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 Jelly,
jam, preserves, conserves, marmalades and fruit butters are similar products.
All are made from fruit, preserved by sugar and thickened or gelled to some
extent. To gel properly, sweet spreads must contain the right combination of
fruit, pectin, acid and sugar.
Pectin is what makes jam happen.
It's a natural thickening substance found in many
fruits like
strawberries and apples, etc. Usually fruits that are slightly under ripe are
highest in pectin. This is why many older recipes (ones that you don't add
powdered or liquid commercial pectin) call for ripe fruit and under ripe fruit.
Other fruits, like strawberries, cherries and blueberries,
contain little natural pectin. They must be mixed with other fruits high in
pectin or with commercial pectin products for a gel to form.
Newer recipes that call for added commercial pectin will have
very specific directions. These directions are for the purpose of setting up the
pectin and must be followed to the letter. In most recipes powdered pectin is
added to preserves and jams, and liquid pectin is used in jellies.
 Commercially
frozen and canned juices are low in natural pectin and make soft-textured
sweet spreads. Use only in recipes calling for added pectin. |
For the pectin to set you need both acid and sugar. This is
why you can NOT deviate from the recipe in jam making. Old fashioned recipes
will ask you to cook the mixture to the "jam stage" which is when you spoon some
mixture and let it slide off the spoon. If it is not done it will just run off,
if it is cooked correctly it will slide off, but leave a "sheet" attached to the
spoon.
The right amount of acid is critical to gel formation. With
too little acid, the gel will never set. Too much acid will cause the gel to
lose liquid (weep). If fruits are low in acid, add lemon juice or other acid
ingredients as directed. Commercial pectin products contain enough acid to
ensure gelling.
Sugar helps preserve sweet spreads, contributes flavor and
aids in gelling. Granulated white sugar is most often used to make jelly or jam.
You can replace part of the sugar with corn syrup or honey, but too much masks
the fruit flavor and changes the gel structure. Use tested recipes for replacing
sugar with honey and corn syrup. Don't reduce the amount of sugar in traditional
recipes, because a gel won't form, and yeasts and molds may grow in the sweet
spreads.
Some helpful jam & jelly
making tips:
 | Overcooking jam and jelly can break down pectin and
prevent proper gelling. |
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| Always make only one batch at a time. Making more
than one batch at a time (doubling or tripling the recipe) often
results in soft gels. |
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| Stir constantly while cooking to prevent burning.
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| Remember that recipes are developed for specific
jar sizes. Using larger jars may cause excessively soft sweet spreads.
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MAKING JAMS & JELLIES: If
you plan on making jams and jellies, or doing any canning at home you will need
a good guide to help you along the way. I have used many recipes found on the
recipe guide in the liquid pectin container with great success (My Peach jelly
took many blue ribbons last year. I also use the book "Putting Food By" like a
bible in the kitchen when canning days come!! --
Tami)
The following recipes are usually available
with packaged pectins:
Jellies — Apple,
crabapple, blackberry, boysenberry, dewberry, currant, elderberry, grape, mayhaw,
mint, peach, plum, black or red raspberry, loganberry, rhubarb and strawberry.
Jams — Apricot,
blackberry, boysenberry, dewberry, loganberry, red raspberry, youngberry,
blueberry, cherry, currant, fig, gooseberry, grape, orange marmalade, peach,
pear, plum, rhubarb, strawberry and spiced tomato.
Use the right lids and procedures to
prevent spoilage: Even though
sugar helps preserve sweet spreads, molds can still grow on the surface of these
products unless they are heat-processed. It is not a safe practice to scrape the
mold off the surface of sweet spreads and use what's left in the jar. Poisons
called mycotoxins — known to cause cancer in animals — have been found in some
jars of jelly with surface mold growth. The effects of mycotoxins on humans are
still being researched, so you should discard any sweet spread containing mold
without tasting or sniffing it.
Paraffin or wax seals don't prevent mold growth and are no
longer recommended for sealing any sweet spread, including jelly.
To prevent mold growth and to keep good flavor and color, pour
hot sweet spreads into sterilized jars; leave 1/4-inch headspace. Seal with
two-piece lids, and process as directed. Be sure to use the processing time
recommended for your altitude.
| You
can make jams and jellies with or without added pectin. Only use the
standard method of making sweet spreads — without added pectin — with
fruits naturally high in pectin. It is much faster to make sweet spreads
with added powdered or liquid pectin. For the best results, follow
specific directions on packages of commercial pectins. |
Making jelly without added pectin
Use only firm fruits naturally high in pectin. Mix about
three-fourths ripe and one-fourth underripe fruit. One pound of fruit will
make at least 1 cup of clear juice. Adding peels and cores while the fruit
is cooking will add pectin to the juice and make your jelly firmer. Do not
use commercially canned or frozen fruit juices, because their pectin
content is too low.
Wash all fruits thoroughly before cooking. Cut firm,
larger fruits into small pieces. Crush soft fruits or berries. Add water
to fruits as directed in Table 2. Put fruit
and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring
occasionally, for the amount of time listed or until the fruit is soft.
Press soft fruit lightly through a colander. Then, let
juice drip through a double layer of cheesecloth or a jelly bag. Pressing
or squeezing the cooked fruit will cause cloudy jelly.
Use no more than six cups to eight cups of fruit juice
at a time and combine the right amounts of juice, sugar and lemon juice,
as directed in Table 2. Heat to boiling.
Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Boil over high heat, stirring
frequently, until the gelling point is reached. Test for the gelling point
with one of the following methods:
Temperature test — Use a jelly or candy
thermometer, and boil until mixture reaches the following temperatures at
altitudes of:
Sea level to 1,000 feet — 220 degrees F
1,001 feet to 2,000 feet — 218 degrees F
Sheet or spoon test — Dip a cool metal spoon into
the boiling jelly mixture. Raise the spoon out of the steam, about 12
inches above the pan. Turn the spoon so the liquid runs off the side. The
jelly is done when the syrup forms two drops that flow together and sheet
or hang off the edge of the spoon.
When the gelling point is reached, remove jelly from the
heat and quickly skim off foam. Use a wide-mouth funnel, and pour the
jelly into sterilized jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and
process as directed in Table 1. |
Making jam without added pectin
For best flavor, use fully ripe fruit. Wash and rinse
all fruit thoroughly before cooking. Don't soak. Remove stems, skins and
pits from fruit; cut fruit into pieces and crush. Remove stems and
blossoms and crush berries. Put seedy berries (such as raspberries and
blackberries) through a sieve or food mill. Do not puree fruit — this will
change the acid level and cause a weak gel.
Use the ingredient amounts given in
Table 3 and measure crushed fruit and sugar into a large
saucepan. Bring to a boil while stirring rapidly and constantly. Continue
to boil until the jam thickens. When testing for thickness, remember that
jam continues to thicken as it cools. Test for thickness using one of the
following methods:
Temperature test — Use a jelly or candy
thermometer and boil until jam reaches the right temperature for your
altitude (see directions for jelly).
Freezer test — Remove all the jam from the heat
and pour a small amount of boiling jam on a cold plate. Put the plate in
the freezing compartment of a refrigerator for a few minutes. If the jam
gels, it is thick enough.
When jam is done, remove it from the heat and quickly
skim off foam. Use a wide-mouth funnel to pour the jam into sterilized
jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process as directed. |
Making jelly and jam with added pectin
You may use fresh fruits and juices or commercially
canned or frozen juices ( or a combination) with commercially prepared
powdered or liquid pectins. Complete directions for a variety of fruits
are provided with packaged pectin. Always follow package directions for
combining ingredients.
Jelly or jam made with added pectin requires less
cooking, usually gives a larger yield and has more natural fruit flavor.
In addition, using added pectin eliminates the need to test for doneness.
You may add 1/2 teaspoon of butter or margarine to the
juice and pectin to reduce foaming; however, this may cause off-flavors
during long-term storage. |
TABLE 1:
Recommended processing times for
sweet spreads in a boiling-water canner.
| |
Process time at
different altitudes (in minutes) |
| Product |
Style of pack |
Jar size |
0-1,000 feet |
1,001-6,000 feet |
| All jellies and jams with or
without added pectin |
Hot |
1/2 pints
or pints |
5 |
10 |
| Berry syrup |
Hot |
Half-pints
or pints |
10 |
15 |
| Apple butter |
Hot |
1/2 pints
or pints
Quarts |
5
10 |
10
15 |
TABLE 2:
Making jelly
without added pectin.
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To make juice
|
To make jelly
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| Fruit |
Cups of water to be
added per pound of fruit |
Minutes to simmer
before separating out juice |
Cups of sugar to
add to each cup of strained juice |
Lemon juice
(optional) |
How many 1/2 pints
of jelly yielded from 4 cups of juice |
| Apples, tarts |
1 |
20 to 25 |
3/4 |
1-1/2 tsps.
|
4 to 5 |
| Blackberries, sour |
0 to 1/4 |
5 to 10 |
3/4 to 1 |
none |
7 to 8 |
| Crabapples |
1 |
20 to 25 |
1 |
none |
4 to 52 |
| Grapes, Eastern Concord |
0 to 1/4 |
5 to 10 |
3/4 to 1 |
none |
8 to 9 |
| Plums, not Italian |
1/2 |
15 to 20 |
3/4 |
none |
8 to 9 |
TABLE 3:
Making jam without added pectin.
| |
Cups of crushed
fruit |
Cups of sugar to
add to crushed fruit |
Tablespoons of
lemon juice |
How many 1/2 pints
you will get |
| Apricots |
4 to 4-1/2
|
4 |
2 |
5 to 6 |
| Berries1 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
3 to 4 |
| Peaches |
5-1/2 to 6
|
4 to 5 |
2 |
6 to 7 |
| 1Includes:
blackberries, boysenberries, dewberries, gooseberries, loganberries,
raspberries and strawberries. |
Remaking soft jellies:
Measure jelly to be recooked. Work with no more than 4 to 6
cups at a time.
To remake with powdered pectin: For each quart of
jelly, mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice and 4
teaspoons powdered pectin. Bring to a boil while stirring.
Add jelly and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring
constantly. Boil hard 1/2 minute.
Remove from heat, quickly skim off foam and pour into
sterilized jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust new lids and process the jars
as directed in Table 1.
To remake with liquid pectin: For each quart of jelly,
measure 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons
liquid pectin. Bring jelly only to boil over high heat, while stirring. Remove
from heat and quickly add the sugar, lemon juice, and pectin. Bring to full
rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Boil hard for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Quickly skim
off foam and fill sterilized jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust new lids and
process the jars as directed in Table 1.
To remake without added pectin: For each quart of
jelly, add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice. Heat to boiling and boil for three
to four minutes. Use one of the tests described above to determine if jelly is
done.
Remove from heat, quickly skim off foam and fill sterilized
jars. Leave 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust new lids and process the jars as directed
in
Some information from muextension.missouri.edu
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