Rhubarb Jam does not set using agar agar.

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andrew_ysk

Assistant Cook
Joined
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Hii, i'm a beginner in need for guidance.

I usually made jam using :chef: gelatine, but later after i found out that gelatine is animal based :pig:, i then switched to agar agar:yum:.

this time, i used agar agar (quantity) more then the recommended, yet my jam didn't set at all, it is just liquidiy as water.

apple cider acid that i added in, only 12 tbsp:
w9hy.jpg
[
http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/860/w9hy.jpg
agar agar packaging (front):

nv76.jpg

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9051/nv76.jpg
agar agar packaging (back):
b2zj.jpg

*it is stated there 1 pack = 10g, => fit for use of 500g of liquid.

what's wrong ?
this is how i do it.
i poured in 1kg of brown sugar and 400ml of orange juice (for taste, blindly follow recipe of other), and 12 tbsp of apple acid (for taste).
used small fire to warm it up till small boil, then added in 8 (80g) small pack of agar agar (at around boiling temperature) and stirred and leave it for over 30 minutes of boiling.
the mixture seems to be very very thick.
look at this photo :
8xsj.jpg

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/2861/8xsj.jpg
* the liquid is not freeze due to camera, but rather due to agar agar effect. *

then seeing the result, i pour the mixture (430 ml orange juice, 1.25kg brown sugar, 12 tbsp apple acid, 8 pack of agar agar) into my rhubarb filtered liquid which is also boiling in another pot. ( a little over 3 liters)

fxsq.jpg


so, if i assume total final liquid outcome is 4 liters and 8 packs is enough (according to the instruction on the packaging) [1pack = 10g is enough for 500 ml liquid].

after the mixing them together, i tested the viscosity of the jam, it is a bit liquidy.
i put a drop of it into freezer; it is thicker , but not thick enough as jam. hence i stirred in another bag of agar agar, so now total of 90g of agar agar that i poured in and turn the fire on high till it strong boiled.

happily i bottled them up and wait till they cool down.. what a bummer. totally screw up, the "jam" is just like water at all, even at room temperature.

what's went wrong ? all my utensils are clean, washed with liquid detergent and dried with cloth... so, should be no oil stain..

i need help using agar agar to make jam.
can someone with experience help me ?!

your experience and advice will be appreciated.

Andrew
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hii, i am in germany , may i know where i can buy low sugar pectin ?
i am doing Bio, Organic, home jam making, no chemical pectin pls.

thank you.
andrew
 
Certo is a fruit based pectin. It has other chemicals in it though. If that doesn't suit your needs, I have no other suggestions.
 
failure is the mother of success.

no, it is not a new pectin that i want, rather i want to know what went wrong ? why i put in the correct amount (in fact 1 pack more) of agar agar and yet it didn't set at all (totally not set).


i want to learn the reason of failure so i can improve.

thanks.
 
I used Pomona's universal pectin last summer for another kind of jam.
I found this in a "health food store", as a non animal based pectin.

www. pomonapectin dot com

I make lumpy preserves not jelly. I'll post my recipe.

Edit. I am not familiar with agar agar. Therefore I can not comment about what may have gone wrong with your recipe or technique.

Apples contain a lot of natural pectin, and apple juice is sometimes added to other fruits to help the jam set up.
 
Last edited:
Rhubarb Jam

4 to 4 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 cup water
6 to 6 1/2 cups sugar
1 ¾ ounces powdered pectin
1/2 tsp. butter

1.Chop rhubarb finely; do not peel. Place in 4-qt. saucepan; add 1 cup water. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 minutes or until rhubarb is soft. Measure exactly 4-1/2 cups into 6- or 8-quart saucepot.
2.Stir pectin into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.
3.Stir in all sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
4.Ladle quickly into prepared jars leaving 1/8 inch headspace. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes for half pints.
 
I was under the impression that when using agar-agar, you just bring it to a boil then cool it off in the refridgerator.
 
no, it is not a new pectin that i want, rather i want to know what went wrong ? why i put in the correct amount (in fact 1 pack more) of agar agar and yet it didn't set at all (totally not set).


i want to learn the reason of failure so i can improve.

thanks.

I can't help you as I've never used agar agar. I've only used what I have been taught actually works.
 

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