[cheshirecheese]

I want to make some jam but object to paying the rip-off prices supermarkets charge for soft fruit at this time of year (not to mention the air miles involved).  I know it's possible to make jam from frozen fruit, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that you need to add more sugar and also pectin due to the thawing process.  Does anyone know the specifics?  Thanks

[mumofstig]

I don't add any more of either, than I would with fresh fruit 

only frozen strawberries, but they need pectin for a reliable set anyway, even when fresh.

[viettaclark]

Blueberry jam....yum!

[sarajane]

Lots of my jam is made with frozen fruit, mainly due to not having time after picking and like MOS I treat it like fresh fruit and don't add anything extra.  Turns out fine.

[cheshirecheese]

Great - thanks for that, I'll give it a go! 

[plum crumble]

yup, I concur! I also make blackberry brandy with frozen fruit, no probs

[gavinjconway]

I don't add any more of either, than I would with fresh fruit 

only frozen strawberries, but they need pectin for a reliable set anyway, even when fresh.

Hi Mum... what pectin do you add for strawb jam? I'm new to jams this year and have only made Quince jellies.. My new plot will have an abundance of Strawbs and Raspbs so loads of jam to be made for the family and friends..

[sarajane]

Hi, I normally add a bottle of 'Certo' pectin, available from most supermarkets, about £2.50 a bottle for about 5lb of fruit and 5lb sugar.  The instructions however are on the bottle and I've not got one handy. I have also used the dried packet pectin(often found by the sugar in shops)  when making rhubarb jam as rhubarb has no pectin.

You will not need it for raspberries however as I believe they have plenty of natural pectin.

Mum might have a slightly different ratio from me though

[mumofstig]

I just buy jam sugar (it already has the pectin in) for when I'm making strawberry jam. I find, like sarajane, that raspberry sets ok with ordinary sugar 

[gavinjconway]

Thanks for the info... now I'm ready - bring the fruit and jam pot...

[plum crumble]

and don't forget the scones and clotted cream will you? 

[gavinjconway]

and the plum crumble... 

[plum crumble]

 

[Mrs Bee]

I don't add any more of either, than I would with fresh fruit 

only frozen strawberries, but they need pectin for a reliable set anyway, even when fresh.

Hi Mum... what pectin do you add for strawb jam? I'm new to jams this year and have only made Quince jellies.. My new plot will have an abundance of Strawbs and Raspbs so loads of jam to be made for the family and friends..

Yes you can use certo, or jam sugar with certo, or buy packets of pectin. I try to steer away from these as I prefer not to use chemicals. You can make your own pectin stock by simmering apple peel and apple cores in a little water and putting them through a jelly strainer. You can then freeze them in 1/4 pint quantities until you need them.

I make and sell my preserves as a  small business so I like to keep my preserves as natural as possible.

Freezing is also very good for marmalade too as the freezing helps to soften the peel so you don't need to simmer the peel for so long.

You may also need extra pectin for someother fruit with a low pectin content. You can check how good your pectin level is in your fruit by simmering the fruit with the water etc and before adding the sugar take a teaspoonful of the fruit mixture and put it into a jar with some methylated spirits in. Only need about 1cm of spiritsand best to do this away from the jam. DOn't want any spillages!
Give the jar a little shake and look at the fruit if it makes a firm jelly like clot you have a good pectin  level and don't need extra. If it looks watery and does not hold its shape or make a thick clot then you have a low pectin content and will need extra for a set.

A really good, inexpensive book to help you with the jam making which gives you a chart of high and low pectin fruit and a recipe for homemade pectin stock is ' Making Jams and Preserves' by Diana Sutton. Good life press. You can get it on Amazon. Well laid out and easy to follow.

[mumofstig]

All that information is already on site here.............
http://www.allotment-garden.org/allotment_foods/jams-preserve/make-jam-jelly-methods.php

with lots of advice and recipes for jams, jellies and marmelades just click on the Recipe tab above


Can I also recommend Val's book Easy Jams Chutneys and Preserves   
http://www.allotment-garden.org/book/jam-book.php