primitive in a jam

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x66313

Oh my.

femmocrat  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-24-09 12:16 PM
Original message
 
Does anyone make their own jam/preserves?

We have tons of wild black raspberries right now. I would love to make jam from them, but I have never tried it.

I would appreciate your advice:

Should I make freezer jam, or in jars? Do I need special jelly jars?

What about pectin.... easy to use? What is the best kind to buy?

Should I strain out the seeds? Do I need some kind of special strainer? I just have a wire mesh one.

Grandma:

hippywife  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-24-09 12:27 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. I make preserves every year from blackberries, blueberries, and our wild black raspberries. Get the pectin, a box of pint mason jars, follow directions in the leaflet in the package of pectin. You only have to do a 10-15 min. hot water bath and not pressure canning. Really very easy. I never strain the seeds.

Enjoy! Nothing like home made preserves.

On edit: You may need some lemons, too. I can't remember if these berries require lemon juice or not. Haven't started this year and haven't read the instructions since last year. It may be just for peaches.

kfred  (39 posts)     Wed Jun-24-09 01:08 PM
Response to Reply #1
 
2. All true, the lemon is for flavor

If you want jam, then no seed straining.

If jelly, then it is seed straining.

While I've never made blackberry jelly or jam, I have made raspberry jam AND jelly (and strawbery and marmalade, etc.).

The lemon just picks up the flavor of the berry and don't skip the tad bit of butter at the end because it truly DOES cut the foaming. Otherwise it's a pain in the rear (so saith the kid who did this when she was nine for my mom).

Ooops, Grandma gets a little techy here:

hippywife  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-24-09 02:34 PM
Response to Reply #2
 
4. The lemon is not just to pick up the flavor.

It is a required acid for canning certain foods and I've never heard of using butter which adds fat to the canning process which will then require pressure canning rather than a hot water bath method. I leave the foam, of which there is usually not very much because it has no effect on the flavor or longevity at all.

ginnyinWI  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-24-09 02:30 PM
Response to Original message

3. I'm a freezer jam person.

I've never wanted to hassle with jars or canning, and truthfully have been afraid of it because of botulism. That doesn't have to do with jam, but that's where I'm at with the idea of canning.

So I've always preserved things in the freezer. Jam is easy--I get little plastic containers, fill and freeze. I suppose glass would freeze okay too. It's usually strawberry-rhubarb jam. I'm wondering if I even need pectin: I made some rhubarb sauce this year that got very think, so I decided to call it preserves.

Grandma must be in a bad mood today:

hippywife  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-24-09 02:37 PM
Response to Reply #3

5. It is extremely risky to freeze glass.

I don't know that I would attempt that.

ginnyinWI  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-24-09 02:52 PM
Response to Reply #5
 
6. I think you're right about that. I don't normally freeze it.

What I do is this: I have one pretty jam jar, and when it's gone I wash it and refill with the next plastic container of jam from the freezer.

Frozen jam doesn't really freeze into a solid block--it's more fluid and is able to be scooped into another container.

But on the subject of glass--I think you can freeze Pyrex glass without worry--the kind that says it goes from freezer to oven. I have leftover bowls made of it. Just not the ordinary jar.

[bijou]

Dear Lord why do they make everything such a trial, jam is easy to make. It takes some work and attention if you are using a pan rather than a jam making machine but it is not brain surgery. Dear DUmmie, look for a recipe on the internet; gather together the ingredients; follow recipe. You can use any glass jars as long as they are sterilised.

[dandi]

Nothing better than wild blackberry jelly on hot biscuits. Down here we call them briarberries, though.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Nothing better than wild blackberry jelly on hot biscuits. Down here we call them briarberries, though.

Except maybe PIE!!!  Ice cream or topping optional....

 

[Ralph Wiggum]

Dear Lord why do they make everything such a trial

Simple:

They are DUmmies