Jam newbie needs advice :)

coreblimey, Jan 23, 8:19am
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

timetable, Jan 23, 8:28am
hi core - well done you!!!its awesome doin your own jam and you will really enjoy doing it each season.
rubarb jam: 5 cups chopped rubarb to 4 cups sugar, 2 pkts jelly and 1 small well drained can of crushed pinapple.boil till reach's setting point and pot up as any other jam

i would probably preserve the plums or turn into plum sauce rather than jam - but if you want to make them into jam then i am happy to hunt out a recipe and post it for you.

the frozen berries: just do 1 cup of berries to 1 cup of sugar and don't add any extra water.again boil till it reach's setting point and pot as normal - have fun!!!

maryteatowel1, Jan 23, 8:41am
...apple will add the pectin needed to set the jam...one apple to about 1 1/2 kg fruit... you wouldn't notice it in a plum or berry jam...the flavours of the apply is mild...

coreblimey, Jan 23, 9:01am
Thanks guys. To preserve the plums do I just gently cook in sugar etc and then bottle? Cut in half and de stoned I take it? No added water.

timetable, Jan 23, 9:09am
hi core.... i don't use sugar but you can if you want to... depending on the sweetness of the plums just add say a 1/4 of a cup to 1/2 cup sugar and make sure that it is well dissolved before you put the plums in, poach them ( i just leave the stones in) till a knife goes through them ok and then pack into your hot jars (100 deg for at least 20 min in the oven) and then i just fill the jar to just overflowing with your liquid and then seal with the metal seal and screw band... hope that helps - its a great way to store fruit for the winter - really cheap and ya get so much more than a can of fruit holds lol... bless ya!!

cgvl, Jan 23, 9:30am
you can use a stalk or 2 of rhubarb to your jam fruit to add pectin or use a green apple or lemon juice. The rhubarb doesn't taste and aids setting.
I would use the plums for a plum jam. and the mixed berries for a berry jam, the cherries I'd also use seperatly. but thats just me

lythande1, Feb 24, 9:59am
Lemon juice is fine.
Why not make just a few jars of each fruit? Then you won't get sick of it.
With the setting, use the lemon juice, test a bit of jam by putting a tsp on a plate, cool and tip it up. Too runny? Boil it down a bit more.