Preserving jam, many swear by it and no longer eat store-bought jam. I have always liked eating homemade jams, but I never dared to try it myself, but this year the time had come. Together with my dear mother-in-law, we started preserving and what can I say: I am thrilled. Yes, it is quite a bit of work, but when you open a jar of jam in winter, it is simply wonderful. And so that the work is not in vain, you should keep a few things in mind when preserving. Here I have a list of things you should consider:
Preserving tips
The jam must not boil for longer than 10 minutes. Frozen fruit must always boil for 10 minutes. Never process more than 2 kg in one go. The desired consistency can be determined again and again within the 6-9 minutes with the gelling test. This makes the jam thick to firm.
Glasses
For the jars, it is advisable to use jars that are as small as possible. If you open one, you don't have to eat the same jam every day and a whole lot cannot go bad at once. It is ideal if you collect and clean jars from other jams or antipasti beforehand and reuse them for preserving. Reduces waste and you don't have to buy extra preserving jars
Preserving in a preserving pot
Anyone who wants to can try this variant:
For this, only fill the prepared jars up to 2-3 cm below the rim. Do not fill more, because then it can happen that everything overflows during cooking and the shelf life can be impaired. Close the jars and place them in the pot so that they do not touch each other. Now pour in the water, only enough so that they are at most 3/4 in the water. As soon as the desired temperature is reached, the preserving time begins, now let it preserve according to the recipe.
Then carefully take out the jar, place it on a damp cloth or a wooden board and cover it with a thick cloth so that the jars can cool down slowly.
Finally, label the jars and add the date.
Preserving in the oven
You can also preserve in the oven:
For this, only fill the prepared jars up to 2-3 cm below the rim. Do not fill more, because then it can happen that everything overflows during cooking and the shelf life can be impaired. Close the jars again and place them in a roasting pan filled with water so that they do not touch each other. Place the pan on the top rack in the cold oven and turn on the oven. The preserving time begins when air bubbles form in the jars. Then turn off the oven and let the jars stand in it for about 30 minutes (for fruit).
Then carefully take out the jar, place it on a damp cloth or a wooden board and cover it with a thick cloth so that the jars can cool down slowly.
Finally, label the jars and add the date.
Making jam last longer
Flawless fruit
Fruit of flawless quality should be used for preserving. It should be ripe, but not overripe. I always cut away brown and very mushy spots.
Cleanliness when preserving
To ensure that jam is not affected by mold, it is very important that the jars are spotlessly clean. It is best to fill them halfway with water in the microwave and bring this to a boil, or sterilize them in boiling water. By the way, this also applies to the lids. Attention: Metal lids must not go in the microwave! I heated the jars in the oven at 100 degrees C for a few minutes and let the lids get hot in a pot (do not boil, as the rubber coating will break!).
Quick processing
Do not leave the jam open for too long after filling, but it is best to pour pure alcohol or a corresponding fruit schnapps over it before closing and light it, or you dip a piece of parchment paper in alcohol and place it on the jam.
Close the jar immediately. This makes the jam surface germ-free and consumes the oxygen remaining in the jar. The jam will last a very long time this way.
No metal
During preparation, the preserved fruit should not come into contact with metal if possible. It is best to use only utensils made of wood, glass, porcelain, stainless steel or enamel when preserving.
Shelf life of the jam
Store the jam airtight in a dark, cool room (preferably a cellar). Jam lasts almost forever if it has not been opened and has been preserved cleanly. However, if the lid bulges upwards, the jam is spoiled and must be disposed of.
Opening preserving jars
Preserving jars are easier to open if you dip the jars upside down in hot water for a short time. This also works if the rubber band should have torn when pulling it out.
Extra tip: Do not insert a knife from the side, as this will damage the lids and they often cannot be used again!
Good taste
The jam gets a fruitier taste if you add the juice of a lemon shortly before the end of the cooking time. In addition, this preserves the color. Another possibility is to add a little cinnamon to the jam. It is great if you combine different fruits, such as these combinations:
- Raspberry-Rhubarb
- Pumpkin-Orange
- Strawberry-Orange
- Melon-Peach
- Apricot-Passion fruit
- Strawberry-Passion fruit
Preserving jam with children
