How to Make Jam

The basics are simple; making jam is easy. General idea behind jam was to preserve fruit through winter months so families could have access to vitamin C where other fruit was unavailable.

To make jam a substance called pectin is required and just about any fruit will work; strawberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, blueberries, or pick your favourite.

Start with washing, peeling and seeding the fruit of your choice. About two pints of raw fruit is enough to make a small quantity of jam. Cut the fruit up into small chunks, then put it in a cooking pan with a bit of water, just about to cover the bottom of the pan, and cook slowly until tender. Add pectin before reaching boiling point and continue to simmer gently for a few minutes. Once your fruit and pectin mix comes to a boil, reduce the heat and add the sugar. Normally, with regular pectin this is about four cups per two pints of fruit. Low sugar pectin works with two cups sugar per two pints (or 40 ounces).

Bring the jam back to a boil and boil carefully for two minutes, watching that the jam does not boil over. Ladle the jam into canning jars and screw on a lid.

Tips:

• A really old fashioned way - Apple peels (skins) contain a lot of pectin. If you can't find pectin, bunch of apples are way to go. Peel the apples and save the peels in a saucepan. Cover them with water and boil gently for 15-20 minutes. Once the pectin has been extracted, drain the liquid off with a strainer and throw out the peels. Use the liquid as your pectin in your jam adventure.

• Boil the empty jars and lids before filling them in with the hot jam. Turn jars upside down. Turning them upside down during first 24 hours ensures air-tightness.

• Rose hips and/or nuts can be added to a jam mix.

• Take a walk and explore hedgerows for more wild fruit ideas.

• The best time to make jams is in the autumn when the fruit is ripe.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_C_Jones