Making Jam

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debbie_7155

Assistant Cook
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Messages
28
Location
UK/Lincoln
Hi im thinking of making some jam as i have quite alot of fruit mainly berry types in my freezer from picking in my garden last year,

i have never done jam before, so im not sure how to make it & what other ingredients i need..like the type of sugar ?
& do i need to buy a thick copper pan for making jam?

whats the best thing to preserve the jam into after?, do i have to steralise the bottles ?

& how do i seal the lids ?
thank you:)
 
thanks thumpershere2 for that great link

ive allways thought id need a copper pan for cooking the fruit, proper jam sugar for sweetness

is vaccuming the lids hard to do ?
 
When you put the hot jam into the jars and put the lids on (remember not to overtighten) the heat will seal the jars and as they cool they will vacuum themselves tight. Its as simple as that.
 
oh wow ty Alix, it all makes sense to me now, i just wanted to make sure i would be doing the right thing before i make a start on it
 
Another great resource is the Ball Blue Book. It is the canning bible. You can usually find it wherever you buy your canning supplies, but you can also get it in book stores and online. Here is a page where you can find it.
 
To make strawberry jam I use:
6 C crushed strawberries
4 C sugar
Allow to set for a couple hours or overnight
Cook and stir constantly on high for a few minutes and add 2/3 C fresh lemon juice. Jams burn very easily so you must stir all the time.
Cook until the jam slides off a spoon. Fill pt mason jars to 1/2" put on lid and ring.Buy a funnel to make it easier to fill without spilling. Wipe the top of the jar as it will not seal properly if there is any jam on the rim. They will make pop sound when sealed.

I am a non user of Certo or Sure-Gel. I use a similar recipe for peach, plum, berries or a combination. In peach jam I sub one cup of honey for a cup of sugar.

You can use most any heavy bottom pan. I use a 10-12C stew pot.
 
Thank you GB & Swann for your replies,

this might sound like a stupid question, but what do you mean by a ring?
can i not use jam jars that have once had jam in from the super markets & use those lids ?
or are their shops that supply what i need for making jam in ?
 
No you can not use those already used jars. You need to buy jars, rings, and lids that are specific to canning. Most any supermarket will carry them. Ball is one of the big names. the other big name escapes me right now.

I would highly recommend getting the Ball Blue Book before attempting to can anything because if you do it wrong then it can be dangerous. Bacteria and mold can grow if done improperly and that would be a bad thing. Canning is not hard. It is very easy, but there are some important rules that must be followed.
 
Wall Mart sells canning supply and also has the Ball canning book you will need.The book will tell you all you need to know about canning and step by step guide.
 
thanks guys i will have a look round here where i live in the UK
I will make sure i thoroughly do my research & buy all the required needs for making jam
 
I remember years ago, we used to seal jellies and jams with melted parrafin. The vacuum lid has got to be easier than messing with hot parrafin.
 
OK, now what I am saying here is strictly considered taboo on most canning sites, but you will find that folks who have canned successfully for years without killing folks DO reuse jars. I have seen all kinds of different jars reused for making jam. The trick is, they don't seal them with the lids. They pour liquid paraffin on top of the hot jam and make sure that seals the jam in, THEN they put the sterilized lid over that.

My MIL makes the best raspberry jam I have ever tasted and some of her jars date from the 70's. I wouldn't recommend sealing anything BUT jam with paraffin, but it works really well for jam.

BTW, I am looking for her jam recipe for you.
 
In the Ball Book they say you can reuse jars (as long as they are canning jars), but you cannot reuse the lids as the sealing compound only works once. I guess if you are using wax then that would take care of that problem :)
 
They aren't canning jars. They are Cheez whiz jars, mayo jars, you name it, she reuses it. The key though IS the paraffin, and the fact that the lids are still in good condition and not rusty or otherwise messed up.
 
LOL you guys are making me confused, waxing, paraffin?
ok another questions, i still have some lemons left over, does anyone know how to make lemon curd, the same stuff you buy in jam jars in the shops?
is it the same method as making jam aswell
thank you
 
Here is Ishbel's lemon curd recipe.

Oh, and paraffin is wax right? Do you have another term in the UK? What I mean is that you melt some wax and pour it on top of the hot jam and sort of make a layer of wax on top of the jam. You need to be sure that it seals the edges well so that no air can seep under the wax seal.

Does that clarify things for you?
 
Last edited:
Alix said:
They aren't canning jars. They are Cheez whiz jars, mayo jars, you name it, she reuses it. The key though IS the paraffin, and the fact that the lids are still in good condition and not rusty or otherwise messed up.
Back 50+ yrs ago we did use parafin wax for sealing jams and jellies. Sometimes you got mold on top but you can take off the mold as the jam was still useable. Recycled non-canning jars can break when the hot 215+ deg. jam is poured into it. Either the glass can not take the heat or you have a thermal stress causing the breakage or boiling the jars to sterlize. If you use parafin make sure the inside neck is clean of any jam, heat the parafin (care must be taken as it can catch fire), pour or ladle onto the jam, tip the jar a bit so the wax covers the side well. Living in Canada or any area where you do not have exreme high heat during the summer, wax works rather well BUT if you live in a high heat area of the deserts, Florida, Texas, etc. the wax will turn plastic and cause the jam to leak out. When that happens it will definitely mold; ergo, the 2 part ring and lid on the Mason or Ball canning jar. UK has them as we had a severe shortage of lids in the USA some years ago and I was able to buy them in England when there. The rings can be reused. It is a always adisaible to read the manu. instuctions before using a new product.
 
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