Post by water_moon on May 17, 2020 13:47:14 GMT -5
I've gotten on a preserves kick, there's nothing like open a jar of home made jam made with local ripe fruit in the middle of winter and being reminded of summer 
Here's my favorite simple jam recipe with low to no sugar pectin:
This recipe can be scaled up to up to 4x, do not try to make more than 8 cups of jam at a time, it may not set well.
2 Cups fruit prepared (hull strawberries, slice thickly; pit peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, and cherries; skin apricots, nectarines, and peaches, cut into chunks no large than 1 inch, halve or quarter cherries-- see smash section down below; wash berries)
1/2 Cup water
3 tsp lemon or lime juice-- use a little extra if fresh squeezed since local conditions can make the acid content of fresh fruit vary (the acid is your preservative, it keeps it from going bad when shelf stable AND helps the pectin activate)
1 1/2 TBSP Ball low or no-sugar pectin (Brand matters! each pectin formulation varies and other brands often need more sugar to set)
1/2 Cup Sugar (you can do more to taste, but less and the color will likely turn brownish or the jam end up runny)
1 small slice butter or 1/2 tsp cooking oil, OPTIONAL (but recommended for strawberries!)
A way to jar it/save it this recipie is more aimed for shelf stable jam, but can easily be adapted to freezer jam.
Cook fruit
Combine fruit, water, and sugar in a sauce pan, making sure the pan is less than half full (boiling fruit will expand). Stir well and heat on med heat until fruit starts to simmer (small bubbles) stirring frequently to prevent the fruit from burning, use a heat resistant spatula to scrape down the sides regularly. After about 15-30 minutes the fruit should soft and easily mush if you smash it against the side of the pan with he spatula, you may need to add 10 minutes for cherries, currants, or blueberries. Add your lemon juice and stir it in.
If I'm not doing a cool down for my fruit smashing, I will often start the large pot for my water bath while the fruit cooks as that much water will take time to heat.
Smash fruit
At this stage there are several ways to crush the fruit, or you can leave it chunky if you prefer large fruit pieces. The skin on cherries can be an issue at this point, so keep an eye out for that if using cherries! you may need to chop them finer before cooking if you chose to go this route.
-Potato masher/ricer: let mixture cool then mash it in a container that will not be harmed. This will leave the largest pieces and works best with softer fruits, cherries not so well, if it's what you have, chop cherries finer.
-Blender: for a stand blender- let the mixture cool, put about 2/3rds of the total in and pulse until pulpy add back into the unblended fruit while stirring, cherries should be quartered or you may need to fish out unwieldy chunks of cherry skin.
for an immersion blender- while the fruit doesn't need to cool, you will need to be careful to not over blend, you will likely still want a few fruit chunks but check to make sure none are too large, you'll want to stir and pulse several times.
-hand mixer: put the mixer into the jam and turn it on med for about 20 seconds, being careful to not hit the sides or bottom, you may need to repeat if making a larger batch. It the fruit isn't falling apart, it may need a little more cooking. This is best of both worlds, you get texture without huge chunks but you don't have to let it cool and since there are no blades, you have less to worry about over chopping and making a puree instead of jam. This works great on softer fruits, cherries may need more time or to be cut smaller at the start
Return to pot if need be and if you had to cool it down, bring it back up to temp.
Jamin'
Before you start this part, make sure you've got your jars heating, hot jam in a cold jar can crack or even shatter the glass- that makes a mess and wastes your jam! While you're heating your water bath (if you're doing shelf stable) put your glass jars into to warm up & sterilize at the same time. IF you'll be putting in the fridge for use very soon (for freezer see below) then you'll still want to warm glass jars, (fresh out of the dishwasher works well) but can skip that for plastic. All jars will need to be freshly cleaned.
