I attempted to make some strawberry jam today, but it hasn't set in spite of all the things watched for:
- I included red currants (frozen from last year)
- used jam sugar
- squeezed in the juice of two large lemons
Is it worth trying to boil it up again or should I cut my losses, freeze the un-set jam in batches and use it for puddings?
Help!
Jam SOS!
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Pa Snip
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hi Monika
Lets step back to beginning
How much did each fruit weigh and how much sugar did you use.
Did you do the 'wrinkle' test
Is it likely the frozen fruit introduced too much liquid. (That's my favourite likely cause)
You could try taking some of the mixture out and add pectin powder to it, making sure it is completely dissolved before adding back to main mix. Can't guarantee it will work for you, I've got away with it once
Lets step back to beginning
How much did each fruit weigh and how much sugar did you use.
Did you do the 'wrinkle' test
Is it likely the frozen fruit introduced too much liquid. (That's my favourite likely cause)
You could try taking some of the mixture out and add pectin powder to it, making sure it is completely dissolved before adding back to main mix. Can't guarantee it will work for you, I've got away with it once
The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.
At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
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Primrose
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Monika. How frustrating ! I was also going to suggest reboiling and adding commercial pectin if you have any. It might work boilimg from scratch again frost I don,t think soft fruit is as resilient as citrus fruit is when making marmalade mistakes! . Strawberry jam is diffixult to set I find because strawberries are very low in natural pectin, unlike citrus fruits. i would have thought the amount of lemon juice you used would have been sufficient though but maybe the mixture was too liquid. Frozen redcurrants produce a lot of extra liquid when thawed. I think I would have omitted adding any liquid from a recipe to counteract the liquid produced by the redcurrants which I would have thought would have had more pectin than the strawberries.
Have you tried Googling "strawberry jam wont't set"? There might be some other helpful suggestions out there.
Have you tried Googling "strawberry jam wont't set"? There might be some other helpful suggestions out there.
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Primrose
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Found this on an American website so the recipe talks about cups as measurements. Only boil for a very short time. Possibly you overboiled last time ?
Homemade strawberry jam is yummy. But what do you do if it is runny. Read on for a recipe to fix failed strawberry jam.
It is summer. Strawberry season is winding down. Raspberries and blueberries are just around the corner. Berries are just wonderful; about anyway you can eat them. I enjoy them fresh in a bowl, on my cereal or ice cream, in a frosty smoothy or in a pie. Come fall and winter, there is nothing like homemade strawberry jam on your favorite toast or on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
There are many good recipes for jam. I used a standard boxed pectin recipe with fresh picked strawberries from a local farm. My mouth was watering for homemade strawberry jam. I have not ever had a failure in my jam making, but this year I did. It was runny. It would make a great ice cream Sunday topper.
Most cooking mistakes can be fixed, so I researched my options. I called the 800 number on the pectin box. The help line operator had no information on how to fix runny jam. Next I called the local Cooperative Extension. Over the years, I have found them to be a great source of information. This year, they came to the rescue, again.
Here is the recipe to fix failed strawberry jam. You can use this recipe to fix up to 8 cups of runny jam. These portions are per cup of jam.
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered pectin
Mix pectin and water; bring them to a boil while you are stirring constantly. Add runny strawberry jam and sugar and stir constantly. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat. Boil for ½ minute. Then remove the pot from heat. Skim the top of an foam that may have formed. Put jam in hot jars and use new lids. Process the jam in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Let the jars sit over night.
There is nothing like homemade strawberry jam. I invite you to try your hand at making a batch. If you have ever made jam and it didn't set up, don't be discouraged. Tuck this recipe away with your jam recipe for future reference and "just in case." It does work. I tried it this year! Yum. You can visit me at http://healthwo e-how-to-fix-it/
good luck.
Homemade strawberry jam is yummy. But what do you do if it is runny. Read on for a recipe to fix failed strawberry jam.
It is summer. Strawberry season is winding down. Raspberries and blueberries are just around the corner. Berries are just wonderful; about anyway you can eat them. I enjoy them fresh in a bowl, on my cereal or ice cream, in a frosty smoothy or in a pie. Come fall and winter, there is nothing like homemade strawberry jam on your favorite toast or on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
There are many good recipes for jam. I used a standard boxed pectin recipe with fresh picked strawberries from a local farm. My mouth was watering for homemade strawberry jam. I have not ever had a failure in my jam making, but this year I did. It was runny. It would make a great ice cream Sunday topper.
