1 MAKING JAMS JELLIES The Basics of Making
1 MAKING JAMS & JELLIES The Basics of Making Sweetened Jellied Spreads Cooperative Extension Service The University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences © August 2020
2 Types of Sweet Spreads • Jelly - firm gel made from juice. • Jam - sweet spread that holds shape - crushed or chopped fruit. • Preserves - small whole fruits or cut uniform pieces of large fruits in a thick, sometimes slightly gelled, syrup (traditional, and in our work) • Marmalades – soft fruit jellies containing fruit or fruit peel, often citrus • Fruit butters – fruit pulp, sugar and spices cooked to a consistency that mounds on a spoon
3 Basics of Jellied Products – Ingredients • Fruit - provides the flavor and color for the product. • Furnishes at least part of the pectin and acid needed to gel. • Should be good quality with no visible signs of spoilage. • Best to use ¼ slightly under-ripe and ¾ fully ripe.
4 Basics of Jellied Products • Sugar - is the preservative that prevents the growth of microorganisms. • Sugar must be present in the proper ratio with pectin and acid for a gel to form. • Never cut down on the amount of sugar called for in a recipe or it may not gel. ** • Granulated white sugar (sucrose) is the type to use unless the recipe calls for some corn syrup or honey. • Brown sugar, sorghum and molasses are not recommended. ** If you want to make low or no sugar jellied products, then you must use a special pectin product or a special recipe for low sugar spreads.
5 Basics of Jellied Products • Pectin - the substance that causes the product to gel. • Some fruits contain enough natural pectin if not overripe (Apples, Crabapples, Eastern Concord grapes, Non-Italian plums). • Other fruits may need pectin or acid added (Ripe apples, Ripe Blackberries, some California Grapes). • Still other fruits ALWAYS need pectin, acid or both added (Raspberries, Apricots, Figs, Western Concord Grapes, Pears, Italian Plums). • Commercially prepared pectin is usually available in food preservation section of grocery and discount department stores.
6 Basics of Jellied Products • Acid - needed for gel formation • Amounts vary in different fruits. • Typically higher in under-ripe fruits. • Lemon juice or other acid may be added if more acid is needed. • Contributes to flavor and tartness.
7 What has to happen for gels to form? For gels to form, you must have correct proportions of: 1) Acid 2) Pectin 3) Fruit or juice 4) Sugar (for natural or “regular” pectin to gel)
8 Does my juice have enough natural pectin to make jelly? Tests for natural pectin 1. Cooking Test Image credit: ©So Easy to Preserve, UGA • 1/3 cup juice • 1/4 cup sugar • Heat, stir, dissolve sugar. • Boil rapidly until it sheets from spoon. • Pour in bowl or jelly glass and cool. • If cooled mixture is jelly-like, it has enough natural pectin to gel.
9 Pectin Tests 2. Alcohol Test • 1 tsp. juice • 1 T. rubbing alcohol • Gently stir or shake in closed container. • Solid jelly-like mass forms if enough pectin to gel - can pick up with fork. DO NOT EAT ANY OF THIS!
10 Does my fruit have enough acid? Test for acid: • 1 tsp. lemon juice • 3 T. water • 1/2 tsp. sugar • Mix and taste. Taste fruit juice. • If your juice is at least equal in tartness, then it has enough acid to make jelly.
11 If I don’t have enough natural pectin or if I just want to use commercial pectin, what do I do? • Look for commercial pectins in the food preservation aisle of your grocery store or discount department store. • If you are making a full sugar product, then choose regular pectin. • If you are making a low or no sugar product, then choose “lite” or “no sugar needed” pectin.
12 Is there any advantage or disadvantage to using the added pectin? • Without added pectin: • Long boiling time with fruit and sugar • Less added sugar, but concentrated natural sugar and added sugar still needed • Loss of flavor from long boiling • With added pectin: • Greater yield from measure of fruit • Fresher fruit flavor, but some flavor may be masked • Better color • Less chance of failure (determining doneness)
13 Commercial Pectins • Regular (requires sugar to gel) • Available in liquid and powder forms • Higher yield per measure of juice • Can use fully ripe fruit • Use more sugar, flavor may be masked • Do not have to cook fruit to extract juice • Do not need to test for pectin or acid
14 Commercial Pectins • Regular (continued) • Shorter cooking time • No doneness tests • Uniform results, quality • Store in cool, dry place • Use within 1 year or see expiration date • Powdered and liquid pectin are not interchangeable in recipes.