You want nice simmer for your jam at this point, a full boil will lead to clumpy pectin, but pectin will degrade in heat so you don't want to have to bring it all the way up from cold. SPRINKLE your pectin into your pot while stirring. If you multiplied the recipe, add pectin in batches to avoid clumping, if it does clump, the pectin is very soft and can be mashed with a spatula to break up the lump. This is the point to add the butter or oil if you want to keep foam down, I would HIGHLY suggest adding it to strawberries or strawberry mixes as they tend to foam badly.
Heat the jam to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. A rolling boil will not stop bubbling when you stir it. Stir constantly and be sure to scrape down the sides to prevent burning. After boiling for 5 minutes, turn off the heat, it's time to jar it. The jam should be still fairly runny at this point, thickening the more it cools, so don't let it cool too long. Runny at this point is fine, it may take up to a WEEK to get fully set and thicken up. And hey, if it's a little runny you just call it syrup and put it on pancakes, ice cream, or using it baking, you can also try to reprocess it and add a bit more pectin, but the flavor will change the longer you cook it.
Jarring
Go to the * below for fridge/freezer jam tips. Do NOT put sealed glass in the freezer! Freezing water expands and fruit/jam is mostly water.
Your water bath should be nearly boiling by this point, you will want to make sure you have enough water to cover the top of the jars by 1 1/2 inches. You'll need to warm the lids (but not boil them), a small pot of hot water is great for keeping them warm until you get to them. The rings should also be warm, but they can boil so long as you have a way to get them out of the boiling water. The jars will be HOT, you will need to use non metal tongs to handle them. The jam will be HOT, this is why jam funnels are a good thing to have.
Jars should be filled to about 1/4th of an inch of the top. Skim off any bubbles and make sure you don't have any along the sides of the jar. Fill a jar too close tot the top and it won't seal, too much space and the jam won't last well. This recipe makes about 2 cups, so figure our your jars accordingly but there's usually a little extra, and that's fine! save it with your bubble skim and stick it in the fridge. Make sure the jar lids and rims are clear and clean before putting on the lids and line it up so the rubbery ring is over the top of your rim. Then screw on the bands. Bands should be tightened to "finger tip tight" so they don't leak your jam but will let air out. Fill your jars hot and place them in the boiling water so they aren't touching each other or the sides. Cover them and boil for 10 minutes. Altitude above sea level makes water boil at a lower temp! At 1000-3000 feet add 5 minutes, 3000- 6000 feet above sea level add 10, over 6000 add 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat under the water and let it cool for 5 minutes.
You can start pulling the jars out (don't bump the lids or bands!) after this point if you need to start your next batch, but do NOT put the jars on a cool surface! You can still shock the glass! Insulate a counter top with dish towels, place the jars on wooden cutting boards, or fill a sink with the hottest tap water you have (to cover the jars). You will want to be able to let them cool down before moving, if everything went right, you will be hearing the jar lids pop as the top sucks down. If the top is still up, that's fine too, at FIRST. After about 12 to 24 hours check to make sure the tops are down and staying down, if they come back up, it didn't seal all the way and you need to reprocess them or put them in the fridge for quick use. Check to make sure the lid is truly stuck on the jar and not loose when you take off the band. At this point it's a good idea to take off the bands and dry them, you don't want to trap moisture by the lid. LABLE with the date and type of jam. Store in a cool dark location and try to use in with in the next year. Yes you CAN store it safely for 18 months, but the color will fade and you don't want to waste your hard work or get sick if it goes bad!
***Freezer jam***
If you have lots of freezer room you can make your jam and just freeze it instead of trying to process it. I know glass is so much better than plastic, but it's NOT good in a freezer. I really suggest go with the plastic for this, but if you do use glass, a) make it a small wide jar and B) NO LID until it's frozen. That said, the fridge is a great place for glass, so if you have a partial jar or one that doesn't seal and you don't want to fool with a whole new fresh water bath, stick it in the fridge. Just don't forget it, homemade jam without commercial preservatives only lasts about 2 weeks in the fridge, if it seems moldy or going "off" before then, toss it, it's not worth getting sick over!
