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MAKING JAM

There is a great satisfaction in bringing out a jar of homemade jam!  The taste will bring back the memories of summer.  Apart from making a thoughtful gift, the jam quality is better than anything you can buy and you can save money too.  Buy your fruit season and enjoy it all winter.  Making jam is really quite easy if you follow the instructions.  

Sweet, spreadable fruit preserves take many forms.  Here is a description of the most common names:

Conserve: Small pieces or whole small fruit uniformly distributed in a thick sauce.  May include nuts or raisins.

Jam: Crushed fruit cooked with or without sugar and pectin.

Jelly: Fruit juice cooked with or without sugar and pectin.

Marmalade: Citrus peel cooked with fruit juice and sugar.

Preserves: Small or whole pieces of fruit uniformly distributed in a thick sauce.

Spreadable Fruit: Soft, jam-like consistency with reduced sugar content.

Make one recipe at a time ­ DO NOT DOUBLE!!

EQUIPMENT: 
Use a large saucepan of stainless steel or enamel-aluminum is not
recommended.  Never fill more than half the saucepan since boiling jam bubbles and spits near the setting point.  Use only a wooden spoon to stir the jam ­ plastic or metal is not recommended.

Cooked jam is best stored in glass jars.  The paraffin method of sealing is outdated and not recommended.  Use the metal lid and screw cap method using mason jars only.  If you are making freezer (no-cook) glass jars are preferable to plastic containers.  If you plan to give jam away as gifts, think about using some fancy jars to dress it up.  

The size of jar depends on how fast the jam will be consumed later.  Smaller jars may take more time initially, but they make better gifts and once the jam is opened, there is less chance of spoilage if consumed sooner.  Quart jars are not recommended.  

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FRUIT:  
Always buy fresh at the source.  The fruit should be ripe to
slightly underripe, as this is when pectin is at its highest.  Pectin is a
natural gum-like substance in some fruits: when boiled with it forms into a jelly.  Acid helps extract the pectin, brighten the colour, improves the flavor and helps prevent crystallization.  All fruits vary in the amount of pectin and acid.

Fruits High in Pectin & Acid:  Black & Red Currants, Gooseberries

Fruits Low in Pectin & Acid:  Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries

Pectin and acid can be easily added to low-pectin fruits in the form of citrus juice.  You can mix a fruit high in pectin, like apple with one low in pectin.  Therefore, there are two ways to make jam or jelly; naturally (no artificial pectin) or with artificial pectin.

Test for Acid: 
Mix 1 tsp. Lemon juice, 3 tbsp. Water and 1/2 tsp. Sugar.  Taste this mixture and compare it to the taste of your fruit juice.  If juice is sweeter, adjust taste by adding 1 tbsp. Lemon juice to each cup
fruit juice.

Test for Pectin: 
Gently shake 1 tsp. Juice with 1 tbsp. Rubbing alcohol in a
closed container.  DO NOT TASTE.  Adequate pectin is present when mixture forms a jelly-like mass that can be picked up with a fork.  If this does not occur, there is not enough pectin to form a gel.  In such cases, select a recipe with artificial pectin.

The fruit needs to become soft before the sugar is added.  The process of softening breaks down the cell walls of the fruit and releases the pectin.  Generally, the fruit is brought gently to a boil and then allowed to simmer from 30-60 minutes to soften the fruit (for natural method).  Sometimes, extra water is added to prevent burning; the amount needed depends on the water content of the fruit and the quantity in the saucepan.

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SUGAR:
Sugar is very important because it preserves the fruit by retaining
the natural fruit flavour and colour.  It also enables it to set; too little
will prevent the jam from setting, too much will darken and sweeten the jam.  Use granulated, preserving or superfine sugar, as unrefined and raw sugars  will smother the flavour of the fruit.  Light corn syrup or honey will do this too.

Some recipes for natural jams will require the sugar to be warmed.  Warming enables the sugar to dissolve faster and is done when using fruits that need to be boiled for only a short time.  To do this, put it in a baking dish, spread it out and put the dish in a slow oven for 10 minutes.

The golden rule for jam making, is slow and long cooking to soften the fruit before adding sugar.  Then very fast and short cooking as soon as the sugar has dissolved. 

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THE SETTING POINT:  
The setting point is the exact time to finish the cooking.  The jam will not set properly if it does not reach this point.  If the cooking goes beyond this point, the jam will darken and crystallize.

There are three ways to determine the setting point:

Saucer Method: 
Take a small saucer cold from the freezer and drop some jam onto it.  As the jam cools, it should set and crinkle if you push it around.  Turn the plate upside-down.  If the jam still sticks, the setting point is reached.

