my strawberry jam is all "gluppy"

[morverngirl]

I made my jam this morning,used sugar with pectin ,sugar disolved, boiled 8 minutes, tested and wrinkled in cold saucer ,left to cool 15 minutes in pan ,then poured into jars and sealed, but it appears runny with fruit at top. Will this become more settled and solid as time goes on. Jam left in saucer is perfect and it tastes great as I tried a jam butty for lunch-mmmmm memories of a childhood.

[WrexTheDragon]

I like to use a thermometer now to check that my jams have reached the setting point. 8 minutes is not that long, was it a rolling boil? Also you did not say how much sugar was added.

The fruit will most likely now stay at the top of the jar and it is also possible that the jam was still warm when you checked it. It may go more solid as it cools down.

Runny jam is just as good as the solid stuff, only it does not keep as long. I always eat mine quicker.

[rustylady]

Strawberry jam never ever really "sets", but you can always eat it with a spoon!!

[hamsterqueen]

call it conserve and swear blind that was what you intended!

strawberry jam is always a bit sloppy, easier to put on scones!

[Flummery]

You didn't add any water did you? With soft fruits like strawbs and rasps I just crush the fruit (vegetable masher) and dissolve the sugar in that.

[morverngirl]

I had 2 kg fruit and 2 kg strawberries,juice of 3 lemons, let it sit overnight ,gave it bit of a mash, still lots of whole fruit. Found it difficult to keep on a rolling boil ,it wanted to rise too far over pan for safety,so kept adjusting gas.

[Alison]

I make my strawberry jam by gently cooking the prepared fruits with lemon juice for about an hour before adding the sugar. Only ever use normal granulated sugar and when it's disolved, I whack up the heat to a proper rolling boil, have a thermometer but basically it's the hotest I can possibly get it and the jam is usually right up my maslin pan at this point. Only need to keep it there for a few minutes - usually about 10 to 15 and then it makes a nice spreadable jam with big lumps of fruit. Don't find it's thin or thick and certainly not sloppy but not hard set like a jelly would be either. If you're worried yours is too thin then you can reboil and put back in steralised jars.

[zazen999]

I had 2 kg fruit and 2 kg strawberries,juice of 3 lemons, let it sit overnight ,gave it bit of a mash, still lots of whole fruit. Found it difficult to keep on a rolling boil ,it wanted to rise too far over pan for safety,so kept adjusting gas.

Did you mean 2kg sugar?

Anyway - you can just pour it back in and recook it; you could do it in 2 batches.

[valmarg]

morverngirl, what you should do is allow the jam to go quite cool so that when you pot it up the fruit stays evenly distributed, and doesn't float to the top.

valmarg

[rana]

I suspect the jam did not reach the required temperature while cooking. With 2kg of fruit you would need a fair sized pan to accommodate a good rolling boil. I would suggest trying again with smaller batches, say 1kg, so you can maintain the correct temperature.

[Flummery]

I had 2 kg fruit and 2 kg strawberries,juice of 3 lemons, let it sit overnight ,gave it bit of a mash, still lots of whole fruit. Found it difficult to keep on a rolling boil ,it wanted to rise too far over pan for safety,so kept adjusting gas.

That's one reason people recommend a real jam pan. You do need a rolling boil, no turning down a bit or adjusting, to get the set.

[Madmac]

The other thing you can do is add a nob of butter to the boil, it helps keep the frothing down a lot.

[Flummery]

I alwasy understood the butter was to prevent a scum forming - which you lose a fair bit of jam in getting rid of. No substitute for a big jam pan.

[morverngirl]

Thank you all for comments, I have a very large stainless steel pan,not a real jam pan, I also have my late Mum's brass !!! preserving pan but it has a few green bits so prefered not to use. Think I'll try reboiling.
Does anyone els hve troube typg o ti site,i kes msing letters I've tyed out.
(Does anyone else have trouble typing on this site ,it keeps missing letters I've typed out)

[WrexTheDragon]

I thought it was just me who could not type yesterday??