Jelly/Jam making questions??

Edward78

Edward78

Edward78

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1. Do sealed Jars need to be in the freezer? (Made 3 jars sofar, first 2 have been made fir a few weeks, but have been in a mini fridge I have in my room.)

2. If not, fridge good?

3. The one I made tonight didn't seal airtight, how long should it last?

4. How long is the shelf life?,(Just used sugar, pectin, butter (to keep from bobbling over) & fruit juice.
 
they don't need to even be in the fridge, if you have done it properly there shouldn't be anything in there to grow.
nor does the unsealed one. the amount of sugar will make it resist and should get a couple of months out of it, longer if in fridge .

advice is 12 months (unopened), but that's really a best before date. Store in a cool cupboard away from sun light and it will easily last years.
 
If you sterilised the jars by boiling them and sealed them correctly by jarring warm and letting them cool with the lid on, then they will last ages. If you are confident in your high sugar ratio, the sealed ones will keep for years in a cool dry place non refrigerated.

The unsealed one prob be fine in the fridge for a few months.

The secret to preserving any of these things is by making sure the jars are sterilized and everything is clean. Check for mould every once in a while but should be fine if all done correctly.
 
Glaucus said:
they don't need to even be in the fridge, if you have done it properly there shouldn't be anything in there to grow.
nor does the unsealed one. the amount of sugar will make it resist and should get a couple of months out of it, longer if in fridge .

advice is 12 months (unopened), but that's really a best before date. Store in a cool cupboard away from sun light and it will easily last years.
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Cool, ok, making some for sister for Christmas... As long as the one that didn't seal airtight will be fine for a few months... They are still ok in freezer though I hope... Do you know a website with some good info on Jam/Jelly making?
 
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all you are dong is wasting freezer space, just don't freeze them.
jaming is a way of preserving food so you don't even need a fridge.

its just bizarre.
 
nah dont bother freezing them, since you sealed them, there is already some negative pressure in the jar, last thing you want is to make the jar brittle with cold and risk the metal contracting around the brittle glass.

The unsealed one will keep find in the fridge for months. The others will be fine at room temperature for a year or more if sealed properly. If its not done properly, she will see the mould when she opens the jar.

pretty sure the freezer is the last place you want the jars to end up.

Good Christmas prezzie idea though! Try blueberry next time you get the chance, my favourite jam!
 
Avenged7Fold said:
nah dont bother freezing them, since you sealed them, there is already some negative pressure in the jar, last thing you want is to make the jar brittle with cold and risk the metal contracting around the brittle glass.

The unsealed one will keep find in the fridge for months. The others will be fine at room temperature for a year or more if sealed properly. If its not done properly, she will see the mould when she opens the jar.

pretty sure the freezer is the last place you want the jars to end up.

Good Christmas prezzie idea though! Try blueberry next time you get the chance, my favourite jam!
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Ok, the person who helped has them in the freezer, long as it won't hurt the jam/jelly, I am ok with it... Blueberry Pomegranate is the 3rd jar we made... The first is Apple Cinnamon & the second is Mixed Berry... Any official website with good info I can use as a reference? So With no-cook freezer jam you get to preserve the bounty of summer without the fuss, heat, equipment, and time that canned jams require. All you need is ripe fruit, sugar (or other sweetener), freezer jam-compatible pectin, and about 15 minutes of easy kitchen time. ... Instead, it looks and tastes like the ripe fruit & mine is cooked ok...
 
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Put the glass jars in a hot oven after cleaning to ensue any bacteria and mold spores are killed. Then assuming you have heated the jam a mixture high enough and the sugar concentration is correct then the jam will last years in hr back of the cupboard. It slowly looses flavor though
 
I just asked about the freezer/fridge, cause I put a tiny amount of butter in it for anti-foaming when it was cooking...

Put the glass jars in a hot oven after cleaning to ensue any bacteria and mold spores are killed.
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They are put in the dishwasher after they are emptied...
 
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Ummm well, making jam is fairly simple but relies on two things to stay good for years:

1- Sterilised, spore free sealed container

2- Lots of sugar.

Dishwasher is not really enough, though it shouldn't matter if you keep it in the freezer (not that i would call that jam). Most people clean the jars and sterilise the glass and lids in boiling water, put the jam in while warm and let the lid pop as it cools. That stuff keeps for years.
 
Edward78 said:
My first 2 sealed, but not my 3rd, not sure why...
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Not air tight when cooling or did not have a high enough drop in temperature. If it was due to the later, its no biggie since it is still sealed just the lid wont prove it but the prior means the bad stuff can reach your food and grow. In truth, there is no way you can know until there is mould. Though that sealing wont do you any good without the sterilisation part. Spores are your enemy!
 
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you can have jam for years if done right.

we used to just store in a cellar pantry and use when needed.making various jams from our fruit orchards.

one of my fav jams was gooseberry and strawberry.absolutley amazing also plum jam.
 
Avenged7Fold said:
Not air tight when cooling or did not have a high enough drop in temperature. If it was due to the later, its no biggie since it is still sealed just the lid wont prove it but the prior means the bad stuff can reach your food and grow. In truth, there is no way you can know until there is mould. Though that sealing wont do you any good without the sterilisation part. Spores are your enemy!
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It is in freezer, so hope it will be fine...
 
I dont know of any jam making forums but anything freshly frozen will stay freshly frozen, the mould that you are at risk of cant grow in the freezer.

Just make sure to tell your sister to keep it frozen. If anything grows on it after its defrosted, itd be on the lid or touching the glass and will be fairly obvious after a bit.

I know jam makers generally treat jarring jam the same way as bottling beer but that applies for jam that is stored at normal temps and in the fridge when opened. TBH ive never heard of freezer jam, so i cant comment but you wont be at risk of getting ill if it was frozen fresh and eaten within a short period after it has thawed.
 
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You did not seem to say what kind of jam it is - rasberry/strawberry are pretty delicate vs plum say, and best eaten younger anyway.. flavour changes if you do keep it years.

I would have thought freezing and the ice crystals it creates may not do the texture any favours, and you could crack a glass jar too (anomalous expansion of water)
 
no need to freeze jam. you freeze the fruit though if needed ready for making the jam. you can keep jam at room temp in pantry for years.

 
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