In article >, Brian Genisio
> wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> > In article >, Brian Genisio
> > > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Hi all,
> >>
> >>I have been canning jams for a year with good success. Recently, I
> >>got a pressure canner. I made blueberry jam with it, and
> >>unfortunately, the gel never set. Here is what I did, where did I
> >>go wrong? The recipe? The process? Can I fix it?
> >>
> >>I made the jam with the following recipe:
> >>
> >>10 pints blueberries 4 cups sugar 5 lemons (juice only) 1 cup water
> >>3 packages of "No-Sugar-Needed" Pectin 3 tablespoons of butter (to
> >>control foaming)
> >>
> >>I boiled it for about 20 minutes, put it in the jars, and then put
> >>it in the processor. I processed at 15 lbs of boiling pressure for
> >>30 minutes.
> >>
> >>24 hours later, soup. Can I fix this? Is it as simple as putting
> >>it all back in a pot, and adding more pectin?
> >>
> >>Thanks, Brian
> >
> > You've been doing jam for a year with good success. In a boiling
> > water bath, I'll bet.
> >
> > Right off the top, I'm guessing you didn't follow the instructions
> > provided with the pectin. I'm not sure what Pomona's Universal
> > Pectin has to say about quantities and measures, but I think the
> > Ball no-sugar stuff has something to say about maximum batch size.
> >
> > What in the name of St. Pectina of Jella possessed you to *pressure
> > can* the stuff? Inquiring Mind wants to know.
> >
> > Too much cooking will shoot the pectin (not sure I can find the
> > citation for it, though). Rescue it? Ida Know.
>
> I got it as a hand-me-down from my wife's grandmother (no longer with
> us), and apparently that is what she used for 20 some years. I
> thought I would give it a try... especially since it produces a lot
> less released heat in the kitchen than the boiling method... Canning
> with the boiling pot is really hot!

How well we know it. :-/ My mom used to say that you have to do the
canning when the produce is ready, not when you're ready. I'm fortunate
in that we're enjoying a cool spell right now -- it's making my jamming
a real pleasure.
>
> So, anyways, I looked on the net for directions using a pressure
> canner, and it told me to use 15 lbs for 30 minutes.

Hmm. I'm curious - where'd you get the information about using a
pressure canner for jams? Do you remember the site? URL?

Here's a link to the NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation)
info about processing jam - there's mention of too much heat/time
affecting the set of a gel:

<http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/uga_processing_j_j.pdf>

> From your response, I am assuming you do not recommend a pressure
> canner?

Correct; not for jam.

Should I just stick to the boiling method?

Assume you mean "boiling water bath" method. For jams and sweet
spreads, yes.


> I know that 15
> lbs of pressure brings the temperature up past 235 degrees F, so if
> the pectin can be destroyed by cooking, as you suggest, I suppose it
> may have happened in this case.

> Since I'd really rather have it be jam, than ice cream sauce, I think
> I will try to cook it again, using more pectin, and smaller batches.
> I will report back soon.

> Brian

Good luck with a re-make, Brian - I'll be watching to see how it turns
out for you.

Pressure canning is for low-acid products - vegetables, meats, and
combinations thereof. Fruits don't need it and texture will suffer if
processed (think overcooked) too long. Pressure canning times for peach
parts are 10 minutes at 5-10# psi (depending on altitude and type of
pressure gauge)

I highly recommend the NCHFP site for safe preserving information. And
my personal favorite text is the Ball Blue Book (often abbreviated as
BBB here) - it's easy to read and understand, and is a reliable source
for processing information.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> Sam I Am updated 6/19/04.
Only 6 days until my birthday. "Shop early, shop often, shop
big." Good gin and cheap chocolate preferred. Or is it cheap
gin and good chocolate? I can never remember. . . .A diamond bracelet
would be nice. . .