Are you talking about jars that have not had the seal broken yet!
If so then maybe one of these may be your problem:
1. Don't know why recipes say to seal when cool or cold. I always seal immediately whilst everything is steaming hot. 2. Do you always boil the lids and the jars and use boiled utensils, including any jugs, funnels, spoons and tongs and cleaning cloths. Don't dry anything once you remove it from the boiling water. Heat will do that. And clean hands. Your hands need to be clean. 3. Over ripe fruit can cause mould as well as 'shrinkage'. 4. Sometimes that mould is actually yeast. Smell it. Yeast has a vinegary smell. That may have come from yeasts in the air so sealing whilst everything is boiling hot will ensure that any trapped airborne yeast doesn't survive. And I mean seal each jar as it is filled, not afterward.
If you are doing all of these things then I cannot help you and you may have to be reduced to frozen jam in the ice cream container, though I gotta admit, I've never done that. Others say it is great but it just "don't seem right" somehow and I've got better uses for my limited freezer space.
lindylambchops1,
Jan 22, 1:40am
Thank you so much for your advice.I don't think we eat enough jam!So maybe the freezer idea would work for us.I am very conscious of cleanliness required for jam making.Ah sealing each jar as it is filled, must do that.Your comments & help are very much appreciated.
tich50,
Jan 22, 2:14am
A friendgavemesomeplumsanditriedmakingsomejam. iused1 kg plumswith1 kg sugar. slicedtheplumsandaddedsugar,closedthecontainerandsoakedovernight.thismorningiaddedlemonandslowlycookedmixuntilallsugardissolved, thenbroughttoaboilandkeptonboiling (stirringinbetween)forabout30 minutes. thereafteriremovedstonesandpouredintomyhotjars. closeditimmediately. madeabout700gmsofjam.myfirsttryanditsyum!labelledanddatedmyjarsasiintenddoingotherfruitsaswell. thebigquestionthough:howdoistoreit - infridgeoronshelf! .andhowlongwillthiskeep!NOPRESERVATIVES,yippee!
coreblimey,
Jan 23, 2:50am
Hi there, after a bit of advice on jam making.This is the first year I have ever made jam - done plum, apricot and the zucchini lemon honey as well (Yum).I now have around 1.5kg of plums, 1 bunch of rhubarb and 1 kg of cherries.I also have around 700gm of mixed frozen berries.
What could I make with these fruit mixed together!I have no pectin (none at countdown) and have been using lemon juice but not sure it would be enough for cherries!I understand they are quite low in pectin!Also rhubarb I bought because I was under the impression it was high in pectin but my book is saying the opposite.
Any suggestions gratefully received.TIA
elliehen,
Jan 23, 7:26am
Start a new thread with a question coreblimey.I think most people have had a look at this and might not be coming back ;)
darlingmole,
Jan 23, 7:39am
I have a recipe that say to cover my 3lbs of plums with 4 breakcast C of water. But yet a different recipe above from cgvl says to JUST cover plums with water .please - what should I do!
standard,
Jan 23, 8:32am
Does anyone have the receipe for homemade butter please!
darlingmole,
Jan 24, 9:22am
Thanks for getting back to me.Have made a post (re made plum jam for the 1st time ever).I had about 5-6 kilo's of plums, used 3 C water.It was really tangy despite using 3 & 1/2 C sugar! but IMO a LOT nicer than the store bought stuff.Stay posted for more from me about Jams because I will try berry jam by the weekend and will needing advice no doubt!
cgvl,
Jan 24, 11:32am
that would be about right amount of water for that much fruit.
Berry jam, make sure berries are clean and try and get a few unripe ones if able. 1.5kg berries bring to boil then add 1.25kg sugar. Don't add water, the fruit has enough natural in it. Leave a few whole ones to put in at end if you like to see fruit. Normally you add pound for pound of fruit to sugar but these days I find that far too sweet so use less for a tangy jam. A trick I use is a stalk of rhubarb cooked with the fruit . adds the necessary pectin for setting, if you dont have then use lemon juice or a green unripe apple.
ansypansy1,
Jan 25, 4:01am
Does anyone have the receipe for homemade butter please!
Very simple. I never tasted bought butter till I was married, but we had our own cows and used the cream straight from the separator at the cowshed.
Best to use a hand beater, the electric models are too fast. Beat rhythmically till the cream thickens into little lumps and there's watery liquid left in the bottom of the bowl. Pour through a strainer and collect the liquid. (This is buttermilk, and makes delicious scones instead of using milk) Leave the strained butter in the strainer for a while to drip as much as possible, then run under the cold tap to rinse it. Slowly turn the lump over to wash the other side.
Now you need to add salt, unless you want unsalted butter. Take the lump of butter out of the strainer and place it on a flat dish, sprinkle over some salt and mix in with a fork. Taste, add more salt if needed.
Personally I think it's a waste of time and energy, very high in cholesterol, but go for it, enjoy
jag5,
Jan 25, 4:59am
Add a little mint to your strawberry jam.delicious.
malcovy,
Jan 25, 5:44am
Great idea.
makespacenow,
Jan 25, 5:55am
Better jam.err fruit spread: 1. Option reduced sugar.1kg of stawberries, 350g of sugar, 2g of pectin powder mix pectin powder with couple of tablespoons of the sugar.mix into cold fruit cut into your preferred pieces.cook for one minute.add rest of the sugar cook for 4-5min test for setting.never failed pectin helps jelling it is natural allows for less or no dugar to be used.speed up cooking so even tastier 2. Option . No sugar 1kg of strawberries/fruit, 4gms of pectin powder.mix pectin in.bring to boil and cook for one minute test for setting that is it.
makespacenow,
Jan 25, 5:56am
Really nice with vanilla.i mean vanilla pod or vanilla bean paste.expensive but a little goes a long way.
lythande1,
Jan 25, 7:07am
I love lumpy strawberry jam!
cookessentials,
Jan 25, 7:57am
Fabulous. I love strawberry jam with whole strawberries in it.
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