15 But I want a product with less sugar. What should I do? • Purchase a special pectin product made to be used with less or no sugar. • Look for “lite” or “reduced sugar” or “no sugar needed” on the package label. • Follow the recipe on the package insert for the type of jelly or jam you are making.
16 Equipment • Measuring cups and spoons • Bowl for sugar • Heavy, metal pot – large! • Ladle • Jar filler/funnel • Jars and lids • Boiling water canner and rack • Jar lifter
17 Other Possible Equipment • Scales • Sieve, food mill, fruit press • Jelly bag • Thermometer - jelly or candy Image credit: ©So Easy to Preserve, UGA
18 Preparing the Fruit to Make Juice 1. Use fresh picked fruit immediately. Do not refrigerate longer than one day. 2. Discard over-ripe or rotten fruit. 3. Use 1/4 under-ripe fruit and 3/4 justripe fruit, if no added pectin is used. 4. Approximately 1 lb. prepared (washed, trimmed, cut) fruit = 1 cup juice.
19 Preparing the Fruit, cont. 5. Wash fruit, lifting out of water. • DO NOT SOAK. 6. Remove stems and blossoms. 7. Do NOT remove skins, cores, or pits. • high pectin concentration 8. Cut into the size of pieces as recipe or specific directions indicate.
20 Extracting Juice 1. Place prepared fruit and cold water in saucepan. • For apples and other hard fruits: 1 cup per pound • Berries and grapes: just enough to prevent scorching • Soft berries can be crushed and no to very little water added. • Crush soft fruits to start the flow of juice. 2. Bring to boil on high heat. 3. Reduce heat.
21 Extracting Juice 4. Cook until fruit is soft. • Grapes, berries: 10 minutes • Apples, hard fruits: 20 -25 minutes • DO NOT overcook – destroys pectin, color and flavor.
22 Extracting Juice 5. Dampen the jelly bag with water and strain the juice through damp jelly bag. • Can use fruit press before straining • Cover jelly bag and bowl while dripping to prevent contamination
23 Extracting Juice • Special situation • To make jelly from fresh grape juice: • Refrigerate juice overnight, then • Strain through 2 layers damp cheesecloth. • Remove tartrate crystals that have formed.
24 Jelly - No Added Pectin 1. Bring extracted juice to boil (6 cups maximum). 2. Add sugar immediately; stir until dissolved. If no recipe is available, try 3/4 cup sugar per 1 cup of juice.
25 Jelly - No Added Pectin 3. Cook rapidly. Long cooking destroys pectin. 4. Test for doneness.
26 Tests For Doneness with no added pectin 1. Temperature • Cook to 220 o. F or 8 o. F above boiling point of water. (depends on altitude) • Test thermometer for accuracy with boiling water prior to cooking jelly.
27 Tests For Doneness with no added pectin 2. Sheet Test (Spoon Test) • Dip cold metal spoon into boiling jelly. • Hold spoon out of steam. • Drops should “sheet” together. Image credit: ©So Easy to Preserve, UGA
28 Tests For Doneness with no added pectin 3. Refrigerator/Freezer Test • Place small amount on plate. (glass best) • Place in freezer for a few minutes. • Check for gel.
29 With Added Pectin… • There is no testing for doneness. • Just follow the package directions for adding the pectin and for boiling the product.
30 Preparing Jars • Best to use half-pint or pint jars. Two options for “full-sugar” jams and jellies that are pectin-set: • • Pre-sterilize jars and process 5 minutes in BWC. Use clean, hot jars and process for 10 minutes in BWC.