Most cooking mistakes can be fixed, so I researched my options. I called the 800 number on the pectin box. The help line operator had no information on how to fix runny jam. Next I called the local Cooperative Extension. Over the years, I have found them to be a great source of information. This year, they came to the rescue, again.
Here is the recipe to fix failed strawberry jam. You can use this recipe to fix up to 8 cups of runny jam. These portions are per cup of jam.
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered pectin
Mix pectin and water; bring them to a boil while you are stirring constantly. Add runny strawberry jam and sugar and stir constantly. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat. Boil for ½ minute. Then remove the pot from heat. Skim the top of an foam that may have formed. Put jam in hot jars and use new lids. Process the jam in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Let the jars sit over night.
There is nothing like homemade strawberry jam. I invite you to try your hand at making a batch. If you have ever made jam and it didn't set up, don't be discouraged. Tuck this recipe away with your jam recipe for future reference and "just in case." It does work. I tried it this year! Yum. You can visit me at http://healthwo e-how-to-fix-it/
good luck.
Cheeky Robo, and Pa Snip, I am a fairly seasoned jam maker and followed the instructions in Delia Smith's strawberry jam recipe to the ounce (or gram, if you like) and to the minute. The strawberries were not washed, so no liquid there, and I allowed for the frozen red currants. I have sometimes had fairly 'loose' strawberry jam but never just syrup and fruit!
Primrose and Pa Snip, the pectin suggestion was very helpful. I will try to get some but can't get near any shops until Friday, so will keep it in the fridge in the meantime. I will report on the progress.
Primrose and Pa Snip, the pectin suggestion was very helpful. I will try to get some but can't get near any shops until Friday, so will keep it in the fridge in the meantime. I will report on the progress.
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Pa Snip
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Dear Monika,
Seasoned jam maker, maybe that's the problem, whatever seasoning you used this time did not agree with the mix cos something went wrong.
If you are not familiar with using pectin powder do NOT try and add it to the main mix, the powder will likely go into small lumps and not dissolve.
Extract some of the mix into a pan, heat it well and then add the pectin powder, stirring all the while until completely dissolved. Once dissolved, have the main pan ready heated and add the pectin solution back to the pan.
Seasoned jam maker, maybe that's the problem, whatever seasoning you used this time did not agree with the mix cos something went wrong.
If you are not familiar with using pectin powder do NOT try and add it to the main mix, the powder will likely go into small lumps and not dissolve.
Extract some of the mix into a pan, heat it well and then add the pectin powder, stirring all the while until completely dissolved. Once dissolved, have the main pan ready heated and add the pectin solution back to the pan.
The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.
At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
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Pa Snip
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It is certainly easy to burn it in the process of trying to solve the problem
The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.
At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
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sally wright
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Dear Monica,
here is what I do when making strawberry Jam.
Cut up the strawberries into pieces that would fit on a teaspoon (each piece that is).
Put them into a bowl and cover with the sugar.
Cover and leave in a cool place overnight.
Remove the strawberry pieces from the sugar syrup (they will be floating and can be removed with a slotted spoon) and put the sugar syrup into the jam pan.
Boil until the level is reduced by about a fifth.
Add the strawberry pieces and lemon juice and boil for about 10 minutes.
Test for set on a cold plate.
The thing about modern strawberries is that they can contain a lot of water which is what makes for failure to set. The above method gets rid of this excess water but still gives a fresh flavour and nice fruity pieces. This is because the overnight soak in sugar makes the fruit pieces firmer and less likely to vanish into a syrup.
One final tip is add a small piece of butter (a one inch cube will do) to the jam as it is cooling and it will disperse the scum and you will get lots more jam.
Regards Sally Wright.
here is what I do when making strawberry Jam.
Cut up the strawberries into pieces that would fit on a teaspoon (each piece that is).
Put them into a bowl and cover with the sugar.
Cover and leave in a cool place overnight.
Remove the strawberry pieces from the sugar syrup (they will be floating and can be removed with a slotted spoon) and put the sugar syrup into the jam pan.
Boil until the level is reduced by about a fifth.
Add the strawberry pieces and lemon juice and boil for about 10 minutes.
Test for set on a cold plate.
