Jam making help for first timer

thriftlady_2

I don't sterilise lids Ceridwen. I just give them a good wash. I think because they are not in contact with the jam then they don't have to be sterile. At least, that's how I've always gone about preserving and I've had no ill effects;)

Sunnyday

I always wondered about the lids, what i decided to do was put them in a small saucepan upside down and pour boiling water over them from the kettle.
I just leave them submerged until i need them.

SD

thifty

Thanks for starting this thread off, many of my questions have too been answered!

c0rneL

I made some jars with all the blackberries that that I could pick up in my back-garden. It is delicious. Where I live there are so many footpaths and so many berries everywhere. nobody seems to be interested in the berries that grow on the footpath. I would like to pick up some but I am not quite sure if I am allowed to pick up berries on a public footpath.
If anyone knows if you are allowed to pick up berries I would appreciate any advise.
Thank you

Katy_M_2

Well, Thanks for all your help people.

I am now a successful jam maker - hoorah!

Me and the boyf made our first batch over the weekend and it all went very well (thanks to all your help) and now I have loads of yummy Jam !! :T:T:T:T

The recipe I used said to use equal amounts of fruit and sugar, The first batch we did, we kept all the fruity lumps in, which was fine, it setted ok and tasted lovely - but for the second batch we decided to sieve the blackberries once they had gone soft, to make a smoother jam. We also did a couple of smaller batches rather than just one big batch due to exprimenting. Here is the process we used for the second batch:

1.5lb of washed blackberries (the ones that made it into the box before being eaten on the spot!)
1 Bramley Apple
2lb 'Jam Sugar' (from Morrisons - containing pectin)
Half a lemon
Small amount of water
Made 3 jars worth with a little spare (for immediate consumption!)

Method

Preheat oven to 100 degrees
Put a couple of saucers into the freezer
Pour the washed blackberries into a large pan, add grated lemon rind and squeeze the juice into the pan with very small amount of water
Put washed jars (no lids) into the oven on a baking tray to sterelise and warm
Simmer the pan until the blackberries go soft (we used a potato masher too!)
Strain the squishy blackberries through a sieve to remove lumps
Return to heat and add the peeled and chopped bramley apple
Simmer until the apples go soft
Increase the heat until boiling even when stirring
Add in the 2lb of sugar and keep stirring until all mixed in
After about 5 or so minutes - take one of the saucers out of the freezer
Pour a small amount of jam mix onto the saucer - wait a few seconds for it to cool slightly and push your fingertip through it - if it wrinkles - it is ready
Once this point has been reached - remove from the heat and take the jars out the oven
Skim the top of the mix with a spoon to remove any skin, froth or bits that may have collected on the surface.
Pour the jam into the jars and either put lids on - this will create an air tight vaccum
Or if you don't have lids - put a cloth or inside of a cereal packet cut into a disc over the top and cover with a lacky band

It will take a while to set as the jam cools. and the jars will be mega hot so watch your fingers!!

It's actually a pretty straight forward process, and you will realise that you can play around with it quite easily to suit your own requirements.

We found that the blackberry jam was nicer with apples in it, and the lemon gave it a nice tang.

I think I might get addicted to this and single handedly make blackberries an endangered fruit!

Thanks for all your help again, and to those thinking about experimenting with jam making for the first time - do it! It's great fun!

:beer:

Katy_M_2

c0rneL wrote: »

I made some jars with all the blackberries that that I could pick up in my back-garden. It is delicious. Where I live there are so many footpaths and so many berries everywhere. nobody seems to be interested in the berries that grow on the footpath. I would like to pick up some but I am not quite sure if I am allowed to pick up berries on a public footpath.
If anyone knows if you are allowed to pick up berries I would appreciate any advise.
Thank you

I don't think there is a problem with it.

I picked mine down by the river along a public footpath and saw at least 5 other women out doing the same! I think as long as you're respectful and leave a supply for other people and the birds and so on then it shouldn't be a problem, if they aren't picked or eaten by birds then they will just fall off onto the ground anyway - so make the most of them

Zazen999

c0rneL wrote: »

I made some jars with all the blackberries that that I could pick up in my back-garden. It is delicious. Where I live there are so many footpaths and so many berries everywhere. nobody seems to be interested in the berries that grow on the footpath. I would like to pick up some but I am not quite sure if I am allowed to pick up berries on a public footpath.
If anyone knows if you are allowed to pick up berries I would appreciate any advise.
Thank you

Yes you are, but just don't pick them ALL - ie leave some for others to pick and try to pick from a selection of plants and not just one.

Also, to sterilise lids, I soak them in Milton for 10 mins, then rinse in boiled water that had cooled a bit, and put onto clean teatowels to dry off whilst the jars are in the oven.

icecreamdogpark

Hi Ya, i have just made my first batch of blackberry jam (did it in my breadmaker !!) and it went well i put mine in a old coffee jar, the type with the glass lid with plastic rim that seals well, had good results not quite as thick as i`d liked (used jam sugar) but also now i can use it as a base for crumbles, yum,enjoy what you make good thing about jam it`ll be yummy however it turns outs,sue

Puddleglum

What I do to get my jams to set is to chuck a cloth bag with finely chopped lemon rind into the pan with the jam as it is bubbling away; stir it round a bit and squish it against the side of the pan. Chuck it away after use.

This always gives a good set. The lemon shells I keep in the freezer after squeezing and freezing the juice separately. Then I just drag out a few (4 or5), let them defrost and chuck 'em in the blender. Finally I have a old, thin (but clean!) sheet which I cut a bit off of and tie the bits of lemon up in.

Hope this is of use!

starblood

Just a heads-up to any jam makers out there who are short on jars. I was in my local Sainsburys last night and they have a Curry Sauce in their 'Basics' range that was just 4p. Lovely sized glass jar for jam, with a metal top to boot. I assume it will be similarly priced across the country.

I hate waste, but for 4p the sauce could even be chucked and you can have yourself 25 empty jars for just a pound.