Jam Help Please

[goboenomo]

I picked up a pack of Certo pectin crystals today, just for fun. I figured I may as well make a jam. Would you recommend an uncooked jam, or a cooked jam? What are the difference in outcome? I was thinking about doing a strawberry banana jam.

Thanks

[VeraBlue]

I always do cooked jam. Not sure how the bananas will hold to the heat/cooking process.

[Uncle Bob]

Unless you plan to eat it all in the next few days...You need to cook/process/can etc. the jam....bananas??? FWIW...I've never seen or heard of banana jam.

[mcnerd]

Use the recipes in the pectin box. Pectins are designed for specific uses and cannot be interchanged and require cooking except for the freezer pectin. The regular jams and jellies, if not properly canned in a Boiling Water Canner, must be refrigerated.

Yes, there is a Banana Jam, which also includes orange juice and lemons for the acidity. I will see if I can find a modern recipe and post it.

[goboenomo]

This sheet that came inside the package says...

No-Cook Jam - strawberry banana - 3 cups crushed strawberry, 1 cup crushed banana, 3 cups granulated sugar, 1 box of pectin crystals.

There is no recipe listed for a cooked jam with banana.

[mcnerd]

Here's a Freezer Jam using Bananas from the Ball Blue Book of Preserving:

Banana-Strawberry Freezer Jam

3 large Bananas -- with peel
3 cups crushed strawberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pouch Freezer Jam Pectin

Preheat over to 400° F

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place bananas on baking sheet; do not peel. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool.

Peel and crush bananas. Measure 1 cup crushed bananas.

Combine bananas, strawberries and sugar in a medium bowl. Let stand 15 minutes.

Gradually stir in freezer pectin into fruit mixture. Stir 3 minutes; let stand 5 minutes.

Ladle jam into can-or-freezer jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Adjust 2-piece lids if used. Label and freeze.

Source: "Ball Blue Book, page 94"
Yield: "5 half-pints"

[mcnerd]

Here's a canned version:

Banana Jam

12 cups sliced bananas -- (about 20 medium)
6 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups orange juice
3 strips orange peel
6 strips lemon peel
2 sticks cinnamon
6 whole cloves

In a large kettle, combine sliced bananas with sugar, orange juice, orange and lemon peels, cinnamon and cloves. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Boil rapidly 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, fill Boiling Water Canner with water and bring to a simmer (180° F) and use it to heat the canning jars so they will be ready to accept hot jam. Use seperate pan of water to heat flat lids (no need to boil).

When jam is thick, remove from heat and ladle immediately into sterilized canning jars. Fill to within 1/8-inch of the top. Screw 2-piece caps on evenly, finger-tight.

Place jars on to canner rack in canner as each jar is filled. When all jars are in, make sure there is 1"-2" of water above the tops of the jars. Place cover on canner and crank up the heat to medium-high and bring water to a rolling boil. Boil for 10 minutes, maintaining the rolling boil the whole time.

Turn off heat, remove lid and allow canner to cool down for approximately 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner, setting upright on a dry towel or cutting board to cool. leave 1-2 inches between jars for air circulation. Do NOT tighten bands or turn jars upside down. Let jars cool naturally for 12-24 hours.

Check for seal. Remove ring (no longer needed), wash jars of any food remnants, label and store.

Yield: "5 pints"

[goboenomo]

Sweet, these sound pretty good. Thanks for posting them.

[zzrdvark]

Thanks for the recipes!