Troubleshooting Jam Problems

• Lifestyle

There many different problems that can occur when making homemade jam and marmalade but hopefully your questions will be answered here. It can be a bit of a guessing game when it comes to these issues, sometimes you will just have to experiment with each possibility and trace your footsteps.

1. Dull cloudy appearance:(a) Under-ripe fruit
   (b) over-ripe fruit
   (c) Too much pectin in proportion to acid and sugar
   (d) Insufficient acid present in fruit
   (e) Badly strained (jelly)
   (f) Poured into jars from a too great a height above rim of jar (jelly)

1. Unsatisfactory gel:(a) Insufficient pectin present- fruit over ripe
   (b) Insufficient sugar used in proportion to the amount of pectin present
   (c) Too much sugar
   (d) Insufficient cooking after sugar was added
   (e) Over cooked- dark in colour, especially marmalade, with a syrupy consistency

1. Crystallization:(a) Covering fruit with too much sugar when allowed to stand overnight
   (b) Too much sugar
   (c) Allowed to boil before all sugar was dissolved
   (d) Over-boiling the jam
   (e) Jelly stirred after it has boiled

1. Mould on surface:(a) Fruit mushy because it was over ripe or picked in damp wheater
   (b) Insufficient sugar – can also give a tough rubbery consistency to the jell
   (c) Jam is not cooked sufficiently to evaporate excessive moisture
   (d) Containers were not dry
   (e) Left too long before sealing
   (f) Place of storage not suitable

1. Fermentation:(a) Insufficient sugar used
   (b) Insufficient cooking of jam

1. Shredded skin tough: Insufficient boiling of marmalade before sugar is added

1. Poor colour and flavour: Under-ripe fruit

Choosing Fruit

1. Choose good quality firm fruit, fresh fruit.
2. If possible, pick fruit in dry weather to reduce excess water content.
3. During the middle of the season, fruit is well matured and cheaper than at the beginning of the season.
4. Locally grown fruits are usually cheaper than those grown in other states and do not detoriate during long transportation.
5. A small quantity of more expensive fruit, such as pineapple grown in Queensland, may be used to give added flavour, e.g. peach and pineapple jam.
6. Consideration must be given to the amounts of acid and pectin in fruit.

Test for Pectin

1. Prepare some of the fruit to be used for jam and boil it with a little water until fruit becomes a pulp, 15-45 minutes depending on the fruit used.
2. Place 1 teaspoon of juice in a glass and allow to cool.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of metholated spirits and shake gently.
4. Stand 1 minute, and then observe the clot that has formed. There is sufficient pectin if the clot is in large pieces. If the clot is broken into many small pieces, the quantity of pectin is insufficient and commercial pectin must be added. Follow instructions that are given on the packet.

Test for acid

The fruits that are listed in columns 2 and 4 of the below table will not form a satisfactory gel unless they are combined with fruits that are rich in acid, or lemon juice, citric or tartaric acid is added. Additional acid should be added before fruit is cooked. The juice of 1 lemon, approximately 2 tablespoons is equivalent to 1/2 teaspoon of either citric or tartaric acid.

Pectin and acid content of fruits:

Fruits listed in columns 2 and 4 should either be combined with acid fruits e.g. peach and pineapple, or additional acid should be added.