About Making Jam

If you've never made jam before, don't worry, it's pretty easy to do. If the fruit is high in pectin, a natural substance that helps the fruit jell, it can be boiled with a sweetener and a bit of acid until it reaches the thickness desired. If the fruit is low in pectin, powdered or liquid pectin is added to help the jam set. Measure carefully, stir frequently to avoid scorching, and test often to see if the jam has reached the jelling point.

Testing for the jelling point

This is not complicated. Simply place a small spoonful of jam on a small plate and put the plate in the freezer for 1 minute. Take it out and draw your finger through the middle of the pool of jam. if the surface wrinkles and the channel left by your finger stays divided, your jam is ready. You may have to do this a few times when you're just starting. If you've already done one test and think that the mixture is close to the jelling point, remove it from the heat while you do the test to prevent it from overcooking.

The amount of time it takes to get to the jelling point for each batch of jam can vary tremendously. The amount of time is affected by the type of fruit, the ripeness of the fruit, and even the amount of rain that fell during the growing season. It is affected by how well your pot conducts heat, the temperature of your stove, and whether your pot is low and wide or narrow and high. Because of the variability, cooking times may not be listed in all recipes.

Don't forget this is not Jell-O, you should be able to drizzle the jam over a hot biscuit. If the jam is too soupy, put it all back in the pot and cook a little longer. Conversely, rock-solid jam can be heated with more water to thin it if necessary.

Storing Jams and Marmalades

Jam ladled into sterilized jars can be stored in the refrigerator of up to 3 months. (To sterilize jars, submerge them in boiling water for 10 minutes.) The boiling water bath method of preserving jam is the most practical, because the jars will keep at room temperature for up to a year. So you won't have to worry about refrigerator space until the jar is opened. If you are still new to jam making, don't worry about the number of steps involved with the water bath. This process is relatively short and simple.


I've added a link to a great site that shows how to make jam.