Topic: jam jam jam jam jam

[aquilegia]

I keep wanting to make jam but have no idea where to start.

Can I use any fruit?

How much sugar should I add?

Anything else?

How big should the saucepan be for, say, one pound of fruit?

Do I need to do something special with the jars?

[Mrs Ava]

I make jellies and jams like mad - daughter likes jelly, I love jam!  Have you been on recipes 4 all?  There are lots of jam recipes in the pickling/preserving section.

As for jars, I save my own jars, wash and sterilise in a hot oven.  I either buy new lids (there is a link to a company on the other site) or I use those celephane jam pot covers you can buy - get loads for just a couple of quid.

You can buy preserving pans, but unless you are planning on making gallons of the stuff, a regular good heavy saucepan will do the trick.  I have both, but find the saucepan more easy on my rubbish cooker.  I also have a themometer, but in the past, with 'other fruits', not berries, I have found that by the time the jam has reached setting point, it has either burnt, or as it cools it reverts to a crystalized sugary lump - totally useless!  Good test is a couple of saucers in the freezer, then a dollop of jam onto one and see if it sets to the firmness you want.

I have found a couple of greengage trees, and today picked a bag full of blackberries and elderberries, so you know who will be jamming in Essex this afternoon!  :P

[Moggle]

I followed the recipe of a packet of jam sugar and it was simply equal amounts of berries and jam sugar, and I made raspberry jam using that recipe. I'm sure i saw other postings on here where people made strawberry jam using the same recipe.

My mum used to sterilise jars for jam in the microwave (any jars she'd saved), half filling them and then giving them a couple of minutes, you can do a bunch at a time, the water has to boil.

I couldn't be bothered to boil mine properly so I washed jars and lids, rinsed them, then put them in the sink and then poured boiling water from the kettle over them - enough to cover them. Just as I was about to put the jam in to jars, I picked the jars out of the hot water with a spoon, and put them right way up on a tea towel on the bench, the heat makes them dry by the time you pour the jam in.

I expect the jam won't keep for as long as long this way, but I don't expect it to last that long - I'm going to eat it  ;D :P

I'd definitely advise the use of jam sugar rather than normal sugar, it's so much easier, and ensures a decent set.

[Wicker]

I'm with you on that Moggle.  Been making jam/jelly every conceivalbe way for years but now use jam sugar all the time. Somethimes I layer the fruit (chopped or not as preferred) with the sugar in a bowl and leave for 24 hours then cook as normal. Thats Fruit Conserve apparently and should need less boiling anyway but with the jam sugar you only boil for about 4 minutes so the flavour stays much fresher I think and it's not "influenced" by lemon etc.  Always use wax rounds and celophane covers but keep the oringal lids and once I take the wax round etc off I use the oringal jam jar lid.

All this is my own opinion of course ;)  God I sound such an "old woman" - which I am of course but you know what I mean  ;D

[MissBaritone]

Once again My all purpose recipie for jam

3lb fruit
3Lb jam sugar
4 tablespoons 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.

[Wicker]

A nutmeg size piece of butter added when jam starts to boil helps to prevent any/or as much scum forming.

[aquilegia]

I'm going to give it a go.

I wonder how blackberry and strawberry will work. (My strawbs are too tiny to bother eating and there are loads of blackberries near where I ride!)

[Doris_Pinks]

In the weekend paper, there was a piece that said Blackberry, Damson and Apple jam was one of the best, so now looking for blackberries! (2 parts berries, 2 parts damson and one part Apple, if I remember correctly!)
My kids love bramble jelly, and lucky for me, Mr Pinks loves picking em!