Topic: Jammin'

[Pixie]

Okay never made Jam on my own before but I have made it with my Nan when I was about 6 and my grandad has given me her jam bucket  ??? I don't remember what to do!

any tips welcome I have an abundance of plums and the blackberries have also started ripening. Way to many for pies!

I have also saved all the jars we use in the house for Jam.

Sam

[Toots]

First make sure you have sound  glass jars and sterilize them with a solution or by boiling,or baking in oven.

Make sure you have covers that are a good seal.cover immediately jar is filled.

Do not over boil especially once sugar is in.

For fruits low in pectin for a set apples are often added.

Test the jam for a set by putting a tsp on a cold plate,let cool a bit and push with finger, when it should wrinkle up.

Plum Jam....for recipe go to preserves on R4A

toots ;D

[Pixie]

Thanks Toots

I really will have to make the time and visit r4a

Sam

[Mrs Ava]

Made my plum jam toots - thanks for the recipe!  Father-in-law has just bought a new piece of land with a lovely Victoria plum tree which is aboslutely weighed down eith fruit, so heavy in fact, several large boughs have broken!  Seemed only fair on the tree to lighten it's load and bring a bag full home to make some jam!  ;D



Jams made to date - plum, cherry, grape, marrow and ginger.  Fruit in freezer to make jam, elderberriers, bluckcurrants, tutti fruitti (all damaged fruits mixed together!), damsons.  Waiting for blackberries/brambles, crab apples and rowans to ripen  ;D

[MissBaritone]

My all purpose recepie for jam

3lb fruit
3Lb jam sugar
4 tablesppons lemon juice.

Put fruit in a pan with lemon juice. gently cook over a low heat fo 10 mins until fruit has  softened. Add sugar and continue cooking over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring jam to a rolling boil for 4 minutes (or until setting point is reached. Remove pan from heat and skim off any surface scum with a slotted spoon. Pot and Seal

You can use ordinary sugar but jam sugar is much more failsafe  especially regarding setting if your fruit is low in pectin. I also find it much quicker.

[Debs]

I shall be making some Apple and Blackberry jam as it is yummy
and easy to do.

Most jam recipes follow the same principles.

Hot tip from Delia (strawberry jam) is to cover strawbs with sugar and leave overnight as this draws out the juice and helps to keep the fruit shape so that the jam has nice whole fruity pieces. :P