Microwave Jam Advice Please.

[Emagggie]

I have made some most delicious strawberry jam in the microwave this week. It was so easy and not as messy as the pan method.
I seem to remember someone telling me that microwave jam doesn't keep as well as traditionally made.

Please can anyone tell me if this is so before I make any more? I have picked loads more strawbs and raspbs and blackcurrants thismorning and I'm itching to make jam ;D

[Emagggie]

[grawrc]

I checked my GH microwave book but it doesn't say anything about how long it will keep. What I like about it is the lovely fresh, fruity flavour and I just make it as required from frozen fruit. You can't really do that with strawberries though.

[Emagggie]

Thanks Anne. It doesn't refer to keeping qualities in my microwave book either and I've had a quick Google so I shall carry on regardless ;D

[tomatoada]

My M/W jam keeps ok for just over a year before it is used up.  I would keep it longer if I needed to.
By the way do you add water when you make it?

[redcoat]

I've always been nervous of trying jam in the microwave.  Visions of it all boiling over, I'm afraid.  All recipes say a 'large microwavable bowl', but what is 'large'?

Also, pyrex or plastic?

[tomatoada]

I use a large pyrex bowel and use 2lb fruit with 2lb sugar.  I do stir every 5-10 mins when it has heated up.

[grawrc]

I don't add water, just fruit, sugar and lemon juice. I use a standard baking bowl size of bowl so quite large but I only make small quantities of jam i.e. 500g fruit 500g sugar 2 tbs lemon juice. Actually I usually cut the sugar a bit but the recipe says 500g.

Usually I use one of those trad old brown mixing bowls but I sometimes use a plastic bowl. It's also fine.

[aussiedigger]

I've never tried microwave jam but sounds ideal.... strawberries coming out of our ears.  I usually freeze them and make jam in the winter but freezer is chocker at the moment with rhubarb waiting to me made into chutney/crumble etc.

Do you use 'jam sugar' or just ordinary?

What power level for the microwave?

How long do you put it on for?

How often do you stir?

How do you know when it's done?

Thanks!!   ;D

[lillian]

I use a large pyrex bowel and use 2lb fruit with 2lb sugar.  I do stir every 5-10 mins when it has heated up.

Do you cover the  bowl?

[grawrc]

I use whatever sugar I have - so normally bog standard granulated. I warm the sugar in microwave or oven first. Then microwave approx 500g frozen fruit on high for 4 minutes stirring several  times to ensure even thawing.
Add the warmed sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and microwave on high for 5 minutes until sugar dissolved (stir several times during cooking).
Microwave on high for 13 minutes stirring occasionally until setting point is reached. I test this by putting a tsp of jam on a cold saucer in the fridge and seeing if it wrinkles when pushed. You could I suppose use a jam thermometer but trickier in the microwave.

I don't cover the bowl.

[macmac]

I made microwave jam for the first time last week and it's fab !
I used preserving sugar because I had a bag.
Blackcurrant was 500g fruit and 500g sugar with juice of a lemon.Put the fruit in on high for 4/5 mins then stir in the fruit.The recipe said full power (my microwave is 800 but the recipe didn't specify) for 20mins but the result was a bit stiff but still delish.I did the same with strawbs and they took longer but still good.
I stirred halfway through and did the usual cold saucer wrinkle test.-a bit like whistling in the wind for me as even with a sugar thermometer I can still get it wrong ;D
In the past I've made some dreadful jam too stiff ,too runny etc but the good thing about this is you only make a couple of jars each time so a disaster would only be a little disaster. :)
Use a BIG bowl as the straws did bubble over a bit but unlike on the stove the microwave is a doddle to clean  ;)

[aussiedigger]

Thanks for all the tips, I'll give it a go ... fingers crossed it will turn out delicious!  ;)

[Emagggie]

My recipe says to add a teaspoon of butter too (500g recipe). No water and don't cover. 3 litre bowl is best. I did wonder whether a plastic one would melt with the heat of the sugar but as Grawc has confirmed it doesn't that's good news.

[jennym]

Jam will keep if it;s got about 65% sugar in it at the end of making. I know this sounds like a lot, but, really its necessary for the preserving process. It doesn't really matter how you cook it, as long as the sugar is evenly distruibutred througout thew jam
If you consider that you start off with fruit that probably contains 5 to 10% sugar anyway, then you add the same weight of sugar as weight of fruit, then you cook it and so some water evaporates off, it's areasonable assumption that you'lll end up withy approx the right ammount of sugar to preserve it properly.
Excuse typos please, no glasses, they;re broken at present  ;D

[Emagggie]

Thanks jennym. Jamming tomorrow.

How about a nice pink plaster to hold the specs together? ;D

[zigzig]

I think that microwaving jam is best for small quantities.

A pound of fruit and a pound of sugar.

A bit like 'Jacket Potatoes' I would heat up one potato in the microwave  for myself. Yet for several people I would use a conventional oven.It takes 45 minutes in the oven for one or plenty/several potatoes.

Much the same with Jam.

Dont be scared. If it does not set. You can boil it up again

Berries such as black red or white usually have enough natural pectin. So your jam will be set

The fruit seeds have the pectin in.

Up to you to sort your own needs out with this.

I will help if I can but think the above instructions are more than historyith).'''''

[lillian]

Just made my 1st pot of jam ever and it's the best I've ever tasted ;D It's so simple.....

I  am never going to buy another pot of jam again.

[Emagggie]

I've now made several batches of jam and passed the recipe and instructions on to several interested pals. ;D

[PurpleHeather]

As I have a ceramic hob I wont make jam on it in case it boils over.

I use the microwave all the time for jam and make it in small batches because I am not able to eat wheat. Jam lasts for ever for me as I can not eat proper bread.

In my cupboard though is a jar of jam I made in 2009  No mould and it looks all right.

Microwave jam is for small quantities so to be honest why not freeze the fruit and use it for jam as you need it?

Jam looses flavour  much faster than making fresh batches from frozen fruit a little at a time.

In the olden times they did not have freezers so made tons of jam and bottled fruit to last over the lean winter months. We have freezers and yes they are costly to run but I prefer to have a couple of freezers than preserve my fruit and veg in the old fashioned way.

A personal choice that others may not share.

[Emagggie]

Which reminds me...I was given a recipe for 'freezer jam' from a fellow plotter.No cooking at all. Not tried it yet though.