Jam making help for first timer

scotsaver

Thanks for all the replies about how long Jam will keep, really pleased that it will keep that long so plan to give some Jars as Xmas pressies - so glad that none of the fruit will go to waste.;)

mardatha

Got a m/c licence, but no m/c . Too cold and wintry up here to get one... too old to learn to drive a car !

foreign_correspondent

Hi Gailey - low sugar jam is ok if eaten straight away - the sugar is what preserves it. For real strawberry jam, this recipe is a doddle, we are still eating some I made two years ago, and it is lovely - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=34670575&postcount=41

As a general rule of thumb, if fruit has lots of stones or pips in you dont need jam sugar - so cherried, redcurrants, gooseberries are fine with normal sugar and set ok.

Strawberry is a !!!!!! to get to set without pectin, and the advantage of using jam sugar is that the fruit only has to boil for 4 minutes which keeps the lovely fresh strawberry flavour, rather than it tasting too stewed.

It looks like you have everything you need equipment wise - a funnel is also handy (but not essential), for getting the jam into the jars neatly - you can pour it in from a jug otherwise. You can buy a special jam funnel - like this for a fiver from lakeland


But I bought a plastic/polythene funnel from wilkos (the translucent plastic sort) for about 75p, and cut almost all of the spout off with a hacksaw to make the opening wide enough for fruit to go through (actually, I think it may have been the breadknife I used!) and it works great - you just need to saw the spout off and go round the cut edge with a bit of sandpaper to smooth the edge and remove any loose bits of plastic!
This sort of thing:


I made red gooseberry jam today with some gooseberries someone gave to my dad - I only had about 2lbs of them, and it just made 2 and a half jars, but it is very, very nice... even if I do say so myself. I used a Mrs B recipe with redcurrant juice in, and its delicious! I need a red gooseberry bush for the garden now - the green goosegog bush I planted last year has yielded almost 5lbs of fruit in its first year!

honeybun16

well i've taken the plunge and made my first ever load of Jam, Strawberry

seems to have turned out ok, looks like jam, smells like jam and hey even seems to burn your hands like jam lol.

quite proud of myself to be honest, now i just wish the bread recipe had worked out ok :-(

marmiterulesok

I have just made jam for the first time and have a few questions.I couldn't find the answers in the index section.It's cherry jam and it has set-big sigh of relief!

My book implies that jam can continue to set for up to two weeks,is that so?Is it best to wait two weeks before trying it,or can you try it once it is cold?Am I right in thinking that jams don't improve with time otherwise?

Needless to say I'm very curious to see what it's like.
Thanks in anticipation.

Seakay

Jams are ready straight away - chutneys and other things made with vinegar benefit from time left to mature.
I've never heard of jams continuing to set myself, and always taste my jams as soon as they are cool because I never seem to get all full jars, so there is always a small or half jar to eat at once, as well as the cooks perks of whatever has been skimmed off!

marmiterulesok

Thanks,that makes sense.I might try the half-full jar (there's always one) tonight or tomorrow.

Patchwork_Quilt

But I have had marmalade that took a couple of days to set, for some reason.

If my jam doesn't set, I usually label it as a 'conserve'.

marmiterulesok

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

But I have had marmalade that took a couple of days to set, for some reason.

If my jam doesn't set, I usually label it as a 'conserve'.

That's interesting,I take it your marmelade doesn't take a few days to set usually?

I've just tried the jam on some oatcakes now that it's cold.It's delicious!I'm always amazed when I make something lovely to eat,and realise that it's not really that complicated to do.
I just hope this isn't beginner's luck.I might be making more tomorrow....

zippychick

Hi

I answered a query on jam making lately here

I'll merge yours here later. Good luck!
Zip