Making Jam

[johnfb]

Hi All

Does anyone make their own jam, and if so could you post you full and idiot proof recipe

Thanks in advance
John

[wheels]

For what fruit John?

Phil

[johnfb]

I was thinking strawberry to start, then anything else, Phil.

Also, can canned fruit be used instead of fresh???

[grisell]

This is an excellent recipe for sloe jam. It's season now, so you might want to look for some?

http://uktv.co.uk/food/thread/threadid/10460

[the chorizo kid]

well, i don't know the exact result you are looking for, but i have made jam/preserves from my orchard using peaches, mulberries, blackberries, sweet and sour cherries. i pick the fruit and put it in a big pot [peaches are sliced; the cherries are hand pitted using a big nail; the berries i just throw in] with a little water and then simmer it until it is thick and gooey. if it needed sweetening, i added sugar to taste. the mulberries needed no sugar; the sour cherries did. then i cooled it and put it into any old unsterilized jar; i used a flimsy sandwich bag over the top and added a rubber band to seal it. of course i stored it in the fridge. as far as i know, they lasted for almost 1/2 year without any signs of spoilage [i don't eat much jam and toast]. they were delicious. this is a recipe for organic jam/jelly. i'm not sure why people add pectin, as you can get this as thick as you want, adding sugat as necessary/desired for both sweetening and thickness.

[wheels]

Very timely grisell, I've got the sloes off my last years sloe gin to use up!

John, trust you, I hate making strawberry jam, I find it one of the hardest!

In all honesty, you've picked a lousy time to start, the main 'jam fruit' season's over. As to canned fruit - Pass!

I held of posting a reply as I have posted an item on my blog today about the 'Autumn Curd' (Well, OK, Marrow Curd) - this may be a good starting point - I believe it can also be made with pumpkin.

In the meantime, I hope someone else will explain the intricacies of strawberry jam (strawberries are low in pectin - hence possible problems). But most jams are some variation of 1:1 fruit to sugar. Cook fruit (if necessary), add sugar, melt sugar, bring to boil, boil till setting point reached, bottle. Dead easy in theory, but in my experience not always so easy in practice.

Mike D was a bit of a 'dab hand' at it! As is Ianinfrance by the look of it. (plus others no doubt)

http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopi ... hlight=jam

Phil

Added: Post crossed with the chorizo kid's

[Richierich]

Made strawberry jam last year, along with raspberry, don't ask for recipes, BBC food somewhere I think. If you buy jam sugar it has added pectin, had no problems, although the strawberry was a little runnier than the raspberry.

[johnfb]

Thanks for all the help guys.

My local Supermarket is selling strawberrys cheaply right now and they are also selling "sureset" sugar for jam, it has apple pectin in it.
So I think I will give it a go on the back of my success at making pumpkin and apple chutney at the weekend.

Cheers again

John

[Ryan C]

Hey John,

Here's an idiot proof method for strawberry jam. Its my mums secret recipe so whatever you do, don't let anyone else on the forum see it:wink:
As for using canned fruit, unless you've canned it yourself it seems like a very expensive way to make jam. To be honest, I don't know anything about canned fruit but as long as it doesn't contain extra water, sugar etc, it should be fine. If it does then just use a bit of common sense and adjust the recipe accordingly.

Strawberry jam

1kg fresh strawberries
1kg sugar
1 lemon
(really, that's all!)

1. Put strawberries into a large pot and partially mash with a potato masher (make sure it's the biggest pot you've got because as it cooks it will bubble up to quadruple its size, maybe more)
2. Add sugar and slowly heat stirring regularly.
3. As the temperature rises, the sugar will melt and the strawberries will release their juice. Keep stirring and bring to the boil.
4. Boil for 10 minutes before adding the juice of 1 lemon (It is the lemon juice that will help the jam to set so if you prefer a runny jam, don't add it and stop boiling now)
5. Boil for a further five minutes. Test the jams thickness by putting a spoonful onto a saucer, after 30 seconds, if it gets a skin it is ready. Boil longer if you prefer a very thick jam but I think it is perfect at this stage.

Good luck

Ryan

[Ryan C]

Should have said. Make sure you have clean, hot jars at the ready and fill them immediately. The longer you let your pot of jam cool, the thicker it will become and the more of it will stick to the sides of the pot instead of going into the jars.

All the best

Ryan

[johnfb]

Thanks Ryan, looks simple enough...even for me

think this is the recipe I could use

[NCPaul]

Here are two other resources for you:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/p ... _usda.html

http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/pr ... club/7.php

Canning and jam making are another addictive hobby.

[johnfb]

Here are two other resources for you:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/p ... _usda.html

http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/pr ... club/7.php

Canning and jam making are another addictive hobby.

I am getting the pickles and jams bug now for sure. my wife is going crazy, more equipment more taking over the kitchen, one cupboard full of empty pasta sauce jars and any other jars I can find,
She doesn't mind the ssausage and bacon but doesn't eat pickles and chutneys or jams so she isn't very impressed with this new venture.

Ahh well, she needs something new to moan and whine about

John

[grisell]

[---]
Ahh well, she needs something new to moan and whine about

John

Same here. My wife can't understand the necessity of having three refrigerators and two freezers in one apartment with two people...

She doesn't mind eating that ham, though.

[NCPaul]

I told my wife about this thread and her comment was "consider all the things a husband could be doing." I am her second husband and the first one made things easy for me. I am at home making tasty things for her to enjoy; she'll gladly give me kitchen space.