Preserving Tips

Making your own jams, chutneys and marmalades is very rewarding, not just for you but for the family and friends who enjoy the fruits of your labour.  This is a place for sharing tips, techniques and advice.

Basic Principles of Preserve Making

Jams, jellies and marmalades rely on the correct combination of pectin, sugar and acid.  Different fruits have different levels of pectin and acid. Overripe fruit has less pectin than under ripe fruit.  Fruits with a low level of pectin can be combined with fruits with a higher pectin level in order to compensate.

High pectin fruit: Blackcurrants Redcurrants Damsons Quinces Cooking Apples Gooseberries Cranberries

Medium pectin fruit: Raspberries Early Blackberries Apricots Greengages Loganberries

Low pectin fruit: Strawberries Pears Elderberries Cherries Late Blackberries

Acid helps in the process of extracting the pectin from the fruit.  It is essential for a good set and helps prevent the crystallisation of the sugar.  Fruit that is rich in pectin is usually also rich in acidity.  There are fruits that require the addition of added acid in the form of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 75ml redcurrant juice per 900g of fruit.

Acid lacking fruits include:

Sweet apples
Nectarines
Strawberries
Raspberries
Peaches
Pears
Cherries

Sugar is not just for sweetness.  The amount of sugar in the final preserve will determine whether it will keep well and whether the preserve will ferment (too little sugar) or crystallise (too much sugar or sugar has not dissolved before boiling).

Common Problems

Sugar Crystallisation

This can occur if too much sugar has been used in a recipe or the sugar has not dissolved before starting the boiling process.  Before bringing the mixture to boil, you should heat your jam mixture gently to dissolve the sugar.  To test that the sugar has dissolved, dip a wooden spoon in, turn it over and if no sugar crystals are visible in the liquid that coats the back of the spoon, it has dissolved and is ready to bring to a rolling boil.

Tough Fruit/ Peel

Hard skinned fruits and citrus peel need to be simmered until the fruit/ peel has softened before adding sugar because once the sugar has been added the fruit/peel will not soften any further. Try to use organic or unwaxed citrus fruits as the peel will be softer and take less time to cook.

Fruit/ Citrus Peel rising to the top of the jar

Once your jam/marmalade has reached setting point, give the mixture a good stir and leave for 15 minutes before jarring.

Runny Jam

A good set jam requires 3 elements – pectin, acid (i.e. lemon juice), sugar.  Runny jam can be caused by the following factors:

Undercooking  – you can test for the setting point using these 3 methods

• Thermometer test 105°C
• Cold saucer test – Keep a saucer in the fridge whilst cooking your jam. When your jam/marmalade has reached 105°C, remove from the heat and take a spoonful of the jamand place on the saucer. Put the saucer back in the fridge for a couple of minutes. Remove the saucer from the fridge and push your finger along the jam mixture, if it starts to wrinkle your jam is ready. If it is still a little runny return to the heat for a couple of minutes before testing again. Continue this process until you have a set ; and
• Flake test – Dip a wooden spoon in the mixture once it has reached 105°C it should drip slowly in a sticky jam like consistency.

Overcooking – this may occur if you try to make too large a batch at one time. Do not fill your pan more than halfway.
Too little pectin – As discussed earlier the amount of pectin is determined on the type, ripeness and quantities of fruit used.
Incorrect proportions of sugar and juice.
Insufficient acid.

Mould

This can occur when:
Jars have not been sterilised correctly.
The jar lid not properly sealed allowing air to enter the contents – check lids 24 hours after jarring and tighten if necessary.
The jar has been stored in a hot or damp place.  Store unopened jars in a cool, dry, dark cupboard.  Once opened, store in a refrigerator and use within 6 weeks.