31 Preparing Jars To pre-sterilize jars: • Wash jars in hot, soapy water and rinse. • Cover jars with water, bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes. • The boiling water canner works well. • If altitude>1, 000 ft: add 1 min. of boiling time for each 1, 000 ft. • Keep the jars in the hot water until ready to fill.
32 Preparing Lids • Follow manufacturer’s directions -- they vary.
33 Filling Jars 1. Skim foam (quickly). 2. Use a ladle and jar filler to fill hot, pre-sterilized half-pint jars with boiling product. 3. Leave headspace of 1/4”. • If necessary with some jams, remove air bubbles. 4. Wipe jar rims (top surface) with clean, dampened paper towel. 5. Apply lids prepared by manufacturer’s directions to jars. 6. If used, tighten ring bands over lids, also using manufacturer’s directions for your lid. If not using lids with ring bands, follow manufacturer’s directions. 7. Process - to prevent mold growth and have good quality during storage by removing air from headspace.
34 Processing Jars • Carefully place jars on rack in canner filled w/ hot (simmering, but not boiling) water. • Use a jar lifter and keep the jars straight up. Do not tilt them. • Water should be 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the jars when all jars are in the canner. • Place the lid on the canner. • Bring water to a full boil; then boil for 5 minutes if jars are pre- sterilized; 10 minutes if not. • Remember to make altitude adjustments above 1, 000 ft. • At end, turn off heat. Remove lid from canner, turning away from your face to avoid steam burns. • Wait 5 minutes before removing jars from canner. • Using the jar lifter, remove jars to protected surface.
35 Processing Jars, cont. • Cool away from drafts for at least 12 hours. • DO NOT DISTURB or move for at least 12 hours or gel may break. • Some may need 24 hours or longer to set up. • NOTE: USDA and University of Georgia DO NOT recommend inverting jars.
36 Storage • To avoid breaking gel, do not move for at least 12 hours. • Check seal. If a vacuum seal has formed, prepare the jars for storage. ** • Remove ring bands if used. • Gently wash the lid and threads of the jars, rinse and dry. • Label the jars with the product name and date. • Store without ring bands in cool, dry, dark place. • Short storage time is best for best quality. ** Store unsealed jars in the refrigerator.
37 I want to make freezer jam. What do I do? • Newer pectins • Simpler instructions • Less sugar than some others, OR, no sugar • Some people think it tastes more like fresh fruit.
38 Storing Freezer Jam • DO NOT store at room temp - will mold and/or ferment. • However, do not place in freezer right away; follow pectin instructions for waiting period. • Then, must be stored in refrigerator or freezer. • Freezer storage best for color and flavor retention. • May be stored refrigerator up to 3 weeks, usually; in freezer, up to 1 year. • Refrigerate after opening and use within a few days to a few weeks for best quality.
39
40 Document Use • These slides are for non-profit educational use only. They may not be reproduced for other purposes or uploaded by anyone to any website without prior written permission of the contact author, Elizabeth L. Andress, Ph. D. , Professor and Extension Food Safety Specialist, University of Georgia, Athens. • Document Use: • Permission is granted to reproduce these materials in whole or in part for educational purposes only (not for profit beyond the cost of reproduction) provided the author and the University of Georgia receive acknowledgment and this notice is included: • Reprinted (or Adapted, if not used exactly as is) with permission of the University of Georgia. Andress, E. L. and Harrison, J. A. 2020 rev. Making Jams & Jellies (slides). Athens, GA: The University of Georgia, Cooperative Extension Service. © August 2020
41 Disclaimer and Credits • Disclaimer: • Trade and brand names are used only for information. The Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences and College of Family & Consumer Sciences, and the U. S. Department of Agriculture do not guarantee nor warrant published standards on any product mentioned; neither does the use of a trade or brand name imply approval of any product to the exclusion of others which may also be suitable. • Image Credits: • The photos of in the left-side banner were taken by faculty and staff in the Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia. • Other photos throughout the slides were taken by faculty, staff or students in the Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia. Illustrations on some slides are cited as from So Easy to Preserve, 6 th ed. , University of Georgia. • This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 00 -51110 -9762. © August 2020
- Slides: 41