How can I “repair” too runny/too solid homemade jam/jelly?
It’s very definitely jam season at the moment (in the UK at least) and I thought it might be fun to hear people’s favourite fixes for sticky situations (ho ho!) when the preserves don’t come out quite as you’d hoped.
How do you test for the set point? The most common method seems to be the “when it wrinkles on a cold plate” test but anyone use any other methods?
What do you do if it’s too runny once in jars? Or too solid?
And, not quite in the question but related, do you use/reuse anything interesting instead of commercial-bought pectin?
And any tips for reusing old jars? Reusable alternatives for waxed discs?
Finally, what do you do with jam that can’t be saved – stuff that burnt in the pan for example?
(“Why is this on Recycle This?” I hear you ask because it is a little tenuous as a “repair”. Well, one, because with the giant piles of fruit in our kitchen at the moment, I’ve got jam on my mind. And two, because jam failures may lead to food waste – and if we can save some rescueable jam from going in the bin, that’s a good thing.)
if its too runny I have two solutions:
1) add an apple or two (mainly the core where most of the pectin is I think)
2) pop out into your herb bed and pick some basil, or rosemary, or . . . (depending on your “jam” and your taste) and dump that it at the last minute – and turn a runny jam into a yummy accomaniment to savoury dishes.
I don’t use bought pectin (to be honest i’ve never been happy with the results) but rely heavily on apples, and similarly med-high pectin fruits. I have seen a recipie for making your own pectin to store until needed, if you’re interested i’ll see if I can dig that up.
I would be interested in your recipe for making your pectin. You can
email me at: clam5152@gmail.com. Thanks.
I have always turned runny jam/jelly into syrup for pancakes, lol!
I’ve never used pectin-never seen the point, if jam is too solid then declare it a “cheese” (such as damson cheese) if its too runny then you could always make it into booze with the addition of more sugar, water and yeast. i tend to just eat it anyway.
plastic coated lids are a good reusable alternative to wax disks.
I used lemon juice to make it set
I’ve been busy making all sorts of jams and marmalades over the past few weeks especially now the hedgerows are full of FREE blackberries!
As far as I know, there is not much you can do if the jam is too hard – usually an indication that you have over-boiled it.
If too runny, you can pour back into a pan and re-boil – that seems to work.
I just use ordinary sugar for all mine – the cheaper, the better – and don’t bother with ‘jam sugar’ or ‘preserving sugar’ and I’ve had excellent results.
Depending on the fruit you are using, tie cores, pips, etc, into a square of muslin and boil with the fruit mixture – obviously remembering to remove later! The pips are where most of the pectin is – adding lemon juice is also good.
I invested about £6 or £7 in a jam thermometer – as long as you bring to ‘setting temperature’ (105 degrees) you shouldn’t have any problems.
Hope that helps?
runny jam is a great addition to yogurt and ice cream, as a glaze for muffins and sweet loaves, and as a base for sweet and sour or chutney or plum sauce or other dipping sauces.
we made a hot pepper jelly once that we had to rename “hot pepper resin” it was delicious if you heated the jar in hot water to soften it.
If the jam is too runny then re boil adding either pectin (found in apples) or you can buy the liquid stuff called Certo. An apple chopped finely to the fruit will help thicken it up. Or if you use jam sugar at the beginning of making jam then runny jam doesn’t happen.
My mother always added a small amount of underripe fruit to the batch, to help with setting up. Don’t ask me why it should work. *shrugs*
I just reboil it if it is too runny but I make mine in a microwave so none of this pectin/large jam pan/or thermometer business for me! many people think it’s cheating to use a microwave but when I can go from fruit to jam in about 10 minutes then that is good! The recipe is here if you fancy giving it a go :) http://swirlyarts.blogspot.com/2008/08/easiest-way-to-make-jam-ever.html
OMG – someone just suggested to me that I could chuck all my too-sloppy strawberry jam in a bucket, add some pectin destroying enzyme, and use it as the basis for strawberry wine :-)
If the jam is too runny you could put it back in the pan and add pectin which is available from most supermarkets (in my experience) or you could add lemon juice or chopped apple. If it is too stiff I put it back in the pan and add water and dissolve it until it is the right consistency and rebottle. You probably won’t need much water.
I have been experimenting a bit with jellies and this is the last batch with blackberries: http://www.roued.com/2010/08/31/more-jelly/
I have also had a go at making jar lids a bit more fun: http://roued.com/design/the-jars-are-ready/
and come up with an idea for recycled jar covers with the jelly type stamped on top: http://roued.com/design/what-is-in-that-jar/
I rather like this last idea as it uses up old bits of fabric I had and they are reusable next time I make a batch.
I have Strawberry Jam that has gone very hard even though I used my thermometer and watched it very carefully. I really don’t want to waste it, can any one suggest what I should do so we can enjoy the jam!
Am going to try using my too-firm jam as a caramel on shortbread.