[Sharonx]

Hi,
Made a batch of jam last night using 4lb fruit 4lb of sugar & juice of 2 lemons. Jarred up but found this morning it is still quite runny.
Anything I can do to rectify? i.e reboil & add something? Pectin?
Any help will be appreciated, such a waste otherwise Thanks

[mumofstig]

I put mine right by stewing up some gooseberries in only a tiny drop of water, passing through a sieve and adding them to jam.
Bring it all back up to the boil for a little while, use jam thermometer or test for set, then repot in freshly sterilised jars

[catllar]

I'm a microwave convert! I put my runny jam into a pyrex bowl, whack it on full for 3 minutes, give it a stir and another 2 minutes then re-jar it. I do it a jar at a time now - no sweat if the stuff is too runny when I first open it, - this trick seems to do it every time  - magic.  No additional pectin or faffing about needed. (Not tried strawberry as it's the one jam we don't eat.) 

[Sharonx]

Ok thanks - Gooseberrys aren't available as far as I know, did have a look today just to make sure & there was none to be had, I wondered if tinned would work?

 I will give the microwave method ago on one jar to see if it works thanks. If not i'm still up for any advice should I add pectin or more sugar?

[hamstergbert]

My soor plum and ginger jilly remained runny 24 hours after jarring up so I heaved all the jar contents back into the jam pan, washed out and resterilised the jars, then blended a half jugful of it - cold - with a couple of sachets of the silver spoon pectin (the original brew was 8 pints of juice after the initial pulping boil and strain.  2 sachets seem to have been about right for that amount).  Stirred that back into the jam pan, brought it up to the boil and did the business again, did a proper test of gel point instead of a "...yeah, that's probably close enough and anyway I am running out of time.." version.

Due to the stuff washed from the inside of the jars etc (maybe wouldnt set but certainly heading towards being a slightly non-Newtonian fluid) and reduction through the further boiling etc the volume dropped by about 10%

By yesterday morning the rebottled jam was fully set.  Yumyumyumyumyum.

[tosca100]

Ok thanks - Gooseberrys aren't available as far as I know, did have a look today just to make sure & there was none to be had, I wondered if tinned would work?

 I will give the microwave method ago on one jar to see if it works thanks. If not i'm still up for any advice should I add pectin or more sugar?

Tesco have some gooseberries, you wouldn't need many.

[themoog]

I'm afraid that I simply labelled mine as 'Rather Runny Strawberry Jam'.

Did I do A Very Bad Thing? 

[Val H]

Gooseberrys are just another way of adding pectin (they're full of it). I'd tip it out, re-heat and add an appropriate amount of dried pectin (silverspoon). You should get away with one sachet second time round for 4lb fruit, 4 lb sugar. Don't forget to re-sterilise the jars before putting the jam back in though.

[Sharonx]

Ok, so, checked our tesco no Gooseberrys, already looked in our sainsburys but nothing. The microwave method I checked didn't work, must be the strawberrys if it works for everythng else, so thanks anyway.
These silverspoon pectin sachets I have never seen, where do I buy these? Its not like I live out in the sticks away from resources but my shops must be pretty rubbish! I have seen preserving sugar, pectin sugar & bottles of pectin. Can any of these be used? If so, what quantitys?

[Val H]

Morrisons and Asda have Silverpoon dry pectin. Sainsburys and Tesco tend to have liquid pectin in the form of Certo or their own brand. I find the dried pectin easier and, when you have bought a packet (usually 3 in a pack), keeps for ages whilst the liquid pectin has a very short life. Some co-ops also stock Silverspoon dried pectin.

[Sharonx]

Thanks, not that local to me but will pop to our nearest tomorrow. Thanks very much, will let you all know if i have spreadable jam!  x

[catllar]

Oops, sorry about my "surefire" microwave method Still, at least it didn't cost you anything! Hope you find a solution, you can always pour it onto icecream, I suppose...

[Livinhope]

The same thing has happened to my apricot jam I've done a second boiling, added liquid pectin and lemon but not done any good.  My daughter bought the apricots and they were a bit on the ripe side so I suppose that's the problem.  Does it keep okay?

[Sharonx]

No problem   , Strawberry is a bit of a pain so probably just that, nothing to do with your microwave method.  It was a bit thicker.

The pectin sachets weren't available and neither was the gooseberrys. Useless round here!
Did manage to get a bottle of pectin so i followed the instruction on there & just keeping fingers crossed it will set. It's cooling off now as we speak.

[Sharonx]

Well that didn't work either - will now be going to look for goosseberrys/dried pectin & start again. Third time lucky!