vfem
Garden Addicted
HOW TO SAVE YOUR FAILED JAMS AND JELLY (better then the directions on the packages that over sweeten or toughen good jams the second time around)
Sometimes after you have bottled (canned) your jam or jelly and let it cool, you pick up a jar to check it or you open a jar, only to find it hasn't set properly and is "runny". If your jam or jelly turns out too soft or runny, don't despair, and don't throw it away! It can be fixed! Here's how!
If the jam is too thick: Before you put the jam/jelly in the jars, just heat 1 or 2 cups of UNsweetened grape juice (or any other fruit juice of similar or neutral taste, like apple or white grape) to boiling. Then, gradually add the juice and stir it in until you reach the desired consistency, then continue canning!
If the jars are already sealed / canned, then when you use them, just stir in a little grape juice until you reach the desired thickness.
If the jam turns out too loose or runny: This is a little different to fix. Here's how:
Step 1 -Determine how much jam or jelly needs to be remade
Measure the jam or jelly to be recooked. Work with no more than 4 to 6 cups at a time. Check all the jars from the batch - if one failed to set, most or all, probably failed. You can check by just turning them upside down and seeing how quickly the jam or jelly moves around in the jar.
Add up the volumes of all the jars to be reworked, to figure out the size of the batch (in quarts) for step 2.
1 qt = 32 oz = 2 pints = four 8oz jars = eight 4oz jars.
Open the jars to be fixed and return the fruit into a large pot.
Step 2 - Measure out additional pectin, water, sugar and lemon juice
If you are using powdered pectin:
For each quart of jam or jelly to be fixed, mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin in a large pot.
If you are using liquid pectin:
For each quart of jelly, measure 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons liquid pectin in a large pot.
Step 3 - Bring to a boil
Bring the pectin mixture to a boil while stirring. Add the jam jelly and bring to a rolling boil again, over high heat, stirring constantly.
Once it is at a rolling boil, boil hard for 45 to 60 seconds (1 minute) -- NO LONGER!
Step 4 - Remove from heat, skim and fill the jars
Remove from heat, and quickly skim the foam off jam or jelly.
Fill sterile jars (automatic dishwashers often have a sterilize setting, otherwise, wash and dry and add 5 minutes to the processing time), leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust NEW lids (do NOT reuse the previous lids, they are single use).
Step 5 - Process in the water bath
Waterbath for the amount of time specified for the original recipe, and your altitude.
Lessons learned
If the jam was too runny, then next time you might want to add about 20% more pectin to start with, or make sure you bring to a full hard boil for 1 minute (not less, and not more than a few seconds longer).
If it was too thick, add a little less pectin, and/or a bit of fruit juice before you cook it!
Sometimes after you have bottled (canned) your jam or jelly and let it cool, you pick up a jar to check it or you open a jar, only to find it hasn't set properly and is "runny". If your jam or jelly turns out too soft or runny, don't despair, and don't throw it away! It can be fixed! Here's how!
If the jam is too thick: Before you put the jam/jelly in the jars, just heat 1 or 2 cups of UNsweetened grape juice (or any other fruit juice of similar or neutral taste, like apple or white grape) to boiling. Then, gradually add the juice and stir it in until you reach the desired consistency, then continue canning!
If the jars are already sealed / canned, then when you use them, just stir in a little grape juice until you reach the desired thickness.
If the jam turns out too loose or runny: This is a little different to fix. Here's how:
Step 1 -Determine how much jam or jelly needs to be remade
Measure the jam or jelly to be recooked. Work with no more than 4 to 6 cups at a time. Check all the jars from the batch - if one failed to set, most or all, probably failed. You can check by just turning them upside down and seeing how quickly the jam or jelly moves around in the jar.
Add up the volumes of all the jars to be reworked, to figure out the size of the batch (in quarts) for step 2.
1 qt = 32 oz = 2 pints = four 8oz jars = eight 4oz jars.
Open the jars to be fixed and return the fruit into a large pot.
Step 2 - Measure out additional pectin, water, sugar and lemon juice
If you are using powdered pectin:
For each quart of jam or jelly to be fixed, mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin in a large pot.
If you are using liquid pectin:
For each quart of jelly, measure 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons liquid pectin in a large pot.
Step 3 - Bring to a boil
Bring the pectin mixture to a boil while stirring. Add the jam jelly and bring to a rolling boil again, over high heat, stirring constantly.
Once it is at a rolling boil, boil hard for 45 to 60 seconds (1 minute) -- NO LONGER!
Step 4 - Remove from heat, skim and fill the jars
Remove from heat, and quickly skim the foam off jam or jelly.
Fill sterile jars (automatic dishwashers often have a sterilize setting, otherwise, wash and dry and add 5 minutes to the processing time), leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust NEW lids (do NOT reuse the previous lids, they are single use).
Step 5 - Process in the water bath
Waterbath for the amount of time specified for the original recipe, and your altitude.
Lessons learned
If the jam was too runny, then next time you might want to add about 20% more pectin to start with, or make sure you bring to a full hard boil for 1 minute (not less, and not more than a few seconds longer).
If it was too thick, add a little less pectin, and/or a bit of fruit juice before you cook it!
