# What is the secret to good jam?



## highlandview (Feb 15, 2007)

I made blackberry, strawberry and cherry jam last year using sure-gel and the recipe on the sure-gel box. Some of my jam is too stiff, smoe of it the fruit floated and some of it is too sweet. It still tastes good. The kids eat the strawberry. I heat up the blackberry for pancake syrup. The cherry I have used to make jam tarts. What is the secret to good tasting and pretty looking jam?


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## lovinthislife (Aug 28, 2009)

I have made jam without the sure jel but I like using the suregel best. It tastes good. The only thing I could think that wouldn't make it as good as it should be would be the kind of fruit you used.

Was is sweet? fresh? too old? a more of a sour taste to it? Hope you can figure it out. 

Now when I make jam and I do make alot of it, I don't do the waterbath part. I'm sure I'll get some flap for that but we ain't dead yet and my whole family has done it this way as long as they've been making it too.

I boil and sterilize my jars and flats. Keep them hot till ready. I do the recipe EXACTLY as the sure jel box says till I get the jars filled. I fill them and set them on the counter, and they all seal. I've never lost a jar of jam.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

I use Pomonas Universal pectin and use Splenda instead of sugar. However, you can use the Pomonas for any kind of jam with any kind of sweetener or even no sweetener at all. 
You can even make up recipes with it. That will solve the too sweet flavor. To me that is the key to good jam, using Pomona's pectin. 
The floating fruit happens most often with strawberries. Was that the one that floated ?


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2005)

I use the reduced sugar surgel in the pink box. My grandma taught me to always use a bit of unripe fruit to get it to gel, because if your fruit is all very ripe it will be softer and if it is al underripe it will be too firm. I follow her advice with ripe fruit and add bit of underripe, I don't know if it really makes a difference but I do it.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Personally I have never cared for the results from either Sure Jell or Certo. I find the Ball brand of no sugar pectin to be the best. That way you can sweeten it to your personal taste and not worry about it setting. 

As Lucy mentioned, Pomona brand pectin is also exceedingly good for most jams although it does impart a bit of citrus flavor to some mild fruits that some people don't seem to care for.

Other than brand of pectin, ANY brand you use must be fresh for best results and the quality of the fruit plays the most important role. Incorporating a bit of under-ripe fruit, especially with stawberries, is a standard recommendation for best results.

Jam that is too stiff, too hard, is usually because it was over-cooked. Floating fruit is common with jams because the fruit contains air. You can reduce it somewhat by heating the fruit a bit longer prior to adding the pectin and sugar to force more of the air out of the fruit. You can also invert the jars carefully off and on while it is setting up but you'll still get some floating. Just stir it up after opening. The "too sweet" issue is common with Sure Jell and Certo as their recipes are higher in sugar than other brands of pectin.

Check out this link: Problems with Jellied Fruit Products http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_07/jellyproblems.html


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2005)

Where do you buy ball and pomano brand pectin? Do you have an online source? I can only get suregel and would love to try the others.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Ball pectin is sold at the grocery stores here and most anywhere else canning supplies are sold. AFAIK Pomona is only available on line from several different sources including the company itself pomonapectin.com Just Google it by name for other sources.

Oh and Ball pectin can also be ordered on line from Ball's website, from canningpantry.com and several other sources.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

I know I'll be slammed for saying it but I reduce sugar by at least 1/5 and pectin also; the taste is so much fresher.


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## Lucy (May 15, 2006)

Katy, no one would slam you if you have found a way to get it to gel by cutting down on the pectin and sugar. If it works, then that is great ! Sugar does tend to mask the fruit flavor, I agree. 
Guess I have not noticed the Pomona's giving a more citrus taste, but I can see how that could be since it is a citrus based pectin, if I remember right. I order in bulk from Pomona's website.


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## Ali_R (Jul 18, 2011)

I read a cherry jam recipe and it said to keep it from separating, let the jam cool 5 mins prior to putting it in jars stirring every minute. Here: http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/blue-ribbon-bing-cherry-jam/

Ali




highlandview said:


> I made blackberry, strawberry and cherry jam last year using sure-gel and the recipe on the sure-gel box. Some of my jam is too stiff, smoe of it the fruit floated and some of it is too sweet. It still tastes good. The kids eat the strawberry. I heat up the blackberry for pancake syrup. The cherry I have used to make jam tarts. What is the secret to good tasting and pretty looking jam?


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## lemonthyme7 (Jul 8, 2010)

I always use pectin for jelly but not often for jam. I usually cook my jam down to jell point and have no troubles with it jelling. That said my blueberry jam set up too stiff this year (without pectin) so I must have overcooked it. Strawberry jam recipe is same recipe I have used for 30 years as it is simple and easy - 2 qts strawberries, 4 cups sugar and 2 Tbsp lemon juice. Works every time for me.


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## Christine81 (Nov 4, 2012)

My trouble with jam is that I tend to get distracted and let it burn. :/. What is working for me most recently is to let it cook down in an old crock pot, and switch to the stove only if it looks like it's not going to get thick enough on its own and I need to add pectin. (In my mind the crock pot does not get it hot enough for the pectin to gel...I had a candy thermometer in yesterday, and it was about 180f.)

I made a lovely spiced peach jam yesterday...it is so good! (5c peeled and chopped peaches, 3 c white sugar, 3/4 c brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cloves, cooked down about 4 hrs in the crock pot and thick enough to jar without pectin, this batch anyway.)

I try to err on the side of too thin rather than too thick. I don't mind a loose-set jam, and if it's really loose, it's still great over ice cream, waffles, cheesecake, angel food cake, etc etc.


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