Jam didn't set
 

I made a cherry-raspberry jam from a recipe that didn't use commercial
pectin - just the fruit plus lemon and orange zest, plus some orange
juice. It didn't set. It's the first time I've tried jamming without
commercial pectin so I don't know if I did it wrong or not. Seems like
I boiled it forever and it never got to the jelling stage.
I would like to enter this into the fair, so I can't leave it syrupy.
What's the best method to reprocess it? All the advice I find is geared
towards recipes that already have pectin added. Should I just boil it
down? Or, I have a rather old box of Pomona's pectin I never used...but
it seems tricky to get right, and I don't have a lot to experiment
with.
Thanks for any advice,
Cyndi

Jam didn't set
 

In article om>,
"cyndi in the desert" > wrote:

> I made a cherry-raspberry jam from a recipe that didn't use commercial
> pectin - just the fruit plus lemon and orange zest, plus some orange
> juice. It didn't set. It's the first time I've tried jamming without
> commercial pectin so I don't know if I did it wrong or not. Seems like
> I boiled it forever and it never got to the jelling stage.
> I would like to enter this into the fair, so I can't leave it syrupy.
> What's the best method to reprocess it? All the advice I find is geared
> towards recipes that already have pectin added. Should I just boil it
> down? Or, I have a rather old box of Pomona's pectin I never used...but
> it seems tricky to get right, and I don't have a lot to experiment
> with.
> Thanks for any advice,
> Cyndi

How long is forever?

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_07/...gredients.html

I've got a recipe in an old Farm Journal book that uses 4 cups each
pitted sweet red cherries, and red or black raspberries, and 8 cups of
sugar. No other acid involved. It says to cook briskly for about 15
minutes (to 218 deg F); and to not cook over 20 minutes.

Based on your description, it seems to me your stuff should have set to
something. How ripe were your fruits? Sweet cherries or sour? Sour
have more pectin.

I make all my jams with added pectin; I've found that to be my
preference. George uses a thermometer - maybe he'll have something to
say about it. Do you know what temp you cooked yours to, Cyndi?

Here's my totally unscientific suggestion for a fix. Since you've
already got the sugar involved in this, I'd put the stuff back into a
large kettle, bring it to a boil, and add a 3-ounce pouch of liquid
pectin (Ball Fruit Jell or Certo liquid if you're in the US). Boil for
a minute and jar it again and process. It's a lot of cooking for that
fruit, but if you're hellbent on a Fair entry, give it a shot. If it
wins a ribbon, it will make a great story. If it doesn't, you've got an
out. "-)

If you don't want to risk it (and I'm not sure that I would, by the
way), you've got yourself some damn fine ice cream or pancake/waffle
topping. Make different labels. It's all about "marketing," anyway,
Kiddo. "-) Triple Sec or Grand Marnier wouldn't be a *bad* thing in
that mixture, either.

Which reminds me -- I should be making Boozeberry Jam. . . . .
--
-Barb
<http://jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 7-10-06, Rob's Birthday Lunch
"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

Jam didn't set
 

cyndi in the desert wrote:
> I made a cherry-raspberry jam from a recipe that didn't use commercial
> pectin - just the fruit plus lemon and orange zest, plus some orange
> juice. It didn't set. It's the first time I've tried jamming without
> commercial pectin so I don't know if I did it wrong or not. Seems like
> I boiled it forever and it never got to the jelling stage.
> I would like to enter this into the fair, so I can't leave it syrupy.
> What's the best method to reprocess it? All the advice I find is geared
> towards recipes that already have pectin added. Should I just boil it
> down? Or, I have a rather old box of Pomona's pectin I never used...but
> it seems tricky to get right, and I don't have a lot to experiment
> with.
> Thanks for any advice,
> Cyndi
>


Are you sure the recipe called for zest and not peel? I a berry jam
recipe or two that call for thinly sliced lemons -- peel and all. The
lemon peel is boiled first, and it supplies the pectin. (also almost
overpowers the berries)

I would use Certo to reprocess it. Find Certo's directions for remaking
jelly and follow those directions. Cherries and raspberries and sugar
will boil down to make tar before they set into jam (Someone Nameless
did that once with some beautiful blackberries I'd picked to make a
cobbler.)

If it tastes good like it is, you could call it Cherry Raspberry Sauce
(for ice cream.)

Good luck,
Bob

Jam didn't set
 

zxcvbob wrote:
> cyndi in the desert wrote:
> > I made a cherry-raspberry jam from a recipe that didn't use commercial
> > pectin - just the fruit plus lemon and orange zest, plus some orange
> > juice. It didn't set. It's the first time I've tried jamming without
> > commercial pectin so I don't know if I did it wrong or not. Seems like
> > I boiled it forever and it never got to the jelling stage.
> > I would like to enter this into the fair, so I can't leave it syrupy.
> > What's the best method to reprocess it? All the advice I find is geared
> > towards recipes that already have pectin added. Should I just boil it
> > down? Or, I have a rather old box of Pomona's pectin I never used...but
> > it seems tricky to get right, and I don't have a lot to experiment
> > with.
> > Thanks for any advice,
> > Cyndi
> >
>
>
> Are you sure the recipe called for zest and not peel? I a berry jam
> recipe or two that call for thinly sliced lemons -- peel and all. The
> lemon peel is boiled first, and it supplies the pectin. (also almost
> overpowers the berries)
>
> I would use Certo to reprocess it. Find Certo's directions for remaking
> jelly and follow those directions. Cherries and raspberries and sugar
> will boil down to make tar before they set into jam (Someone Nameless
> did that once with some beautiful blackberries I'd picked to make a
> cobbler.)
>
> If it tastes good like it is, you could call it Cherry Raspberry Sauce
> (for ice cream.)
>
> Good luck,
> Bob

Ah hah! Now I'm guessing I went wrong using zest and not peel. The
recipe did say peel, but having read a number of times that the white
part of the peel is very bitter, I didn't think that could be what they
really meant. That's what I get for using recipes off obscure internet
sites.
I will try re-processing using Certo. Thanks.

Cyndi