Will a proper jam pan make a difference?

[smallblueplanet]

...I've always had a jam pan - it's mega useful. It does big batchesof soups and in the harvest season I can make massive batches of ratatouille in it too!

So by reverse logic Flum, would a big heavy-bottomed stock pot not be just as good for jam?

[LostGoddess]

Well I have ordered the pan reccomended by smallblueplanet on Amazon, thanks. Ordered a lemon juicer too while I was there ofcourse!
In response to recent posts, My stock pot does have a big heavy base on it, but I can only presume that the wider surface area of a maslin pan aids with evaporation and therefore setting point without having to put so much heat into the mixture that it gets a burnt bottom..... ouch!

[SarzWix]

I've never noticed a difference between cane and beet sugar, but I do prefer golden syrup made from cane sugar, it tends to be thicker.

[Flummery]

So by reverse logic Flum, would a big heavy-bottomed stock pot not be just as good for jam?

It doesn't slope outwards. That does make a difference to simmering things to evaporate them. I have a stock pot too but prefer the jam pan for most jobs.

[SarzWix]

Mmmm, I agree Flum. Stock pots are good for when you want to retain moisture, the jam pan is excellent for reducing it. All depends on the job in hand But, if I had to give one of them up, it would be the stock pot

[smallblueplanet]

Okay thanks you two - that's another kitchen accessory on the 'must have' list!

[Nicos]

I do mine in a heavy based pressure cooker pan as it doesn't tend to stick.
I do have my grannies brass jam pan- and am acquiring a copper pan- but am wondering with these pans if you need to be careful with acidic fruit - or 'normal' fruit so there isn't a residual flavour or tainting from the metals???

I was told cane sugar is the best for jam- no idea why- and I've never tried beet sugar....anyone know about this????...

I read somewhere that a little blob of butter helps reduce scum..I think it was in a strawberry recipe- but I lob it in everything except marmalade!!!....should I or is it a waste of butter???

[SarzWix]

I chuck a knob of butter into everything as well Nicos, it means less loss from scooping out the scummy stuff. I've never noticed it affecting the flavour of anything

[seasprout]

Well I have ordered the pan reccomended by smallblueplanet on Amazon, thanks.

Let us know how you get on, i might 'treat' myself also.

[Hilary B]

I sometimes add butter to marmalade as well....
Preserving sugar should produce less scum that ordinary gran, and it should dissolve faster, reducing the risk of burning. I think those are the only differences. Cane or beet sugar should be much the same. Any differences are 'refined' out, unless you use Golden Gran, which adds an interesting flavour....
I liked using a real jam pan, but these days it is pressure cooker or big stock-pot (jam pan was one of the casualties of the fire 13 years ago), and things seem to work much the same. I only do a couple of batches any year (one marmalade, one crab apple jelly is typical, but it does vary) and some years I don't actually make any.

[bluemoon]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Sarzwix I was thinking that a British beet sugar could be a good alternative to organic sugar for the reason you suggested, thanks. I would still prefer to use organic if at all possible, although having to weigh the pros of organic against the cons of food miles is a tricky one that I haven't come to a conclusion on. I mean, here I am trying to make good preserves from British, seasonal, often wild ingredients and I'm then using food-mile-rich sugar with which to make it doesn't seem to make much sense! But that's a whole other debate.

These are the decisions which fry your brain!!!! I haven't used rice for several years because of disenfranchised peasants, food miles etc, etc, my best friend is vegan and is virtually impossible to feed without rice. Do I buy it just for her? Decisions, decisions. I realized I was growing a tad obsessed though when I found myself standing immobile unable to choose between recycled loo-roll (plastic wrapped) or non-recycled (paper wrapped). My OH literally had to rescue me by grabbing one and walking off. Now I just try to do the best I can, taking into account my own circumstances. Not perfect, but better than many people's non-existent efforts.

As for pectin, I'm sure my gran used to save lemon pips and put them in her jam in a muslin bag for the extra pectin... or am I imagining this?

[NOG]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Sarzwix I was thinking that a British beet sugar could be a good alternative to organic sugar !

Can you actually get Organic foriegn food...to be organic the grower needs to be a member of the Soil Asociation. Sugar needs to be heavly refined to extract it from the beet or cane..

Back to Pans, I use an old Pressure coooker without the lid.....I have never used a thermometer...when it bubbles it is boiling then put it on a plate that has been frozen and if it crinkles it done.

I think the smaller the volume you make the more problems you get. I then to make 20lb at a time.

[WrexTheDragon]

I like my pressure cooker.

[valmarg]

Is there a tasteable (is that a word?) difference between beet and cane sugar?

I understand that the WI did a test on the difference between using cane and beet sugar making jam.

Their conclusion was that there was no difference, both made equally good jam.

Where my querky comes in, is that I prefer real sugar, as opposed to the ersatz stuff.

valmarg

[bluemoon]

Sugar (sucrose) has a definite and precise chemical structure, it wouldn't matter if it came from beet, cane or was manufactured in a lab, if it didn't conform to the chemical formula and structure then it wouldn't be sugar. Both beet and cane produce sucrose, therefore it is exactly the same.