow the recipe headspace? Thank you so much your article was very easy to understand
Hi Paula, it is perfectly okay to can apple pie filling without Clear Jel and thicken you pie filling at the time of use with your choice of thickener. If you can without the Clear Jel, the headspace should be 1 inch. Thank you for your kind words.
Recipes for making by pie fillings always call for adding lemon juice to the Clear Jel, while recipes for canning the fruit alone don’t use lemon juice. Most fruits, such as apples, have a ph well below the 4.6 recommended for water bath canning. Is there a chemical reaction reason to add lemon juice to the Clear Jel? The amounts of lemon juice seem excessive. Or is this just an over cautious approach?
Hi, Any acid called for in the form of vinegar, lemon or other fruit juice is there for safety, and in the case of Clearjel recipes, is also helping the starch to gel properly for storage stability. Lemon juice, when called for, should be bottled for an assured acidity. Great question!
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/8836/sp50616fruitpiefillings_0.pdf
can Clear Jel be used in teriyaki chicken to be canned? and is soy sauce a safe ingredient?
Hi Jean, sorry for the delay in replying. We have had some issues with spam so it has taken time to “wade through” the spam. I will reply to you directly via email with additional information. Bottom line, Clear Jel should not be used in home canned meat products. Thank you for your patience.
I am freezing peach pie filling, my recipe calls for creating a peach based liquid to put over fresh peaches. Peaches are to be puréed with fresh fruit and sure jell and poured or fresh peaches to be frozen. Is sure jell my best choice as it is not cooked before freezing.
Hi, There are many ways to freeze peaches. Any of the ways that one would choose would be safe since the fruit is frozen. However, not all methods make as much sense as another. The end goal should be to find a method that preserves peaches for best quality for your intended use. Please see this information from K-State Research and Extension which has some suggestions for freezing peaches as well as using Sure Jell as a preserving method. Note that the solution is cooked. https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/mf1182.pdf
How long after the expiration date on the Clear Gel container is it still good? I can only find large containers so I don’t use it much. Thank you for your help. P.S. ALL the people who work in the extension offices are truly wonderful people whenever I have questions about preserving foods. Liz Tolles
Hi Liz, there isn’t much information available on the lifetime of Clear Gel. Some labels do have a date on them. However, Clear Gel is a modified corn starch which has an indefinite shelf life.
I had two quarts of peach pie filling canned last year look like the clear gel has liquified and looks watery in the jar. The other jars look fine. I don’t see any mold and the jars are sealed. Are the peaches ok to use! I can just make a cobbler instead of a pie with crust.
Hi Nancy, it is most unusual that Clear Gel (cooked version) would get watery in the jar when other jars did not. If the peach filling was processed correctly, the peach filling should be safe despite the change in consistancy. Cobbler sounds like a great solution.
I make an easy sweet and sour sauce ketchup+vinegar+sugar, thickened with corn starch. I do use Clear Gel to can pie fillings, can I use it to thicken my sweet and sour source in order to can it in small quantities for whenever I need it?
Hi Fran,
Unless you are using a tested recipe for your sweet and sour sauce that includes at thickening agent, you should not be added any thickening, cornstarch or Clear Jel. Starches interfere with heat penetration and may result in an unsafe product.
Wonderful advice! I’m thrilled to see you are a fellow Nebraskan. You provide a wonderful service to us all, thank you for your hard work!
You are so welcome!
I just finished canning apple pie filling using clearjel as recipe required. After completing I realized my clearjel was instant instead of the regular clearjel. Are my jars unsafe?
Hi Cheryl, There is no certainty that the filling is shelf stable. Therefore, if you are still within 24 hours of processing the filling, I would suggest that you open the jars and freeze the filling. It would be interesting to know what the texture of the filling is–whether it is thin and more thickening will be needed at time of use OR if it is very thick gel. I would like to follow up on this if you are willing to share more. If so, please email answer@iastate.edu attn: marlene
I just canned apple pie filling using the proper sure jel. The problem is I forget to add the lemon juice. Can I freeze it now or use it right away? I am not sure if you can freeze filling made with sure jel.
i would like to can grape pie filling. is Dutch jell the same as Clear jell?
Hi Melissa, Dutch Jel is a fruit pectin used to make Jams and Jellies same as Sure Jell. It should not be used for pie fillings. Clear Jel is the only recommended thickener for pie filling.