4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Cinnamon]

I have never made Jam before,but found a very simple recipe in the newspaper yesterday so thought I would give it a bash.

The local Berkshire strawberries were half price in Tesco,so I got those.Had to hunt for Jam sugar which was sold out everywhere..........................

 

So, I have only just read the instructions properly & it says I need a preserving pan,which I have not got

I do have a big stainless stock pot - will that do,or do I need to go & beg,borrow or steal a jam pot from somewhere?

[Mrs Frugal]

The stockpot will be fine, Sarah. That's what I used for years before I got a big preserving pan. So long as it is heavy enough to cope with pretty high temperatures, you'll be fine .

 

Good luck! Your jam will be delicious and will knock spots off the shop bought stuff!!

[Cinnamon]

Thanks for that Kate, & keep your fingers crossed for me today!

 

I am also going to put in a request on Freecycle for a preserving pan,so I might get one ready for future batches

[Mrs Frugal]

They are really useful if you can get hold of one, Sarah. I've seen lots for a couple of pounds at car boot sales so you may be in luck .

[Nicola H]

I always use my big stock pan to make jam, I am sure it will be fine just make sure it reaches the right temperature so you get a nice soft set before putting it in the jars. All is not lost if it doesn't set properly it will still taste good I quite like runny jam............

[Mrs Frugal]

So do I Nicola - makes a good sauce for ice cream .

[little chickadee]

That's what I'm doing with my strawberry jam disaster!!!

[missuscluck]

If you have jars with lids make sure you heat the jars in the oven and put the jam in hot. Hold them with a t towel or similar so you dont burn your fingers. Screw them up tight straght away and you will get a good vacume when it cools. The jam will keep far longer and you wont get any mould forming.

Good luck Sarah

[Guest]

I make mine in my (MR fastbake) breadmaker, it only makes one jar at a time but I can just bung it all in and leave it to it.

 

300g soft fruit

220g preserving sugar

3 tbsps lemon juice

 

setting number 9

 

I've made a few jars of strawberry jam over the last cple of days and it is delicious, especially on home made bread

[Guest]

If you have jars with lids make sure you heat the jars in the oven and put the jam in hot. Hold them with a t towel or similar so you dont burn your fingers. Screw them up tight straght away and you will get a good vacume when it cools. The jam will keep far longer and you wont get any mould forming.

Good luck Sarah

 

I just wash my jars in soapy water and then rinse under a cold tap and then bung them in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes, that will sterilise them just as well. Mind you, I only do a couple of jars at a time

[Guest]

So do I Nicola - makes a good sauce for ice cream .

 

or stirred through plain yoghurt, your very own fruit corner, so to speak! Or a blob in your porridge?

[Jules.]

Poet you have reminded me that my bread maker makes jam too!

I need to have a go soon.

[Abbey Road Girl]

Thanks, Poet, for the tip on using the microwave to sterilise the jars. Can anyone tell me what difference there is between caster/granulated sugar and preserving sugar?

 

I have become used to using the "blonde" type of sugar.

[Cinnamon]

I wondered what the difference between Jam sugar & Preserving sugar is?

I could get Preserving sugar everywhere yesterday,but Jam sugar had all sold out

 

I sterilize my fars in the dishwasher,on an intensive wash.

They come out piping hot,so I guess they must be pretty sterile

 

Jam is now made,smelling divine & cooling a bit before I jar it up. I will take a piccy if I remember

[Charlottechicken]

It tells you about the different types of sugar ***here***

 

Other sugars are listed to the left of the explanation

[Guest]

preserving sugar has pectin in it, if you use granulated sugar you'd have to add pectin seperately.

[Cinnamon]

 

TA-DAA !!!

 

its still very runny,but smells wonderful

[Guest]

looks lovely, love the labels! I find strawberry jam firms up over a few days in the fridge. It's never going to be as firm as shop bought strawberry jam because they add gelatin and other things to make it set better, but it tastes better than shop bought jam!

 

I find if you chop up your strawbs quite small, it helps to make it a bit thicker.

[Cinnamon]

Thanks for the chopping tip Poet.

Most of them were small anyhow,& I am happy that even though they were bought at Tesco,they are local Berkshire strawbs

 

Its deeper in colour than my usual strawberry jam (Bonne Maman), & I can wait to try it on a crumpet in a day or so

[Guest]

weather and time permitting, we're going here to get our fruits this year as our fruit bushes/trees aren't established enough yet

 

http://www.eddisbury.net/acatalog/Pick_Your_Own.html

 

must check with them to see if the goosegogs are ready yet

[Lesley]

preserving sugar has pectin in it, if you use granulated sugar you'd have to add pectin seperately.

 

Preserving Sugar has large crystals which dissolve more easily than granulated and forms less scum when boiling. Fruits with low pectin (like strawberries) would need pectin adding, or apple, to make a firmer set.

 

Jam Sugar has added pectin and you only have to boil most jams for 4 minutes to reach setting point..

 

I always use Jam Sugar as the saving on time makes up for the cost

 

The jam looks lovely Sarah

[Guest]

sorry, got my facts back to front.

[Abbey Road Girl]

Thanks, everybody--a very informative and useful thread!

[missuscluck]

Mine go through the dishy as well Sarah! I usually make jam/chutney in large quantitys. If I time it right they are ok straght from the dishwasher but I never do, so its in the oven for them.

[chickencam]

I use my big stainless steel stock pot for jam.

 

We make loads every year because we have a lot of raspberries, gooseberries and redcurrants and 2 blackcurrant bushes in the garden.

 

Mixed fruit jams are really yummy, I just bung in whatever is ripe.

 

I use jam sugar for strawberry and raspberry because you don't have to boil it for long only about 4 minutes so the fruit keepsit fresh colour and flavour. I use normal granulated for anything with a large proportion of gooseberries or currants in it because they have a high pectin content and set on their own.

 

We always have runny strawberry jam but it keeps really well 2 years is the longest we have tried and that was only when a jar got pushed to the back of the drawer in the garage where we store our jam.

 

It is important is you want jam to keep well to use hot jars straight from the oven and then jam straight off the hob still boiling. If you let it cool you risk condensation forming in the jars which can promote mould growth of fermentation.

 

We use wax discs on top of the jam then cellophane seals with lids on top, may seem a bit belt and braces but out of hundreds of jars made we have only ever had one mouldy one