The thing about modern strawberries is that they can contain a lot of water which is what makes for failure to set. The above method gets rid of this excess water but still gives a fresh flavour and nice fruity pieces. This is because the overnight soak in sugar makes the fruit pieces firmer and less likely to vanish into a syrup.
One final tip is add a small piece of butter (a one inch cube will do) to the jam as it is cooling and it will disperse the scum and you will get lots more jam.
Regards Sally Wright.
Many thanks for all your replies: yes, I think the strawberries were probably too watery in themselves, that could have been the problem, Sally. I did the overnight soaking with sugar though I did not remove the strawberries before reducing the liquid. When I get the pectin, I will follow your advice, Pa Snip
And from now on I will stick to 'mixed berry jam' which always sets beautifully!!!
And from now on I will stick to 'mixed berry jam' which always sets beautifully!!!
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PLUMPUDDING
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I use a few finely chopped gooseberries to make mine set and it works every time. I don't think I'd try to make it set again, but would be interested to see if it worked if you did. Why not use it to make ice cream you've already got the fruit and sugar just add some cream or yoghurt and freeze it?
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Pa Snip
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Since it is not a good ingredient I don't want to rub salt into the jam process, I have had my share of successes and failures in the past, including last year where I had both runny and concrete batches. One of last years concrete batches actually ended up blocking the sink pipes
So forgive me if I place on record the fact I have just had a resounding success, perfect set and sublime taste. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
This is my variation on a Tate & Lyle recipe
2.2lb hulled strawberries, wash the strawberries after weighing out required amount
2.2lb Jam Sugar
Juice of 2 fresh lemons, this was a variation as the recipe says juice of 1 lemon.
Put fruit in pan and cover with lemon juice and heat, the recipe says until fruit soft but I have a masher reserved for the purpose. So after a short while of heating I mash the strawberries
When fruit is soft (or mashed) add the jam sugar slowly keeping the pan on the heat, stirring thoroughly and making sure the sugar thoroughly dissolves.
When dissolved bring to steady medium boil, not a heavy boil, for 6 minutes, cold plate test for set. Many recipes say remove from heat but I leave jam on the boil whilst testing so that if not setting I can check for set again very quickly.
When setting occurs add a couple of knobs of butter and stir to dissolve. Leave to stand for 10minutes or until any scum has formed. Using a spoon with small slots carefully skim the surface to remove scum without removing too much actual jam.
Using pre-heated jars, jar up the mixture and as soon as possible cover with grease proof disc and affix lid. Tighten lid as soon as you can handle the jar with a tea towel without disturbing the jam mix in the jar.
As jam begins to cool keep depressing centre of lid, once the centre stays depressed you should have a good seal.
So forgive me if I place on record the fact I have just had a resounding success, perfect set and sublime taste. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
This is my variation on a Tate & Lyle recipe
2.2lb hulled strawberries, wash the strawberries after weighing out required amount
2.2lb Jam Sugar
Juice of 2 fresh lemons, this was a variation as the recipe says juice of 1 lemon.
Put fruit in pan and cover with lemon juice and heat, the recipe says until fruit soft but I have a masher reserved for the purpose. So after a short while of heating I mash the strawberries
When fruit is soft (or mashed) add the jam sugar slowly keeping the pan on the heat, stirring thoroughly and making sure the sugar thoroughly dissolves.
When dissolved bring to steady medium boil, not a heavy boil, for 6 minutes, cold plate test for set. Many recipes say remove from heat but I leave jam on the boil whilst testing so that if not setting I can check for set again very quickly.
When setting occurs add a couple of knobs of butter and stir to dissolve. Leave to stand for 10minutes or until any scum has formed. Using a spoon with small slots carefully skim the surface to remove scum without removing too much actual jam.
Using pre-heated jars, jar up the mixture and as soon as possible cover with grease proof disc and affix lid. Tighten lid as soon as you can handle the jar with a tea towel without disturbing the jam mix in the jar.
As jam begins to cool keep depressing centre of lid, once the centre stays depressed you should have a good seal.
The danger when people start to believe their own publicity is that they often fall off their own ego.
At least travelling under the guise of the Pa Snip Enterprise gives me an excuse for appearing to be on another planet
I made some gooseberry jam today from our own and some bought gooseberries and, quite different from my failed strawberry attempt, it set quickly, beautifully and also tastes good. It was an internet-found recipe for "Gingery Gooseberry Jam".