Putting Food By: Jams & Jellies

BY CALLIE N. NELSON

Ripe, juicy berries, peaches and other fresh fruits are delicious and can be preserved to enjoy all year long as fruit jams and jellies. These can also add zest to meals and provide a good way to use fruits not suitable for canning or freezing.

Jelly, jam, preserves, conserves and marmalades are fruit products that are jellied or thickened. Most are preserved by sugar. Their individual characteristics depend on the kind of fruit used and the way it is prepared, the proportions of different ingredients in the mixture and the method of cooking.

Jellies are usually made by cooking fruit juice with sugar. (Some are made without cooking using special uncooked jelly recipes.) A good product is clear and firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of the container, but quivers when the container is moved. Jelly should have a flavorful, fresh, fruity taste.

Jams are thick, sweet spreads made by cooking crushed or chopped fruits with sugar. Jams tend to hold their shape but are generally less firm than jelly.

Preserves are small, whole fruit or uniform size pieces in a clear, slightly gelled syrup. The fruit should be tender and plump.

Conserves are jam-like products that may be made with a combination of fruits. They also contain nuts, raisins or coconut. 

Marmalades are soft fruit jellies containing small pieces of fruit or peel evenly suspended in the transparent jelly. They often contain citrus fruit.

Other fruit products that are preserved by sugar but not jellied include butters, honeys and syrups. Fruit butters are sweet spreads made by cooking fruit pulp with sugar to a thick consistency. Spices are often added. Honeys and syrups are made by cooking fruit juice or pulp with sugar to the consistency of honey or syrup.

Start with the Right Ingredients

Fruit gives each product its characteristic color and flavor. Use at least some flavorful, just-ripe fruit in each recipe.

Pectin is a natural plant substance that causes fruit to gel. Fruits such as apples, crabapples, currants, grapes and some plums contain enough natural pectin to form a gel; others require added pectin. Follow the manufacturer’s directions or tested recipes for each type of pectin.

Acid is essential in jellied fruit products for both gel formation and flavor. Acid content varies among fruits, and is higher in under-ripe fruits.

Sugar is another essential ingredient in jellied fruit products. Added sugar preserves fruit, helps the gel to form, and contributes to flavor. Use the amount of sugar a recipe calls for, or the product will not form a gel.

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To make a low-sugar or no-sugar product, choose a pectin or research-tested recipe designed for this. Sugar substitutes – also called artificial or alternative sweeteners – cannot replace sugar in regular recipes because the sugar is needed to form a gel.

Preventing spoilage

Even though sugar helps preserve jellies and jams, molds can grow on the surface of these products. Research now indicates that the mold which people usually scrape off the surface of jellies may not be as harmless as it seems. Mycotoxins have been found in some jars of jelly having surface mold growth. Mycotoxins are known to cause cancer in animals; their effects on humans are still being researched.

Because of possible mold contamination, paraffin or wax seals are no longer recommended for any sweet spread, including jellies. To prevent growth of molds and loss of good flavor or color, fill products hot into sterile Mason jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace, seal with self-sealing lids, and process 5 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Correct process time at higher elevations by adding 1 additional minute per 1,000 ft above sea level. If unsterile jars are used, the filled jars should be processed 10 minutes. Use of sterile jars is preferred, especially when fruits are low in pectin, since the added 5-minute process time may cause weak gels.

Fig Preserves

• 3 quarts figs
• 3 quarts boiling water
• 4 cups sugar
• 1½ quarts water
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced (optional)

Yield: About 10 half-pint jars

Please read “Using Boiling Water Canners” before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read “Principles of Home Canning” found along with additional recipes at https://nchfp.UGA.edu.

Procedure: Pour 3 quarts boiling water over figs. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain and discard liquid. Rinse figs in cold water and drain. Prepare syrup by mixing sugar, 1½ quarts water and lemon. Boil rapidly 10 minutes. Skim syrup; remove and discard lemon slices. Drop whole figs carefully into the boiling hot syrup, a few at a time, until all have been added. Cook rapidly until figs are translucent. Remove figs and place in shallow pan. Boil syrup until thick; the syrup must be boiled down until it becomes as thick as honey. Carefully pour the syrup over figs, cool and let stand 6 to 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Sterilize canning jars. Reheat figs and syrup to boiling. Fill whole figs into hot jars and cover with hot syrup, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner for 5 minutes.

For more information on making jams, jellies and other gel products visit our website at www.aces.edu/foodsafety and view the video on Making Jams and Jellies or you can purchase the “Home Food Preservation” cookbook at our office.

Source: Home Food Preservation, cookbook, National Center for Home Food Preservation, and Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series.

Callie N. Nelson is Dallas County Extension Coordinator.