CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Kind of Terminology/English question. What is what? How would you explain to Non-English/Non-American person (me) which one is which?
Speaking of "jam, jellies, preserves"
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Jellies are made from fruit juices and contain no fruit solids. They are clear like Jell-O.
Jams are made with the whole fruit. They contain the juice and fruit solids.
Preserves are jams that contain larger pieces of fruit.
Jams are made with the whole fruit. They contain the juice and fruit solids.
Preserves are jams that contain larger pieces of fruit.
OP
OP
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
So in Jams then, the fruit is completely pureed (sp?), right?
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
No, there are smaller pieces of fruit in jams. Ther pieces aer larger in preserves.
OP
OP
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Hm, now I am even more confused. Just went to look at some strawberry preserve I had on hand. There are no pieces of anything in it. But on the jar, it says “strawberry preserve”
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
The definitions I gave you are what is considered to be reasonable definitions.
There is no standard for the size of pieces of fruit in a jar of preserves or jams. One company may call it a jam and another may call it a preserve.
There is no standard for the size of pieces of fruit in a jar of preserves or jams. One company may call it a jam and another may call it a preserve.
OP
OP
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
That actually helps. If I call something wrong name, I'll just blame some company. 
Let me confuse you a little further!!
I'm an Australian, so my definitions vary somewhat from the American definitions.
A fruit jelly is made from the juice of the fruit and sugar, so you end up with a smooth, almost clear product. It is otherwise made in the same way as a jam, and it's used much like jam is used. The other kind of jelly is made from coloured gelatine and is usually served as a dessert - or to tonsillectomy patients!
A jam may or may not have lumps in it, depending on how small you chop the fruit pieces, and how they break down during the cooking process. I tend to prefer non-lumpy jams, so I often put the cooked jam through the food processor (briefly) for a smoother product, then reboil before bottling. For marmalades, I strain out the peel - and that means I end up with a 'marmalade jelly'. A jam is also much thicker in consistency than a jelly, and it always has fruit pieces in it, not just the juice.
Preserves in my part of the world can be either a jam - smooth or lumpy depending on who makes it (usually commercially-produced) - but mostly it is home-preserved bottled fruit - what the Americans call 'canned'. Fruit in a bottle covered in syrup then hot-water-bathed to seal on the lids.
Then you get conserves. Always a jam, but mostly a smooth, non-lumpy one. If a berry conserve, the seeds have usually been removed, so it's more like a very thick jelly than a jam - but it uses the fruit, not just the juice.
I'm an Australian, so my definitions vary somewhat from the American definitions.
A fruit jelly is made from the juice of the fruit and sugar, so you end up with a smooth, almost clear product. It is otherwise made in the same way as a jam, and it's used much like jam is used. The other kind of jelly is made from coloured gelatine and is usually served as a dessert - or to tonsillectomy patients!
A jam may or may not have lumps in it, depending on how small you chop the fruit pieces, and how they break down during the cooking process. I tend to prefer non-lumpy jams, so I often put the cooked jam through the food processor (briefly) for a smoother product, then reboil before bottling. For marmalades, I strain out the peel - and that means I end up with a 'marmalade jelly'. A jam is also much thicker in consistency than a jelly, and it always has fruit pieces in it, not just the juice.
Preserves in my part of the world can be either a jam - smooth or lumpy depending on who makes it (usually commercially-produced) - but mostly it is home-preserved bottled fruit - what the Americans call 'canned'. Fruit in a bottle covered in syrup then hot-water-bathed to seal on the lids.
Then you get conserves. Always a jam, but mostly a smooth, non-lumpy one. If a berry conserve, the seeds have usually been removed, so it's more like a very thick jelly than a jam - but it uses the fruit, not just the juice.
Banana Brain
Sous Chef
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- Apr 28, 2006
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Yeah. And preserves are the best. Or "real fruit" spreads, which is just pretty much mashed berries.Andy M. said:
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
There is a product, Polaner All Fruit, that annoys me. They make a big deal about the fact that it's all fruit with no sugar added.
Take a moment to read the label. You think you're buying a particular fruit product and find instead that there are apple and pear juices as the most prevalent ingredients. They're there for their sugar content. The fruit on the label you thought you were getting is the third or fourth ingredient on the list!
Jams and preserves are supposed to be made with fruit and sugar. Small amounts of pectin and citric acid are added for thickening and color retention. I look for jams and preserves that have the label fruit as the first ingredient and the only fruit in the ingredient list.
I feel better now.
Take a moment to read the label. You think you're buying a particular fruit product and find instead that there are apple and pear juices as the most prevalent ingredients. They're there for their sugar content. The fruit on the label you thought you were getting is the third or fourth ingredient on the list!
Jams and preserves are supposed to be made with fruit and sugar. Small amounts of pectin and citric acid are added for thickening and color retention. I look for jams and preserves that have the label fruit as the first ingredient and the only fruit in the ingredient list.
I feel better now.
