We have a glass topped range, so the extension office says I shouldn't use
it for my water bath canners. So I purchased a type of outside cook
stove/burner that runs off propane which is (again according to the
extension office) a good choice. Last year my girlfriends were teasing me
suggesting I just try the 'inversion method' listed in the sure-jell pectin
recipes.

Two weeks ago I made several batches of strawberry jam. Rather than haul my
jams outside to boil them in the driveway, I admit I was lazy and decided to
try the 'inversion method' listed in the pectin recipe. Well, ten days
later I found little bits of mold in the headspace of twelve jars of
low-sugar strawberry jam. The jars and lids were sterilized, the jam was
boiled properly, and all the jars were sealed correctly. Three days before
I found the moldy jam, I had made more strawberry jam, using the inversion
method which seemed fine, but again it was only 3 days old. The spots of
mold were only on the surface, and most of them were little bits less than
1/4 inch in size.

I now realize that:

1. The inversion method stinks
2. Low sugar and the inversion method is an especially bad combination.

I promise to never do it again, so please be kind in your responses.

The problem is this--there were 24 jars of perfect jam without mold--most of
which was only 3 days old. They were sealed and had no signs of trouble
when opened. I emptied them into a stock pot in batches of 8 cups, added
some pectin and reboiled and then processed in a water bath (for 15 minutes
instead of the suggested 10). At the risk of the food police breaking into
my pantry and running off with my jams, how bad of an idea was this? Is
this safe?

If I emptied out the top half of the moldy jam (it was only 10 days old) and
reboiled and processed the bottom half of the jam, is having that on an
English muffin considered living on the edge?

I know people used to scrape off and eat moldy jam, but the extension office
recommended I throw away every jar--even the ones with no signs of trouble,
and even the three day old jam--just to be 'safe.' Of course, she also
sounded like the type that actually sterilized her children's binkies so I
am not sure what to think.

Can I get your thoughts?

Thank you so much, and, as God as my witness, I will never inversion again!

Christine