Here's my favorite simple jam recipe with low to no sugar pectin:This recipe can be scaled up to up to 4x, do not try to make more than 8 cups of jam at a time, it may not set well.
2 Cups fruit prepared (hull strawberries, slice thickly; pit peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, and cherries; skin apricots, nectarines, and peaches, cut into chunks no large than 1 inch, halve or quarter cherries-- see smash section down below; wash berries)
1/2 Cup water
3 tsp lemon or lime juice-- use a little extra if fresh squeezed since local conditions can make the acid content of fresh fruit vary (the acid is your preservative, it keeps it from going bad when shelf stable AND helps the pectin activate)
1 1/2 TBSP Ball low or no-sugar pectin (Brand matters! each pectin formulation varies and other brands often need more sugar to set)
1/2 Cup Sugar (you can do more to taste, but less and the color will likely turn brownish or the jam end up runny)
1 small slice butter or 1/2 tsp cooking oil, OPTIONAL (but recommended for strawberries!)
A way to jar it/save it this recipie is more aimed for shelf stable jam, but can easily be adapted to freezer jam.
Cook fruit
Combine fruit, water, and sugar in a sauce pan, making sure the pan is less than half full (boiling fruit will expand). Stir well and heat on med heat until fruit starts to simmer (small bubbles) stirring frequently to prevent the fruit from burning, use a heat resistant spatula to scrape down the sides regularly. After about 15-30 minutes the fruit should soft and easily mush if you smash it against the side of the pan with he spatula, you may need to add 10 minutes for cherries, currants, or blueberries. Add your lemon juice and stir it in.
If I'm not doing a cool down for my fruit smashing, I will often start the large pot for my water bath while the fruit cooks as that much water will take time to heat.
Smash fruit
At this stage there are several ways to crush the fruit, or you can leave it chunky if you prefer large fruit pieces. The skin on cherries can be an issue at this point, so keep an eye out for that if using cherries! you may need to chop them finer before cooking if you chose to go this route.
-Potato masher/ricer: let mixture cool then mash it in a container that will not be harmed. This will leave the largest pieces and works best with softer fruits, cherries not so well, if it's what you have, chop cherries finer.
-Blender: for a stand blender- let the mixture cool, put about 2/3rds of the total in and pulse until pulpy add back into the unblended fruit while stirring, cherries should be quartered or you may need to fish out unwieldy chunks of cherry skin.
for an immersion blender- while the fruit doesn't need to cool, you will need to be careful to not over blend, you will likely still want a few fruit chunks but check to make sure none are too large, you'll want to stir and pulse several times.
-hand mixer: put the mixer into the jam and turn it on med for about 20 seconds, being careful to not hit the sides or bottom, you may need to repeat if making a larger batch. It the fruit isn't falling apart, it may need a little more cooking. This is best of both worlds, you get texture without huge chunks but you don't have to let it cool and since there are no blades, you have less to worry about over chopping and making a puree instead of jam. This works great on softer fruits, cherries may need more time or to be cut smaller at the start
Return to pot if need be and if you had to cool it down, bring it back up to temp.
Jamin'
Before you start this part, make sure you've got your jars heating, hot jam in a cold jar can crack or even shatter the glass- that makes a mess and wastes your jam! While you're heating your water bath (if you're doing shelf stable) put your glass jars into to warm up & sterilize at the same time. IF you'll be putting in the fridge for use very soon (for freezer see below) then you'll still want to warm glass jars, (fresh out of the dishwasher works well) but can skip that for plastic. All jars will need to be freshly cleaned.