Spoon Method: 
This test is for jelly only.  Dip a metal spoon into the jam.
Remove and hold the spoon horizontally until the jam is slightly cooled.  Turn the spoon gently.  If the jam falls off in heavy flakes, it is at the setting point.

Temperature Method: 
Use a sugar thermometer.  When the jam reaches 221F, the
setting point is reached.  

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BOTTLING: 
As soon as the setting point is reached, remove the saucepan from
the heat and remove any scum that may have formed.  Allow to stand for 10 ­ 15 minutes so the fruit distributes evenly through the jam.  Pour the jam into clean, sterilized jars.  Sterilize by using the Open kettle method - put clean jars in a canner, cover jars with water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes.

Leave a head space between the top of jam and top of jar: 1/4 inch for half pint glass jar and 1/2 inch for pint jars.  Remove any air bubbles in the jam by inserting a spatula along the sides.  Air bubbles harbor bacteria and can cause discoloration of the surrounding jellied products.  It can also interfere with obtaining an airtight seal.

Water Bath Method

1) Set water bath canner with rack on stove.  Fill with 4-5 inches of water.  Cover and start heating over high heat.  Also start heating additional water in kettle to fill canner after jars are in place.

2) Prepare sugar syrup if using, keep warm but not boiling until ready to use.

3) Prepare fruit; sort, wash and stem.

4) Fill the jars and place each one in canner. Made sure jars do not touch.  Replace cover on canner each time you add a jar.

5) When the last jar has been added, fill canner with boiling water so water is 1-2 inches over top of jars.  Cover canner.  Heat water to a brisk to rolling boil.

6) Start counting the processing time: Pints ­ 15 min., Quarts ­ 20 min.
Adjust heat under canner so water boils gently during entire processing time.  Add boiling water if water level drops.  If boiling stops when you add water, stop counting processing time, turn up heat and wait for a full boil before resuming counting.

7) When time is up, turn off heat.  Carefully remove hot jars with a jar lifter or long-handled tongs. Transfer hot jars to rack to cool out of draft.  Allow air to circulate around jars. Do not cover or turn jars upside down.

8) Do not move jars for 12 hours.  Wash cold and sealed jars.  Wash and dry bands if removing.

9) Date and Label. Store.

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SEALING:
Wipe the jars down, wipe on and inside the rim.  Seal immediately:

Paraffin wax: 
"Home canning has changed over the years.  Paraffin wax is now
considered unsafe." ­ USDA

2-Piece Metal Lids:  
Boil the lids in water on the stove.  Place a boiled metal lid on top of jar and quickly screw band in place just until fingertip tight.  Boiling lids soften the sealing compound.  Always use a new boiled lid, it is only good for one time, but the screw bands can be reused for
years.  Process in water bath 10 minutes.

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STORING: 
After jars have been processed for sealing, do not move jars for 12
hours.  Moving can break the gel, especially jellies.  After 12 hours
cooling, check the seal (sealed lids curve downward).  Remove the screw bands if desired, label and date.  Store in a cool (not subject to freezing), dry, dark place.

SHELF LIFE:
For all your jam, jelly and canned fruit, a 1 year shelf life is about it.  The flavour and quality of berries begins to decrease within a few months.  Once opened, keep refrigerated and consume within 2 weeks for canned fruit and up to 4 weeks for jams and jellies.

GIFTS: 
Any jams, jellies, preserves, etc. are considered gifts of the heart.
For Christmas, to cheer up a friend, a thank you to someone special, or a gift for a teacher, giving something from your kitchen is always appreciated.  You can cover the jars with paper or material and tie it with a ribbon.  Remember, "it's the thought that counts."  It's the time that is appreciated!


MAKING JELLY

A good fruit jelly is bright and clear and set but still a little wobbly.
The fruit taste should be noticeable.  Jam uses crushed fruit but jellies use the strained juice from the cooked fruit that is boiled with sugar to setting point.  It is advisable to read "Making Jam" before embarking on jellies.

Make one recipe at a time  - DO NOT DOUBLE!!

FRUIT: 
The most suitable fruits are currants and gooseberries because they are high in pectin and acid.  The other berry fruits generally need to be mixed with apple if you are making natural jelly  (no artificial pectin).  The fruit should be fresh and just underripe.  As the yield is much less in jellies, buying the fruit in bulk or at reduced prices make it more economical.

Wash the fruit carefully, but don¹t worry about twigs or stems since the pulp is going to be strained.  The fruit is cooked in water first, the quantity depending on the water content of the fruit (each recipe should tell you).  Cooking is done slowly for about an hour until the fruit is very tender.  In order to obtain a jelly, the fruit has to be broken down so that the acid and pectin are dissolved in the water.

