Lori, next time you make jam or jelly, make notes of what you did and post it along with the recipe, if it doesn't set. Maybe we can identify a reason for the problem.

Liquid pectin and powdered pectin are formulated for specific proportions of each fruit and sugar. Generally speaking, canners use the type of pectin the recipe specifies, as that's what it was deveoped for. In addition, the pectin will be added at different points, depending upon the type.

Speaking of regular pectins (not Pomona's or other reduced-sugar pectins) the biggest issue is the amount of sugar. If the sugar is reduced, the jam won't set.

If you would like to take a recipe and use only the natural pectin in the fruit rather than commercial pectin, it would be a good idea to post the recipe or the fruit you would like to work with. The amount of sugar will be less and the method will change. Some recipes cannot be adapted, pepper jelly for instance, but these are a special category.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both types - with commercial pectin and without. But there are lots of people here to help you if that's the direction you want to go.

Carol

Thanks, Carol. When I get ready to do the next batch, I will post it for the reasons you mentioned. I would like to use less sugar and generally the jams I've made are way too sugary for my taste. Just a sickening sweet syrup, LOL. Guess I've been using the wrong recipe or fruit. Anyway, thanks for the advice; I'll post the recipe before I begin. Lori

Lori,

I have had trouble in the past with jams not setting because I refuse to use so much sugar in them. I have found that Ball No Sugar Needed Pectin will make ANYTHING set, although the result isn't as sparkly as regular jam. It is pricey in those little boxes, but if you use half as much as it says it still works great. I now use Pomona pectin almost exclusively, just using other pectins once in a while to use up my supplies. Pomona pectin works great and also always gives a good set. I recommend it highly, you can use the fruit you like and the sugar you like without worrying about the set. A lot of times I only use half the amount recommended, and it still sets fine.

I have made my own pectin using the boiling down apples thing, also boiling down grape puree, also using citrus fruits to make a marmalade. Those all work, but can be a bit of a pain in the butt in terms of time and effort. Boiling down grape puree is the easiest of those unless you are already planning to make marmalade. I boil the grape puree down until it is kind of thick, then throw in the other fruit I want. You can do this too much, I made a sort of grape rubber once!

I have also found that plum jam sets well on its own, as does mango jam, because those fruits have a lot of pectin. Also if you drop some gooseberries and/or currants into a pot and cook it down a little, that can make something like raspberry jam set fine without added pectin, and the flavors go together.

I am not exactly answering your question, but I hope this helps. I have used old Certo liquid pectin and found it worthless unless you are using the massive amounts of sugar called for in the recipes.

Marcia

The irony is that commercial pectin (not the low-sugar variety) requires extra sugar to set the extra pectin. It's like a vicious cyle. The advantage is a higher yield. The disadvantage is a less intensely fruity flavor.

My compromise is no-commercial-pectin preserves because I want more fruit and less sugar. Unfortunately, Pomona's tastes chalky to me. But I do intend to try the Ball No Sugar Pectin and see how that is.

Carol

Thanks for the information, Marcia. I would be willing to pay a little extra for the Ball's no sugar stuff, as I'm going through all the trouble to cut/chop/can anyway. Aside from the non-setting, my biggest complaint has always been an end product that is just too sugary without a little of the tang of the fruit. Jam is supposed to be sweet if used in the usual context like I would here (guys like it on toast, etc) but I honestly think it would be hard to distinguish the flavors of strawberry from something else, as it is just too sickingly sweet. Yuck!
Carol, I'm right there with you, I want more fruit taste and less sugar. I haven't tried Pomona but I suspect that I too would find a chalky taste if that is an option, LOL. I'm pretty partial to that and am pretty weird about textures and such. Thanks again to you gals for responding to such a much-asked question. Lori

Surejell also has no-sugar and low-sugar varieties. I liked the peach jam that I made with the low-sugar kind. It was fruity and fresh because it didn't have the long cooking time of traditional preserves, but wasn't overwhelmed by the sugar. I used about 2 cups of sugar to 4 cups of peaches, plus the lemon juice specifed. They have recips posted on their website (in addition to the reference sheet in the box). Just click on the word recipes and then you can choose which product. I've also used pomona's. I don't really detect the chalky taste. But I don't notice the difference in alot of things. I try to use as little as possible.

Here is a link that might be useful: surejell