Can anyone tell me how long a homemade pot of jam should last? The OH's grandma gave me a pot she made back in 2003. I have opened it and it looks, smells and tastes fine, but could it be harbouring nasties that I can't see? It isn't in an air tight pot, just had what looked like a circle of grease proof paper on the surface of the jam.
Blackberry and apple if you need to know. :)
You could always try sterilising it in the microwave, just keep an eye on the core temperature using a (sterile) thermometer ... I am guessing you would want to raise the temperature to over 60 deg C to kill any hidden nasties ...
30 second blasts should bring the temperature up nice and steadily ...
Alternatively, just remove the top half inch or so, it should be preserved below that level, or am I just showing my total ignorance here?
Derekthefox :D
EmmaLou rightly or wrongly we carry on eating ours until mould appears on the top....................and even then I have been known to scrape it off and use it for cooking! :o  This did not go down well with the school when I sent daughter in with homemade jam for her tarts and she opened it and the teacher saw mould, which I didn't realise was there, got chucked in the bin!
So really I think it is when mould appears throw it.
Thanks guys!
I am using the jam for sandwiches at the playgroup party, so didn't want to poison anyone.
I have already made them, so can't put them in the microwave. I've never heard of anyone getting ill from jam, but thought I'd check first. I ate some last night and I'm fine now so I'm sure its ok.
If it's covered very closely with a wax circle, it seems to avoid mould.
Much depends, though, on whether or not you've skimped on the sugar. 'Slimming jams', for instance, need to be refridgerated after opening. These days, what doesn't? Seems to be a new craze!!
Well, I certainly hope it lasts longer than 2 years. Some of our jam is getting on for 4. Admittedly it is in lidded jars rather than waxed paper tops. BUt all we ever do if there is mould on it, is scrape the top half inch off and spread the rest on my bread as normal. The whole point of jam making is that sugar is a preserving agent. After all it was and still is used to help wound healing.
Eric - I meant, of course, to press the disc evenly onto the surface & then put the screw top on.
Considering the rate at which you appear to use jam Eric, Anne must make enormous quantities then if you have stocks up to 4 years old !!!
Derekthefox :D
We have jams that are 4 years old also. Once opened, I keep them in the fridge, but before then, a dark cool larder seems to do the trick. I am another mould scraper if it does appear and am still around to tell the tale! ;D
I've got some jam that's 9 years old .... oops, it's spam ! silly me :P
::) ::) ::) ;) scones and spam, there's a thought....not a nice one, but a thought.....
Scrape mould off too.....think I'm OK.. ???
I remember scraping the mould off the bread when I was young, arghh that was the pits, the bread just tasted awful ... I'm sure it gave me brain damage ...
Derekthefox :D
Hi all,
I think... the fungal growth you get on top of badly sealed jam is just the fruiting body and the roots spread through the jam. (like mushrooms) The toxins made by the fungus could theoretically make you ill, and may be related to botulism. So if that was your misfortune that would be very very ill.
Having said that I scrape off the top inch if it doesn`t look right and pour boiling water on the lid then store the jam in the fridge afterwards. And very nice it is too.
I check jars before I give them to friends, and this year I`m saving every single one pound size jar with a metal lid that I can, as my problem only came about because I had more jam than jars to put it in.
Guess who just did a food hygeine course, (but my notes are at work), Col
Oooh you have me worried now, so I have been eating mouldy jams all my life ? Argghhh !!!
Derekthefox :D
I've only been making jam a couple years or so, and do use old jars (when I die, whoever has to sort my stuff is going to find jars hidden all over my house....eccentric or just plain wierd??? ;D) and I've never had a problem with mould. I sterilise my jars in the oven, and seal 'em with a bit of clingfilm. Don't think I'd eat it if it grew mould tho. I won't even eat blue cheese :-\
hi all,
None of my old one pound size jars properly sterilised in the oven, sealed with boiled lids and waxed paper have deteriorated in storage. These were closed when boiling hot. The Kilner style jars I used when I ran out have not been as good These were copies rather than real Kilner brand though.
My blackberry harvest this year was huge after three years of pruning and fussing over previously neglected brambles.
I still have loads in the freezer. I also made strawberry and mixed fruit jams.
I`m saving jars now ready for next year in anticipation of a bumper harvest and I will not be using any that aren`t up to the job.
My recipe is here
http://www.malcbro.demon.co.uk/fruitjelly.htm
Col