How to make jam?

[RedRobyn2021]

I'd like to make my own jam but I've never done it before and I don't have anyone to ask questions, wondered if anyone here could help please?

Do I need a special jam pan?

How exactly do I sterilise the jars, do I boil them or put boiling water in them?

Do I need a thermometer?

How do I make sure it sets?

We're trying to eat less processed food and I thought, what a perfect time of year to make jam!

Google 🤷🏻‍♀️

Buy a basic jam book for sterilising details etc. old fashioned all purpose books usually have a preserves section anyway.
Top tip:
Get jam sugar ( it’s in Tesco). Then you only have to boil it for five minutes, instead of faffing around for hours with cold saucers etc. i first came across this in France, where everyone uses it. I have never, ever had a failure since, as long as you follow the instructions on the packet exactly.

It also saves a fortune in energy costs.

home made strawberry jam incoming…..

Here's Good Houskeeping's take on it.

Don't skimp on sugar. It's the sugar that preserves it.

I use a very old baby-bottle electric steam steriliser. The jars fit into it as if made for the job.
You could use a oven on a low temperature instead.

@Allthegoodnamesarechosen @senua

Thank you

I'd use a recipe for the fruit jam that you're making. Pectin is the setting agent -and it is the additive in jam sugar -found in vastly different quantities from fruit to fruit.

So if you're making strawberry jam use a reputable recipe for that, dont swap in fruit from a gooseberry jam recipe!

You can sterilise with boiling water, or in the oven, or innthe dishwasher. I usually use boiling water.

You don't need a special jam pan, but use a big pan as it can boil up.

Google jam recipes or try to get hold of an old cookery book - and you need a big saucepan because as a pp has said jam can boil over. A jam thermometer is useful but I generally do the set test with saucers. Buy preserving sugar but bear in mind that certain fruits set really well (plum comes to mind), but strawberries are a real sod to set and I usually end up buying bottles of Certo (liquid pectin) to add. I make a lovely peach and cinnamon jam which is amazing.

One year I made black cherry and Kirsch jam which was great but stoning 4lb of cherries was tedious to say the least....