help can I bung some pectin into strawberry jam to set it???

[pippo]

have just made a huge vat of strawberry jam, but can't get it to set. If I bung in some pectin - (haven't put any in it yet)now will it set it, or not???

might do - worth a bash. Don't heat it any more after adding the pectin though or the heat stops it working.

(may not be best person to ask, I can only make one sort of jam, and that takes a whole bottle of pectin per kg strawbs.)

strawb jam always seems the most difficult to get to set so I always use pectin. Give it a go!

thanks guys, will give it a go!

I never used to use pectin, just ensured that I used enough sugar and kept heating.

I never used to use pectin, just ensured that I used enough sugar and kept heating.

thanks all (sorry Sal) couldn't find any bleedin pectin, (several supermarkets later)only jam sugar, so threw that in with some apples and heated - and- it worked!!

Just discovered this thread. I am planning on going to a local pick your own strawberries place so that I can make strawberry jam. How do you do it?

french method is to soak the strawberries in the sugar over night (no water - just sugar and strawberries), and then do the rest in the normal way - seems to work really well.

You can get jam making sugar that has pectin in it (or you could - haven't made any for a few years)

Right so you get the strawberries and hull and wash them then add the sugar? Do you leave them whole or chop them up?

Bought jam sugar in tesco last week, easy to find. making mine from gooseberries and if you don't pick them early the pectin is also low, although not as bad as strawberries!

there is another method which involves (I think) adding plum stones to the jam (remove them after) and that' supposed to boost pectin, but frankly- jam sugar every time.

Doesn't matter if you leave them whole by the time you've boiled them for jam, they'll have nigh on disintegrated anyhow.

So basically I need to buy jam sugar. Am off to Asda at lunchtime.

this is my favourite (and only) stawberry jam recipe and the one my mum always used to make. You have to keep the jam in the freezer till you want to eat it but it involves no boiling, testing for set etc.

Easiest rasberry jam (for when the raspberries are out) is Nigella's one where you heat 250g raspberries and 250g sugar in separate dishes in the oven, then just mix them both together and sling in a jar.

I made gooseberry jam the other day with soft brown sugar, and it seems to have set beautifully - they were little red dessert gooseberries From My Allotment

I bought some jam sugar in Sainsburys yesterday though, because it was there, and I though "ooooooh"

Mine are from my garden

Apparently, gooseberries vary in pectin levels so because I picked mine a bit later its not worth the risk.

Blackcurrnats next, almost ripe.

I haven't got blackcurrants

I have got raspberries though - red ones and golden ones, which I didn't know existed

I seem to remember some golden ones from my childhood, but my parents had half their (council house) garden converted to be self sufficient, and grew everything from cabbages to greengages and loganberries. I am but a poor example in comparison.

I have been to Asda and bought some jam sugar. Now just have to work out how to do the jars.

thanks all.

I made starwberry jam the other week and it set no problem. My secret? You add another fruit known for its high pectin content. You can use gooseberries (my choice the other week), raspberries, blackberries (when in season obviously) pretty much anything. I always find that the strawberries have a strong enough taste to be predominant in whatever mix you go for.

Ah I was wondering how to keep them hot you see. Somewhere it said about bathing them in a big pan until required. But I have only one big pan and need that for the jam. But problem solved now.

DG - I had wondered about apple and strawberry jam.

Bozza, I have looked up apple and strawberry jam in my book, which contains every combination of jam and preserves you could imagine, and yes apple and strawberry jam is there!

The recommendation is to use 1 lb of cooking apples (weight when peeled and cored) and 2 lb of strawberries. But you need to add lemon juice to get the right amount of pectin. You simmer the apples with 2 tbsp of lemon juice first to get a puree, then add the strawberries and cook for 4-5 mins. Then, as with other jam recipes, add the sugar and dissolve it before turning up the heat to boil. I would be interested to know how it works out for you!

Bozza, I sterilise jars in the microwave. About one third full of water, microwave for about 20 mins. Then if you're not ready for them you can give them another wee zap.

Thanks all. Have not yet got the strawberries but hopint to PYO tomorrow. And Asda left me two lots of apples so have plenty to spare. DG - how much sugar for that recipe. And microwaving the jars sounds like a good idea.

OH sorry, 1 lb apples, 2lb strawberries, 3 lb sugar and don't forget the lemon juice! Good luck, have fun, I am off to the PYO later too.