Use no more than 6-8 cups of juice per jelly recipe to ensure proper gel.

STRAINING: 
The easiest method of straining is to use a jelly bag which will
drop into a large bowl.  They are not very expensive and can be reused.  The bag should be scalded before using.  If not, use a strainer with three layers of cheesecloth or a clean linen dish cloth and place the strainer over a large bowl.  Pour in hot prepared fruit.  Tie the cheesecloth or top of bag closed, hang and let drip into bowl (remove colander) until dripping stops.  Or tie the cheesecloth or bag to the legs of an upside-down stool with a bowl underneath.

Using Juice Concentrate: 
Another way is to juice the fruit in a hot, steam-type juicer.  The advantage to this is that the concentrate can be made, sealed in hot sterilized jars and stored until you have more time to make the jelly.  Do not add sugar.

SUGAR: 
Measure the juice as you transfer it from the bowl to the saucepan.
You will need exactly the same number of cups of sugar.  The juice is slowly brought to a boil and then the sugar is added. Stir as the sugar dissolves.  When it has dissolved, boil as rapidly as possible without stirring.

It should take about 10 minutes to reach setting point, do not boil too long.  Jelly is an exact science; cooking too long or not long enough, too little or too much sugar or pectin or acid will cause the jelly to be either too soft or too stiff.  Use the same methods as for jam making to determine the set.

Bottling, sealing and storing are all the same as for making jam except that to seal the jelly, it must be either hot or cold, not warm.

"WHERE DID I GO WRONG?"  JAMS & JELLY FACTS

Bernardin of Canada, Limited

SEAL FAILURE is most often the result of failure to process the finished product for the appropriate time.  Other reasons include chipped or cracked jars, failure to follow manufacturer's directions for using specific closures, i.e. boiling lids to soften sealing compound an d applying screw bands just until fingertip tight,
Food particles left on jam rim, and using lids more than once.

MOLD is due to imperfect seals, unsterilized jars and lids, warm and damp storage.  Discard jellied products with extensive mold.  If a jellied product displays only a very small amount of mold, scrape off the mold plus 1 inch of the product underneath.  If in doubt, throw it out.

FERMENTATION is due to imperfect seals, inadequate sugar levels, failure to process finished product and improper storage. Microorganisms that cause fermentation survive in the jar, growing over a period of time, fermenting the product.  Throw it out.

BUCKLING LIDS are the result of applying screw bands too tightly ­ no give between lids and screw bands.  The build up of pressure inside the jars can be so great that lids buckle or bend out of shape.  Over tightening screw bands can also result in jars breaking during processing.

DISCOLORED FRUIT is fruit at the top of a jar that turns brown.  Air left in the jar permits oxidation which turns the fruit off-colour.  The causes are insufficient syrup covering the fruit or too much head-space left in jar or jars not processed long enough to destroy enzymes.

FLOATING FRUIT is fruit that floats to the top of the jar so that the bottom inch or so shows syrup only.  The cause is syrup that is too heavy or packing fruit too loosely in jar or packing raw (unheated) fruit in jar.  Hot packing helps to force air out of the tissues of the fruit and will help limit floating, discoloration of fruit and increases the vacuum obtained in a jar and allows you to put more fruit in the jars.

TOO STIFF JAM & JELLY is due to too much pectin in proportion to acid and sugar or cooking no-added-pectin products too long.  Nothing can be done for pectin-added preserves. It¹s not feasible to do them over with more liquid, however, they may still be tastier than store-bought.

TOO SOFT JELLY results from cooling too long, when recipe is doubled and boiling time goes beyond the ideal time limit, cooking too slowly for too long a time, too much sugar, too little sugar or pectin or acid or not cooking long enough.  Sometimes you can salvage such jelly by cooking it over.

WEEPING JELLY is partial separation of liquid from other ingredients.  This is caused by too much acid, jelling too fast, or storage is too warm.  Check seals and make sure there is not mold or fermentation.  Move product to a cool, dark, dry place.  This should prevent problems from getting worse.  Weeping jelly is still usable; just before serving, decant the jelly (pour off liquid).

RUNNY JAM results from undercooking, too little pectin, or improper proportions of fruit and sugar.  Jam isn't supposed to be as firm as jelly, so if jam is only a little looser than you'd like it to be, don't bother to remake it.  If jam is really thin, try one of the too soft jelly remedies on one jar.  If the test jar doesn¹t turn out right, make sure all the remaining seals are intact and that storage is in a cool, dark and dry place.  Then mark the remaining jars to use as sweet dessert topping.

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