You want nice simmer for your jam at this point, a full boil will lead to clumpy pectin, but pectin will degrade in heat so you don't want to have to bring it all the way up from cold. SPRINKLE your pectin into your pot while stirring. If you multiplied the recipe, add pectin in batches to avoid clumping, if it does clump, the pectin is very soft and can be mashed with a spatula to break up the lump. This is the point to add the butter or oil if you want to keep foam down, I would HIGHLY suggest adding it to strawberries or strawberry mixes as they tend to foam badly.
Heat the jam to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. A rolling boil will not stop bubbling when you stir it. Stir constantly and be sure to scrape down the sides to prevent burning. After boiling for 5 minutes, turn off the heat, it's time to jar it. The jam should be still fairly runny at this point, thickening the more it cools, so don't let it cool too long. Runny at this point is fine, it may take up to a WEEK to get fully set and thicken up. And hey, if it's a little runny you just call it syrup and put it on pancakes, ice cream, or using it baking, you can also try to reprocess it and add a bit more pectin, but the flavor will change the longer you cook it.
Jarring
Go to the * below for fridge/freezer jam tips. Do NOT put sealed glass in the freezer! Freezing water expands and fruit/jam is mostly water.
Your water bath should be nearly boiling by this point, you will want to make sure you have enough water to cover the top of the jars by 1 1/2 inches. You'll need to warm the lids (but not boil them), a small pot of hot water is great for keeping them warm until you get to them. The rings should also be warm, but they can boil so long as you have a way to get them out of the boiling water. The jars will be HOT, you will need to use non metal tongs to handle them. The jam will be HOT, this is why jam funnels are a good thing to have.
Jars should be filled to about 1/4th of an inch of the top. Skim off any bubbles and make sure you don't have any along the sides of the jar. Fill a jar too close tot the top and it won't seal, too much space and the jam won't last well. This recipe makes about 2 cups, so figure our your jars accordingly but there's usually a little extra, and that's fine! save it with your bubble skim and stick it in the fridge. Make sure the jar lids and rims are clear and clean before putting on the lids and line it up so the rubbery ring is over the top of your rim. Then screw on the bands. Bands should be tightened to "finger tip tight" so they don't leak your jam but will let air out. Fill your jars hot and place them in the boiling water so they aren't touching each other or the sides. Cover them and boil for 10 minutes. Altitude above sea level makes water boil at a lower temp! At 1000-3000 feet add 5 minutes, 3000- 6000 feet above sea level add 10, over 6000 add 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat under the water and let it cool for 5 minutes.
You can start pulling the jars out (don't bump the lids or bands!) after this point if you need to start your next batch, but do NOT put the jars on a cool surface! You can still shock the glass! Insulate a counter top with dish towels, place the jars on wooden cutting boards, or fill a sink with the hottest tap water you have (to cover the jars). You will want to be able to let them cool down before moving, if everything went right, you will be hearing the jar lids pop as the top sucks down. If the top is still up, that's fine too, at FIRST. After about 12 to 24 hours check to make sure the tops are down and staying down, if they come back up, it didn't seal all the way and you need to reprocess them or put them in the fridge for quick use. Check to make sure the lid is truly stuck on the jar and not loose when you take off the band. At this point it's a good idea to take off the bands and dry them, you don't want to trap moisture by the lid. LABLE with the date and type of jam. Store in a cool dark location and try to use in with in the next year. Yes you CAN store it safely for 18 months, but the color will fade and you don't want to waste your hard work or get sick if it goes bad!
***Freezer jam***
If you have lots of freezer room you can make your jam and just freeze it instead of trying to process it. I know glass is so much better than plastic, but it's NOT good in a freezer. I really suggest go with the plastic for this, but if you do use glass, a) make it a small wide jar and B) NO LID until it's frozen. That said, the fridge is a great place for glass, so if you have a partial jar or one that doesn't seal and you don't want to fool with a whole new fresh water bath, stick it in the fridge. Just don't forget it, homemade jam without commercial preservatives only lasts about 2 weeks in the fridge, if it seems moldy or going "off" before then, toss it, it's not worth getting sick over!