CH Runners
Not Running => Food => Topic started by: merigayle on June 13, 2015, 06:01:35 PM
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Want to do this tomorrow, hints? tips? recipes? Hopefully not too much sugar. Pectin or no pectin? I have 4+ quarts of strawberries from the CSA and may pick more tomorrow.
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You can't really make jam that is low sugar, because it's an important component in getting the jam to set up. If you use lower sugar pectin, it's still like two cups of sugar for four cups of fruit. The ones that advertise no sugar usually use Splenda. Personally I like strawberry freezer jam made with the low sugar Sure Jell in the pink box. The instructions say to mash the berries but I like a smoother jam and I'm also lazy, so I just throw the fruit in the blender and pulse until it's kinda chunky but mostly puréed. I did find this website that talks about making jam without commercial pectin, looks like it has some good information: http://highheelgourmet.com/2013/07/04/basic-jam-for-beginners/ (http://highheelgourmet.com/2013/07/04/basic-jam-for-beginners/)
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I've only made freezer jam but it was easy and delicious.
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We buy a wild berry jam that has no sugar in it at the store. Will have to research freezer jam, does it stay in the freezer?
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You can't really make jam that is low sugar, because it's an important component in getting the jam to set up. If you use lower sugar pectin, it's still like two cups of sugar for four cups of fruit. The ones that advertise no sugar usually use Splenda. Personally I like strawberry freezer jam made with the low sugar Sure Jell in the pink box. The instructions say to mash the berries but I like a smoother jam and I'm also lazy, so I just throw the fruit in the blender and pulse until it's kinda chunky but mostly puréed. I did find this website that talks about making jam without commercial pectin, looks like it has some good information: http://highheelgourmet.com/2013/07/04/basic-jam-for-beginners/ (http://highheelgourmet.com/2013/07/04/basic-jam-for-beginners/)
Interesting linking! One of my friends did just sugar, strawberries and lemon for hers. I have to look at my wild berry jam jar at the ingredients, pretty sure no pectin or sugar.
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we don't use pectin. it results in a thinner jam but i like it that way. we do use a shit ton of sugar though ;)
i just saw a recipe for freezer jam using 2 tbsp of honey and Chia seeds to gel it. it would have to stay in the freezer though. there would be no way of preserving and keeping shelf stable.
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Our jam is grape juice, wild berries, apple pectin. So I guess it does have pectin. It is the best jam we have ever had!
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I've got rhubarb in the freezer i want to use up with this years strawberry jam. just waiting for the season to fully come on so the flats are cheaper.
last year dh foraged wildberries for jam too. it was both hilarious and awesome.
he tilled another garden best yesterday. I'm going to get fall bearing strawberries today to plant. hoping this time next year our berries will be free!
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I have probably 4 quarts of strawberries from the CSA and am resisting the urge to pick some of the last ones today :D
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the wild berry one is hands down the best we've had
http://www.croftersorganic.com/productcategory.php?category=Just%20Fruit%20Spreads (http://www.croftersorganic.com/productcategory.php?category=Just%20Fruit%20Spreads)
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My newest cookbook has a berry jam recipe using chia seeds and dates, hmmmmmmmm.
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Ok! I made two batches :D One was the Ball recipe for low sugar (1/2 cup) and pectin (1.5tbs) and OMG it tastes yummy, it is in the jar setting now. The other one was dates for sweetening and thickening and ground white chia seeds for thickening. It was good, but of course the real sugar one is better ;) will give a full report after they set.
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Our jam is grape juice, wild berries, apple pectin. So I guess it does have pectin. It is the best jam we have ever had!
They probably reduce the hell out of the grape juice so there's enough sugar content to get the jam to set up.
Freezer jam is stored in the freezer until you're ready to use it, then you keep it in the fridge.
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They probably reduce the hell out of the grape juice so there's enough sugar content to get the jam to set up.
Freezer jam is stored in the freezer until you're ready to use it, then you keep it in the fridge.
Well, it has apple pectin in it too. It is delicious.
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13 jars of strawberry rhubarb jam done up today meri... you would have had a heart attack at the sugar meri :D but it's hella good.
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13 jars of strawberry rhubarb jam done up today meri... you would have had a heart attack at the sugar meri :D but it's hella good.
:roll: Probably. Sheesh, use some dates next time :eyeroll: j/k :p
MORE STRAWBERRIES TOMORROW at the CSA :D :D :D
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i wouldn't mind trying a reduced sugar recipe but i figure you eat it in such small quantities.
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I think i will even cut the sugar more. Both set up nicely and both tasted great!
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:D did you try the Chi one? can it be hot water bathed?
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:D did you try the Chi one? can it be hot water bathed?
I did. I made a batch of each. The chia one used diced dates as the sweetener. I guess it could be hot water bathed?
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is there lemon juice? strawberries aren't stable on their own, that's why the lemon juice and copious amounts of sugar, to help preserve it for canning. it wouldn't surprise me if you couldn't can a low sugar recipe.
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is there lemon juice? strawberries aren't stable on their own, that's why the lemon juice and copious amounts of sugar, to help preserve it for canning. it wouldn't surprise me if you couldn't can a low sugar recipe.
Lemon zest. The recipe was in a cookbook in the condiment section, nothing about canning for long term storage.
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Ok, if I make more, can i hot water can them? I read the directions, but would like some hand holding :D
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I would only can jam (or anything, really) if I'd used a canning-approved recipe. But that's just too many years of food safety classes and ServSafe certifications talking, my food science professor worked for the university extension program and was really into this kind of thing. She drilled it into my head that you have to make sure that all the levels (sugar/pH/etc) are right so that it will be shelf-stable, and to only use recipes that have been tested and approved if you're going to do water bath canning.
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I would only can jam (or anything, really) if I'd used a canning-approved recipe. But that's just too many years of food safety classes and ServSafe certifications talking, my food science professor worked for the university extension program and was really into this kind of thing. She drilled it into my head that you have to make sure that all the levels (sugar/pH/etc) are right so that it will be shelf-stable, and to only use recipes that have been tested and approved if you're going to do water bath canning.
The recipe was a Ball recipe and said it could be hot water canned.
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The recipe was a Ball recipe and said it could be hot water canned.
Then you're golden! It will be so nice to have yummy jam in the winter months. Tastes like summer!
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ooh, will post that one meri? if it can be canned I'm all over a low sugar recipe.
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This is the recipe on the Ball pectin jar
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/low-sugar--no-sugar-strawberry-jam (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/low-sugar--no-sugar-strawberry-jam)
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I cut the sugar in half and it still was great.
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Lemon zest. The recipe was in a cookbook in the condiment section, nothing about canning for long term storage.
sugar makes things last longer, acid prevent botulism... you could probably heat process for shelf storage but you'd still have to use it within a few months (like, it wouldn't last for xmas gifts, not safely)
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oh that's interesting, the recipe isn't that much less sugar unless you cut it more. i always do half the fruit. so ten c fruit 5 c sugar. I'll cut it more and see what we get!
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sugar makes things last longer, acid prevent botulism... you could probably heat process for shelf storage but you'd still have to use it within a few months (like, it wouldn't last for xmas gifts, not safely)
oh... right. so maybe i won't reduce it :D
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Made two pints of jam fom the wild raspberries in our yard last night!
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(http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07/09/e6b346a0f940918a4ebc79b6421abcb4.jpg)
Black cap jam. I made (10) 1/2 pints freezer jam too. Yikes. The berries are still coming on hard, too.
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:bow2: we don't get as many black raspberries anymore, mostly the red ones. I like the black ones better.