Help!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I spent hours in a hot Virginia field
picking strawberries. We

made about 30 cans of what promised to be an excellent supply of jam.
The recipe we used was

simply fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. There was no pectin.

I processed the jam as directed, but 3 weeks later, the jam is still
very runny, really runny.

I do not want to waste the jam, can anyone help? I saw a similar
post, but that person already

used pectin.

Should I dump the jam into a pot, reduce the mixture further, then
re-can the jam?

Should I add pectin prior to processing? Since this would be a 'hack'
of the recipe, how much

should I use?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Tim

What I would do is, buy some pectin, look inside for the recipe for
strawberry jam, see how much TOTAL amount one batch makes, seeing as you
can't tell how much fruit or sugar you have in a batch amount, then ladle
what the total amount is for one batch in a saucepan, useing a small amount
first to blend with the pectin so it will blend in with the jam, bring to a
boil, add pectin and continue as per recipe.
I made strawberryjam but I like mine to sit on the bread not run off so I
used 1/2 recipe to a full packet of pectin, boy it's good, just to eat with
a spoon even, :-)) qahtan




"Tim Kelly" wrote in message
om...
Help!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I spent hours in a hot Virginia field
picking strawberries. We

made about 30 cans of what promised to be an excellent supply of jam.
The recipe we used was

simply fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. There was no pectin.

I processed the jam as directed, but 3 weeks later, the jam is still
very runny, really runny.

I do not want to waste the jam, can anyone help? I saw a similar
post, but that person already

used pectin.

Should I dump the jam into a pot, reduce the mixture further, then
re-can the jam?

Should I add pectin prior to processing? Since this would be a 'hack'
of the recipe, how much

should I use?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Tim

"Ross Reid" wrote in message
...
(Tim Kelly) wrote:

Help!

snip

Should I dump the jam into a pot, reduce the mixture further, then
re-can the jam?

Should I add pectin prior to processing? Since this would be a 'hack'
of the recipe, how much

should I use?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Tim

Greetings, Tim.

Since strawberries are very low in pectin I don't think you'll have
much luck making no-pectin strawberry jam/jelly.
However, give us a little more info on the recipe and the procedure
used and I'm sure someone will be able to help you.
If all else fails, do what the rest of us do, tell the family that
what you really intended was to make ice cream topping.

Ross

Ross, I respectfully disagree about the pectin requirement. I have been
making old-fashioned strawberry jam for years without using any pectin. My
process is: equal parts strawberry pulp and sugar; bring to a rolling boil
over high heat while stirring to keep from scorching; use a candy
thermometer to bring the fluid to 215 degrees (adjusted for my high desert
altitude of 2,500 feet MSL -- at sea level it would be 220 degrees); pour
into hot sterilized jars, screw lids down as tight as possible; set on
counter out of drafts; do not disturb until lids pop.

Note that this process not only excludes pectin, it also does not use
pressure canning or BWB. Just make sure the jars are sterilized. The
important part of the process is to bring the temperature up high enough.
Without a thermometer, a hard rolling boil for 12 to 15 minutes will
accomplish pretty much the same, but the consistency will vary from batch.

In this case, I think Tim can reprocess the batch. I would suggest
correcting the balance of pulp to sugar if necessary.

Regards,

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer and Photographer

"Tim Kelly" wrote in message
om...
Help!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I spent hours in a hot Virginia field
picking strawberries. We

made about 30 cans of what promised to be an excellent supply of jam.
The recipe we used was

simply fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. There was no pectin.

I processed the jam as directed, but 3 weeks later, the jam is still
very runny, really runny.

I do not want to waste the jam, can anyone help? I saw a similar
post, but that person already

Another thought just occurred to me.... save one or two jars and use
for syrup over ice cream, pan cakes and waffles.... don't share, that'll
teach her to laugh.

Regards,

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer and Photographer

in article , Tim Kelly at
wrote on 12/7/04 1:09 PM:

Help!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I spent hours in a hot Virginia field
picking strawberries. We

made about 30 cans of what promised to be an excellent supply of jam.
The recipe we used was

simply fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. There was no pectin.

I processed the jam as directed, but 3 weeks later, the jam is still
very runny, really runny.

I do not want to waste the jam, can anyone help? I saw a similar
post, but that person already

used pectin.

Should I dump the jam into a pot, reduce the mixture further, then
re-can the jam?

Should I add pectin prior to processing? Since this would be a 'hack'
of the recipe, how much

should I use?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Tim
Strawberries have really changed since I was a kid. I have found it very
difficult to make decent strawberry jam without adding pectin. If you can
remake y our jam, using the USDA center for home preserving information,
probably with pectin, you may be able to save it all.
Ellen
--

In article ,
(Tim Kelly) wrote:

Help!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I spent hours in a hot Virginia field
picking strawberries. We

made about 30 cans of what promised to be an excellent supply of jam.
The recipe we used was

simply fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. There was no pectin.

I processed the jam as directed, but 3 weeks later, the jam is still
very runny, really runny.

I do not want to waste the jam, can anyone help? I saw a similar
post, but that person already used pectin.


Should I dump the jam into a pot, reduce the mixture further, then
re-can the jam?

Should I add pectin prior to processing? Since this would be a
'hack' of the recipe, how much


should I use?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Tim

Here's a link to some remake instructions. The header says jellies but
a couple paragraphs down is a word about remaking jams and jellies both.
I assume the same measures and procedures would be used for jams. Also,
I think the SureJell site has remake instructions (though maybe only for
jams or jellies initially made with pectin).

http://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/...ion/BJ853.html

Was you jam thick when you jarred it, Tim? Had you tested it for a gel,
either by a cold plate test or a thermometer? Strawberries don't have a
lot of natural pectin -- a common hint is to use 1/4 slightly underripe
berries to 3/4 just-ripe berries to help the set.

We'll get out beads and pray to St. Pectina for you, Tim. Good luck!
--
-Barb, www.jamlady.eboard.com An update on 7/4/04.

In article ,
(Tim Kelly) wrote:

Help!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I spent hours in a hot Virginia field
picking strawberries. We

made about 30 cans of what promised to be an excellent supply of jam.
The recipe we used was

simply fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. There was no pectin.

I processed the jam as directed, but 3 weeks later, the jam is still
very runny, really runny.

I do not want to waste the jam, can anyone help? I saw a similar
post, but that person already used pectin.


Should I dump the jam into a pot, reduce the mixture further, then
re-can the jam?

Should I add pectin prior to processing? Since this would be a
'hack' of the recipe, how much


should I use?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Tim

Here's a link to some remake instructions. The header says jellies but
a couple paragraphs down is a word about remaking jams and jellies both.
I assume the same measures and procedures would be used for jams. Also,
I think the SureJell site has remake instructions (though maybe only for
jams or jellies initially made with pectin).

http://www.extension.umn.edu/info-u/...ion/BJ853.html

Was you jam thick when you jarred it, Tim? Had you tested it for a gel,
either by a cold plate test or a thermometer? Strawberries don't have a
lot of natural pectin -- a common hint is to use 1/4 slightly underripe
berries to 3/4 just-ripe berries to help the set.

We'll get out beads and pray to St. Pectina for you, Tim. Good luck!
--
-Barb, www.jamlady.eboard.com An update on 7/4/04.