Help with jam

[PabloEscobarlo]

I’m making raspberry jam or planning too!
I have 1.4 kilos of raspberry’s. I previously made some jam and used the jam sugar with the pectin in it.
It came out awful- the stuff bends knives!

I’ve over cooked it so I’m starting again. I’m wondering whether I should be using normal sugar and I heard that raspberries have natural pectin?

I also hot water bathed the first set of jam and I’m wondering if I should actually do this when the jam has cooled or is still warm?

Thank you for any help

[Hs2Issue]

I don't usually cook raspberry jam but wondered how you were testing it to check it was done? I have a saucer in the freezer and check for setting point with that. I don't use jam sugar as when I did with rhubarb jam it was like concrete like yours.

Not sure about hot water bath as never done that I i sterilise jam jars in the oven for 20 mins.

[PabloEscobarlo]

Thank you for your help, I’ll try not using jam sugar

[Weedsnseeds1]

Are you in the USA? FDA advice is to sterilise jam in the jar, but I don't know anyone in the UK or rest of Europe who dies. There's enough sugar and acidity to control any nasties without additional heat treatment.
You shouldn't need extra pectin with raspberries.
Oh, and use granulated not caster sugar. The crystals are too small in caster and it can go a bit weird!
As PP said, chilled saucer to test set, put a blob of jam and push with your finger. If it wrinkles on the surface, it's done

[PabloEscobarlo]

Thank you, I’m in the uk.
I was thinking more boiling the jars after to seal the jars as they are for wedding favours in six months time

[Weedsnseeds1]

Wash jars in very hot water and dry out a bit in warm oven, or in dishwasher. Fill with your hot jam while jars are still hot ( and dry). On with the lids. You honestly don't need to do the water bath after, it will keep for much longer than six months ( I find the odd geriatric jar of home made jam at the back of a cupboard or in the outhouse and it's fine. Some of it over 5 years old.....)

[Weedsnseeds1]

Previous post should have been "anyone who does", not "dies", but nobody dies either!

[PabloEscobarlo]

Thank you so much! Really really helpful. I knew someone would know

[Weedsnseeds1]

You need to wack the heat up too, once your sugar has dissolved. Don't simmer it, it needs a hard boil and will start bubbling and foaming half way up the pan when it's ready.
If you have, or can borrow, a proper preserving pan, use that, otherwise biggest pan you have.

[PabloEscobarlo]

Fab, yes I borrowed a pan so that’s good