Can I salvage my runny marmalade?

[bearded bloke]

Our jam thermometer has an adjustable clamp,I presume all are like this was told to use it by SWMBO,so I duly clipped it on the pan & pushed the thermometer down until it stopped ,what I did not notice was the fluid level marking go on guess who knew how to set it properly

[Albanach]

Marmalade MkII is now in jars in the kitchen...woohoo! I simmered it and added a wee shot of malt whisky for cheek then got it to rolling boil. The thermometer came in very handy for giving an indication the temp reaching between 100 to 105 but I did the saucer test as well and it all looked good.

The only issue I had was that some of the marmalade burnt on to the bottom of the pan. Now I was given a jam pot for Christmas but it hasn't made its way to me yet so I was using a Le Creuset 3-ply stainless steel deep casserole as it is the biggest I've got. Will a a proper thick bottomed jam pot stop this from happening? I didn't want to stir the marmalade as this would stop it from reaching the set point!?

[rustylady]

You need to keep stirring to stop it catching on the bottom of the pan. I use a large stainless steel saucepan for my preserves so your Le Creuset should be fine.

[Thelma Sanders]

If it's really boiling well stirring it all the time makes no difference to setting point being reached.

As Rustylady says 'keep stirring'

[Albanach]

OK next time I'll keep stirring - TBH I stayed away from stirring as I thought it would reduce the temperature but I suppose the definition for rolling boil is that even stirring won't stop it from boiling. Anyway I've 8 jars if lovely dark malt whisky marmalade to work through. Cheers for all the help lads and lasses.

[Alison]

You will find that a jam pan will help as the shape assists with it all (wider at the top than bottom) and I have found that it doesn't stick anywhere near as much as when I used an old stock pan.

[Hilary B]

If you have the proportion of fruit to sugar right, cook until the peel is soft before adding any sugar, and boil to setting point (not by time!) marmalade will just about always set. If the fruit is a bit sweet, add some lemon juice, but otherwise, you can get away with just about any citrus combination.
I've done 'mandarine' and lemon (a lemon, plus enough 'mandarines', possibly clementines they weren't labelled, to make 1½lb of fruit, 3lb sugar enough water to make it cook nicely), lime, grapefruit, seville, whatever I can get! It all works without adding anything else.

[nancyrowina]

My first ever batch of piccalilli is runny sadly, It's not quite ready yet still to vinegary but I tried it and it tastes lovely, just very runny. I think I just didn't boil the sauce long enough sadly, and you can't re-cook piccalilli without ruining the crunch as the veg isn't cooked in the sauce like with chutney.

[Farmer_Gyles]

I think I just didn't boil the sauce long enough sadly, and you can't re-cook piccalilli without ruining the crunch as the veg isn't cooked in the sauce like with chutney.

what about straining it through a sieve to boil the sauce without cooking the veg??
not tried it myself, but we'll be making piccalilli soon ....

[nancyrowina]

what about straining it through a sieve to boil the sauce without cooking the veg??
not tried it myself, but we'll be making piccalilli soon ....

Hadn't thought of that, think it's been too long now though it's been in the jars for a couple of weeks, will just have to remember to get it right next time. It's still the best piccalilli I've tasted even now it's not ready and a bit too runny, if I get the sauce right it will be perfect. I used a basic recipe there's a posher Hugh Fernly-Whitingstall (or whatever he's called ) that sounds nice too but was more complicated so I went for the simpler one.

[veggiechicken]

I thought flour was the thickening agent in piccalilli? Its a long time since I've made it so probably mistaken!

[nancyrowina]

Yes you do put flour in the sauce and you have to cook it until it thickens, I just don't think I cooked it long enough. I hoped it would set when it went cold but it never did.

[GardenFaery]

put it between a rather nice sponge cake as filling?

[eirish]

Piccalilli sponge?

[veggiechicken]

Piccalilli sponge?

Splutters...........