I am Curious, Jam-making...

odds-n-sods

Why do most of you not use pectin?? I have always used pectin to make jams. It's faster, you use less electricity as you aren't simmering/boiling for so long, and the fruit keeps more nutrients. With pectin, you melt the sugar into the fruit, bring up to a boil + boil for 2 minutes, then take off the heat, add pectin and bottle. Even adding in the cost of the pectin, its still cheaper, faster and there are a few more vitamins left in the fruit.

Ted_Hutchinson

We don't use pectin when jam making. Although I have done in the past when I was learning.

Once you've got the hang of making jam and you are picking fruit and jaming directly from the garden it shouldn't be necessary.

We think that if you want a product that looks, tastes and has the mouth feel of shop bought high pectin jam then it's cheaper to buy it.

If you want a quality product with a concentrated flavour, the darker colour and more better texture, then making it without additional pectin gives the best results. But if your fruit is past it's best and you suspect that it may not set then pectin is an insurance policy.

thriftlady_2

I use jam sugar (sugar with pectin already in -I know, I know it's bound to be more expensive than a bottle of pectin) for low pectin fruit like strawberries, but mostly I make preserves with fruit that already has enough pectin. This summer I've made blackcurrant jam and crab apple jelly (yesterday). Both these fruits are high in pectin, and because the crab apples were a bit under-ripe they gave a really good set. I used ordinary granulated sugar for both these jams.

I will investigate bottled pectin though, thanks

aurorahelios

I occasionally use it for making strawberry jam, simply because I have huge problems getting strawberry jam to set even when I add in plenty of lemon juice to try and get a natural source of pectin. My main problem with the bottled pectin is that if you read the ingredients it contains a preservative, I really don't want artificial preservatives in my jam. Part of the point about making it myself is so I control what goes into it, No point making it myself if its full of artificial preservative!

wendym

I realise this may sound impossibly picky, but I can taste pectin and dislike it!
I rely on apples if I'm using tricky fruit.

phizzimum

i'm by no means an expert jam maker...but i've only ever made jams that don't need added pectin just cos i like to keep things simple (like me!)

mainly i make blackcurrant as we've got a bush in the garden and that's naturally high in pectin (isn't it?) or i've made plum jam when a friend had a glut. when i made strawberry as a girl it seemed quite tricky so i've avoided that!

Penelope_Penguin

I've never used pectin, but take your point about saving gas and preserving nutrients.

Where do I buy it, and what does it look like - any chance of a picture?

Thanks Penny. x

odds-n-sods

Its in a bottle by the sugars usually. And homemade jam made with pectin shouldn't taste of anything but the fruit, If you can taste it there is not enough fruit in it or too much pectin. The only preservative in pectin that I have seen is ascorbic acid - vitamin c - and thats in the lemon juice you add.

And for " Once you've got the hang of making jam and you are picking fruit and jaming directly from the garden it shouldn't be necessary.

We think that if you want a product that looks, tastes and has the mouth feel of shop bought high pectin jam then it's cheaper to buy it.

If you want a quality product with a concentrated flavour, the darker colour and more better texture, then making it without additional pectin gives the best results. But if your fruit is past it's best and you suspect that it may not set then pectin is an insurance policy." can I suggest that as you have never tasted my jam or my families' that you get off your high horse and not assume that my jam is inferior to yours or that i am a beginner to jam-making because I 'choose' to use pectin?? My jam is far superior to bought jams of any brand, or any jam I have sampled at a market stall. and I have been making or helping to make jam for over 30 years.

I asked a question to get an answer to not to be insulted.

twink

not sure Ted meant to insult you odds-n-sods, think that was just his opinion

thriftlady_2

twink wrote: »

not sure Ted meant to insult you odds-n-sods, think that was just his opinion

Can't see anything in the least bit insulting in Ted's post either

MrsTinks

I'm not realy sure why you found what Ted say offensive either you asked for our oppinions and as far as I can see that is what Ted gave you? Personally I'd prefer to try and keep my jam as natural as possible because to me it's about knowing exactly what goes in. If I want pectin I'll use lemon or apple which contain it naturally. I tried jam sugar and didn't like it - horses for courses I think
Everyone has their view on it