Grow It Eat It Preserve It!Jellied Products

Jelly, Jam, Preserves, Conserves and Marmalades

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Overview

• Jellied products• Ingredients in jellied products• Equipment and supplies• Basic steps

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Jellied Products

• Jelly, jam, preserves, conserves, marmalades• Most preserved by sugar• Characteristics vary with

fruit• Clarity, color, consistency

and flavor

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Jelly• Cook fruit juice with

sugar (also uncooked recipes)

• With or without pectin• Clear or translucent

(depending on juice)• No sediment, pulp or

crystals• Holds shape when

turned out of container

Photograph from National Center for Home Food Preservation

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Jams

• Thick, sweet spreads• Chopped or crushed

fruit cooked with sugar (or use uncooked recipes)

• Holds shape, but less firm than jellies

Photograph from National Center for Home Food Preservation

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Preserves

• Small, uniform pieces of fruit

• Clear, slightly gelled syrup

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Conserves

• Similar to preserves• Combination of fruits cooked

with sugar• Add coconut, nuts, raisins

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Marmalades

• Soft fruit jellies• Contain small pieces of

fruit or peel evenly suspended in the transparent jelly

• Often contain citrus fruit

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Other Products• Butters

o Sweet spreadso Cook fruit pulp with sugar, add spices

• Honeys• Syrups

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How are jellied products preserved?

• High sugar content• Loss of water during cooking• Acidity of products• Cooking

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Prevent molds and yeast• Grow in an acid environment--

like jellies• Molds can produce mycotoxins

that may be harmful• Some people are sensitive to

mold due to allergies and respiratory problems

• Easily destroyed at 140o to 190o F 11

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Using paraffin to seal

•Not recommended • Mold can grow under the paraffin and grow down into product

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Ingredients

• Fruit• Pectin• Acid• Sugar

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Fruit

• Contributes color and flavor

• Contribute some or all of pectin and acid

• Use fresh, canned or frozen fruit or fruit juice (no added sugar) 14

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Pectin

• Causes fruit to gel• Sources of pectin

o Naturally in fruito Commercial pectin

- Apple pectin- Citrus pectin

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Pectin• Amount varies with fruit and

degree of ripenesso Just ripe fruit has best

quality pectino Under-ripe and over-ripe

fruit will not gel well• Jellies often need added

pectin to hold their shape16

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Pectin

• Commercial pectino Liquido Dry

• Advantageso Cooking time is set and is shortero Greater yield from same amount

of fruit

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Pectin• Store in a cool, dry place• Observe “use-by” dates• Buy a 1-year supply• Modified pectin for reduced

sugar productso No added sugaro Less added sugar than

regular recipes18

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Acid

• Needed for gel formation• Provides flavor• Higher in under-ripe fruits• Add lemon juice or citric acid to increase acidity

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Pectin and Acid in FruitsThese fruits do not require extra pectin or acid:• Apples, sour• Blackberries,

sour• Crabapples• Cranberries• Currants• Gooseberries

• Grapes (Eastern Concord)

• Lemons• Loganberries• Plums (not

Italian)• Quinces

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Pectin and Acid in FruitsThese fruits may need pectin or acid:• Apples, ripe• Blackberries,

ripe• Cherries, sour• Chokeberries• Elderberries• Grapefruit

• Grape Juice, bottled (Eastern Concord)

• Grapes (California)

• Loquats• Oranges

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Pectin and Acid in FruitsThese fruits always need added pectin, acid, or both:• Apricots• Blueberries• Figs• Grapes

(Western Concord)

• Guavas

• Peaches• Pears• Plums (Italian)• Raspberries• Strawberries

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Sugar

Use granulated white sugar • Works with pectin and acid to make gel• Acts as a preservative• Contributes to taste

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To reduce sugar• Modified pectin

o Some need no sugaro Others need some sugaro May use an artificial sweetenero Processed like regular jellied products

• Regular pectin with special recipeso Formulated using regular pectin, without

added sugaro Regular pectin has some sugaro Stored for short time in the refrigerator

(or frozen)24

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To reduce sugar• Recipes using gelatin

o Unflavored gelatin thickens producto Can use artificial sweetenerso Stored in refrigerator

• Long-boil recipeso Boil fruit pulp for long periodso Can use artificial sweetenerso Processed like regular jellied

products25

Photograph from National Center for Home Food Preservation

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Splenda®

• Does not provide preservative properties like sugar

• Use as the optional sweetener in a jam or jelly made with a no-sugar needed pectin for flavor

• Do not use in long-boil or no-pectin-added jams and jellies intended for room temperature storage

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Required Proper Ratio• Fruit• Pectin• Acid• Sugar• DO NOT alter ingredients or

proportions…o poor gel or no gelo mold formation 27

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Equipment and Supplies• Large saucepot• Jelly bag or cloth• Jelly, candy or deep fat

thermometer• Boiling water-bath

canner• ½ pint or pint Mason-type

jars with two-piece lids28

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Basic Steps

• Fill water-bath canner and heat to 140 to 180o F

• Wash and sterilize canning jars and rings (keep jars warm)

• Treat canning lids according to manufacturer’s directions29

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Basic Steps• Prepare recipe (boil rapidly)• Skim foam if necessary• Pour hot product into jars leaving

¼- inch of headspace• Wipe jar rim and add treated lid

and screw band• Process according to length of

time in recipe directions

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Basic Steps

• Remove from water-bath canner and do not move jars for 12 hours

• After 12 hours check for desired consistency and proper seal

• If not satisfied, you can remake 31

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Jelly Principles• Do not alter recipe• Follow procedures for low-

sugar or no-sugar products (don’t just reduce sugar)

• Use good quality fruit, most should be just-ripe

• Process in a water-bath canner

• Use within a year for best quality 32