Jam making

[Tezmac]

Hi all,
My wife has hinted she would like to take up jam making, for Christmas I would like to buy her some jam making equipment, could you please tell me what she needs to start off and where to get it from.
Your help please Thanks Terrry

[Guest]

Hi and welcome to the vine

Jam making can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it. Is it likely to be a fad or go on to be a business - i.e. is it worth investing in straight away?

You will need the following:-

Fruit - so grow your own, forage from hedgerows, buy from a shop
Recipe - basic recipe is 1lb of fruit to 1lb of sugar (lemon juice), but recipes books are always a nice gift
Pan - you can get jam pans but when starting out and small batches you can make do
Jam Thermometer - personally I don't use one but plenty of people would recommend this
Jars and lids - reuse what you have or you can buy them new. You can also buy lots of faff to dress them up with labels, wax discs, fabric circles etc. Most of this comes down to personal choice and budget.

Good luck

[Scarlet]

All I use is a maslin pan

4.5 litre Stainless Steel Maslin Pan in jam and preserve making at Lakeland

You could also get some wooden spoons from ^^^^ and a few jars if it's for a present.

And this is my go to bible for preserves, it's not a fancy book but you wouldn't need many others. Is a paperback.

The Basic Basics Jams, Preserves and Chutneys: Amazon.co.uk: Marguerite Patten: Books

And I often use a jam funnel:
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/3802/Easy-Fill-Jam-Funnel

[Thelma Sanders]

I'd buy the bigger size Maslin pan, if finances allow. If she gets bitten by the preserving bug, she'll soon need the bigger size
Kilner¨ Stainless Steel Maslin Pan - Harrod Horticultural (UK)

[Scarlet]

Sorry, didn't look at the size! Biggest is always best

[Alison]

And this is my go to bible for preserves, it's not a fancy book but you wouldn't need many others. Is a paperback.

The Basic Basics Jams, Preserves and Chutneys: Amazon.co.uk: Marguerite Patten: Books

Another thumbs up for this book, it's very good.

Other than that, I'd say the only thing worth getting us a goid quality maslin pan, it really does make all the difference. Jam thermometers can be useful but I don't really use and I find a jug is the easiest thing to use to get the jam in jars, much easier than a funnel.

[Philthy]

I've just ordered a copy!

Out of 88 reviews 86 score the book 4 stars or more out of 5. That is pretty impressive!

[Scarlet]

It doesn't look much, no fancy photos but it really is one of my most thumbed recipe books.

[Vince G]

Hi Terry, not sure where you are located, but if you have The Range near you, they sell everything you need for jam making, it's where I got most of mine.

By the way, if you're making jam because you have a surplus of fruit, you could always make a bit of booze too !!!

[rosiepumpkin]

I make jam a lot and use a very tichick bottomed high sided stainless steel saucepan (also used for fudge and sugar related recipes), a sugar thermometer and reused jam jars from quality makes like Bonne Maman, some bought new jam jars and whatever else jars I happen to have. Ikea spice jars are good for presents. I would like to have a funnel and I'd suggest some cloths for wiping the sides and mouths of the jars when the inevitable some gets out.

I too have Marguerite's book and I would suggest you print her of a copy of Angela Whatshername's flexible jam recipe from bbcgoodfood.com which is brilliant for from the lottie jam when you want to use whatever you have.

Lastly, Mynrecommendation is for her not to do too much at first and not to be disheartened if a batch doesn't set or whatever. It's art not science and that's part of the charm that there is no right way every time. If a batch doesn't set you have cordial, which is why I don't bother deliberating making it.

This year's experimental successes include blackberry and juniper, lemon (including a lot of marrow, woot) and the best mango chutney I have ever eaten anywhere, and I speak as a non mango chutney eater.

[Alison]

It's art not science and that's part of the charm that there is no right way every time.

I'd disagree with this, jam making is a science as it is a chemical reaction which causes the jam to set. Understanding how this works and the different amounts of pectin in different fruits will greatly increase your chances of success. The art part of cooking is more the amount of spice you use or how you present it but anything to do with ingredients acting together to become something different (this is especially important when considering how proteins and carbs react to heat) is pure science without the test tubes . Less kids would probably think science was nerdy if this link was made clearer and linked to cake.....

[Thelma Sanders]

I agree Alison - how many posts do we see with people asking why their jam/jelly hasn't set? Or asking why it's gone mouldy.

Right method and right ratio of ingredients required - especially for long term storage.

[Tezmac]

Hi Terry, not sure where you are located, but if you have The Range near you, they sell everything you need for jam making, it's where I got most of mine.

By the way, if you're making jam because you have a surplus of fruit, you could always make a bit of booze too !!!

Thanks to all for the help I'll pop down to the shops and get all the essentials, I all ready make my own beer, and wine, have just tried my hand at making som sloe gin. Again thanks for the help