Groovychook Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Has anybody got any bright ideas?! For some reason, my blackcurrant jam won't set... It's been boiling away for an age and I'm still nowhere nearer. I've put it in jars for the night and have decided to try again tomorrow. I read online that adding the juice of a lemon and re boiling might do the trick. Just wondered if anyone else has had success with doing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Yes, I have re boiled Jam before and it has set. Did you use Jam sugar? This has added Pectin, so aids the setting for fruits low in Pectin. Lemon Juice will help too. Good Luck. I did some Strawberry Jam last week and it took an age to set. I thought it was too runny still when I put it in the jars but next morning it was just right. Perhaps after a night in the jar, yours might be too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 Thanks Lynda That sounds encouraging! I have to confess that I only partly used jam sugar... didn't have as much as I thought in the cupboard, so made up the rest of the quantity with normal stuff I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that it magically sets overnight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 How is your jam today? Blackcurrant usually sets quite well, I tend to make it with normal sugar. It is often not as runny as you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Blackcurrants have plenty of pectin, so you shouldn't need jam sugar. However, since recipes rely on removing water by boiling, timings are necessarily vague. A couple of days ago, I followed a Good Housekeeping recipe for blackcurrant jam which, after adding the sugar, told me to boil vigorously for 10 minutes to achieve a set. 45 minutes later, I got to the point where the jam would start wrinkling on a chilled saucer. Personally, I'd say that if your jam hasn't set, pop it all back in the pan and get boiling again to reduce the water content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 Thanks for your replies! Well... I've just conducted a jam inspection and... I'm surprised how much it has set overnight! The final jar to be filled is still fairly runny, but there was probably less fruit in that one. The others are really quite jammy! I can tip the jars up and although there's a little movement, it's definitely not runny. I was just about to pile it all back into the jam pan and start boiling again but I think I might leave it be. I've been out & bought some jam sugar for my strawberries though... not going to take any chances with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Brilliant. It amazing what a night in a jar can do. Put some lemon juice in your strawbs. Its a tough one to set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillian richardson Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Hi.i make this regularly for my dad.black currant u dont need pectin as it has it naturally you only really need it for strawberrys...you use normal sugar about same weight as fruit then a squeezed lemon or 2.pop a saucer in freezer if u dont have a thermometer.this means u can check of jam is set or not.if it wont set add another half of lemon juice.i usually add about 2 pr 2 and a half lemons per kilo.its also easier to make in smaller batches x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
