JAM 101

I spent years avoiding making jam because I thought I would need to set aside a full day, make a trip to the market for some huge boxes of fruit and clean thousands of jars, which frankly all seemed way too hard. But the moment I learnt to make small batches of jam, everything changed. Now I grab a few punnets of berries when they’re on sale, open a bag of sugar, and in less than 45 minutes I have a couple of warm jars full of sweet jam, a cup of tea in my hand, and a satisfied look on my face. It’s that easy. Here are a few things you need to know if you are going to get into making jam.

THE HOLY TRINITY

Pectin, sugar and acid are the holy trinity when making jam. Without all three, your jam won’t set and you will end up with a sauce, albeit a delicious one.

Pectin occurs naturally in varying amounts in all fruits, with berries having a small amount, and tart fruits such as apples and plums having more. When pectin is combined with an acid (like lemon juice) and sugar, it forms a jelly, which is how the jam sets.

Most traditional jams call for white sugar, but when you get the hang of making jam, try experimenting with different sugars. I often use a mix of one-third brown sugar to two-thirds white sugar, to give the jam a darker hue and a light caramel taste. Pale sugars are generally lighter in flavour, while darker sugars such as brown, demerara or raw sugar give a stronger flavour.

If you are nervous about getting your jam to set, you can also buy sugar that has pectin added (such as JamSetta). It can be found in supermarkets and used in place of sugar in most jam recipes.

PICK THE BEST FRUIT

To give your jam the best chance of setting easily, make sure you use slightly under-ripe or perfectly ripe fruit, as it contains useful levels of pectin. Overripe fruit is not great for jam, as it is naturally low in pectin, so leave it for stewing. When you’re planning on making jam, hit up your local farmers’ market and see what fruit is cheap, plentiful and in season.

ABOUT YOUR JARS

There are as many types of jars you can use as there are jams you can make. My preference is for the American Ball mason jars because they are solid, never break, and I can always get replacement lids as they are a standard size. You can use any good-quality jar, even a second-hand one, as long as it has a new lid, or intact seal, and is properly sterilised.

STERILISING YOUR JARS AND BOTTLES

There are four main ways to sterilise your jars. Be sure to time your sterilising well, so the jars are at the right temperature for the contents. The rule of thumb is to put warm contents such as jams and chutneys into warm jars, and cool contents such as brines into cool jars. If you don’t follow these rules, your jars will crack and all your hard work will be undone.

Also make sure all your other utensils (such as ladles, spoons and funnels) are spotlessly clean and dry.

Boiling: Place your jars and lids in a large pot, cover with water and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave in the water until you need to use them. Be very careful when retrieving your jars as they will be hot and full of boiling water. (I highly recommend investing in a pair of preserving tongs designed for the purpose, as it will make it much easier and safer to handle hot jars and lids; you can buy these from kitchenware shops.) Place your drained jars and lids onto a clean tea towel on your kitchen bench until you are ready to use them.

Dishwasher: Put your jars and lids through a hot wash cycle at 65°C (150°F). Leave to air dry.

Baby bottle steriliser: A slightly unconventional way to sterilise your jars, but very effective. You can pick up second-hand electric baby bottle sterilisers quite easily, and they are great for small-batch preserving. In a matter of minutes you can have two to four sterilised jars, and they will stay warm until you need them.

Oven: Heat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Wash your jars in hot soapy water and rinse them, then place in the heated oven for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and let them sit there until you are ready to use them.

CHECKING FOR SETTING POINT

Here are three surefire ways of testing if your jam has set.

Sugar thermometer: This is the method I use. The jam will have reached setting point when it registers 104°C (220°F) on a sugar thermometer, which you can buy inexpensively from kitchenware shops.

Wooden spoon: Dip a wooden spoon into the jam and slowly remove it. If the jam isn’t ready, it will run off the spoon in a single thin drip. If it is ready, it will slowly form two thick drips.

The wrinkle test: Place a saucer or metal spoon in the freezer. When you think you are near setting point, take it out and place a small amount of jam onto it. Pop it back into the freezer for a minute, then push the jam with your finger. If the jam wrinkles on the surface, it is done. If your batch of jam refuses to set after cooling, tip it back into the pan, add some more lemon juice and bring back to the boil for another 5 minutes or so.

SEALING YOUR JARS

There is no sweeter sound than freshly potted jam jars sealing. You’ll hear a little ‘pop’, and then you’ll know that the jar has vacuum-sealed and your precious cargo is safe inside. Test by pressing on the lid – it should be concave and firm. You can then leave the jars in a dark cupboard for up to 6 months.

If any of your jars haven’t sealed properly, store them in the fridge and use within 2 weeks.