Perplexing Pectin results

15 years ago

(Warning: a bit long)

Hi Folks,

Over the past few weeks IÂve had some wild fluctuations in pectin setting times.

A week or so ago I posted a thread regarding roasting garlic for jellies. In the subsequent discussion I also asked why some recipes call for boiling jellies after pectin is added while some others donÂt. Annie commented that the Habanero Gold recipe was the only one she used that didnÂt call for boiling after adding pectin. Prairie Love also noted that other recipes from the Habanero Gold source (person) did not call for boiling after.

Ah ha! I thought, my problems with jellies not settling consistently must be related to the not boiling.

I got lazy and did not re-process the Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper jelly after it had not set overnight. Placed it on the counter and it did not firm up until 3 days later with garlic on bottom and red peppers on top (I was planning on inverting jars to evenly distribute contents but missed the optimum point for doing it).

This past weekend I made four batches (12 jars total) of the Zesty Red Onion jelly from the no boil after adding pectin source. I did not double or quadruple the recipe but did cook up two single batches at the same time in two different pots. Remembering my previous Ah ha moment, I boiled the first two batches for one minute after adding the pectin.

Two batches ended up filling seven jars. After one minute of boiling, I filled the first 3.5 jars. Moving quickly, I filled the remaining 3 jars and topped up the last half of the previously filled jar. It was when the two different batches did not mix in the seventh jar that I noticed the first half had already set before I topped it up! By the time I got the jars into the boiling water bath canner for processing they had all set. No chance to evenly distribute contents. Also, after processing I noticed little air bubbles throughout the jelly.

Ah ha number 2! The source for a specific bunch of recipes does not boil after adding pectin because doing so causes it the set fast and you canÂt invert to mix contents!

On to the second batch of two batches at a time in two pots. The only differences this time were that I used Bernardin pectin in one pot and Certo in the other and neither were boiled one minute after adding the pectin. Again, both batches resulted in enough for seven jars AND both set almost immediately. Again, little air bubbles through out after BWB processing and no ability to invert to distribute contents.

At this point two "Ah ha!" moments equal one confused canner???

Has anyone else experienced almost instant pectin setting?

Bill

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Comments (10)

ksrogers
15 years ago
Pectin is VERY fussy sometimes. If these were orange marmalade, it can take up to a month to set. Not sure the amount of acid you have, or if the peppers are just a few per jar. I have never heard of not bringing a pectin to a boil once added, but that may just be for the hot peppers. Because I use Pomona pectin for most all my jellies, I dont get failures anymore. A couple of years ago I made apple pie jam and needed the apple bits to stay suspended. Once out of the canner, they were thick, but not enough to keep the apples suspended yet After about 10-15 minutes of flipping it seemed to set enough where the bits would stay suspended.
User
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the feedback Ken.

I gotta say that you may be on to something with the Pomona. I;ve always had success with it. Thing is, when the Certo or Bernardin work out, the results are great. IÂm not ready to use Pomona exclusively yet but I may soon if the liquid pectin fluctuates this much.

Bill
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ksrogers
15 years ago
I have a couple of boxes of pectin someone gave mea short while ago. Exp date 2/07. I will use them, but with double the dose, and maybe just for apple jelly, which I can screw up without feeling bad if it doesn't set, as its my own apples used.
annie1992
15 years ago
Bill, it's one of the reasons I don't like the commercial pectins, they are wildly inconsistent for me. I've had habanero Gold that set up immediately, some that didn't set up for an hour or so and one batch that never really set firmly. I also don't care for the "chalky" taste and texture of Pomona's, so I'm trying to get entirely away from pectin.

Some things, like the Habanero Gold, are going to require pectin no matter what I do, apparently, so I just keep on using it. I've found that I do like the Ball liquid pectin better than Certo and I've never seen the Bernardin stuff here at all.

Annie
ksrogers
15 years ago
I think Bernardin is the Canadian eqiv to Ball. There is also the powered Sure Jel product. To make a pectin-less spread, some Clear Jel could be used to just thicken to your liking. Its easy to control the setting up, buy mixing the Clear Jel with water and slowly pour into the boiling liquid just enough that its at a level of thickness that you want. Annie seems to taste chalky Pomona, but I have never encountered that kind of taste when I use it.
prairie_love
15 years ago
My Zesty Red Onion set up immediately last year and like yours has bubbles throughout. I used the Certo pectin (I have never used the Ball or the Bernardin or Pomona). And I did not boil after adding it.

Not that this helps any, just thought I would tell you, yes, I've had it happen also.

I am not a very experienced canner, but like Annie, I am trying to move away from using pectin. Which makes me wonder - if I make the green apple jelly (Mes Confiture), is there any way to use that as a base for Habanero Gold or Red Onion? I wouldn't think the apples themselves would add much flavor, would they? Just sort of thinking out loud here, wondering if we can make another version that doesn't use pectin.

Ann
ksrogers
15 years ago
Apple skins have natural pectin.
prairie_love
15 years ago
Yes, I realize that. That's why I'm suggesting using the apple base and trying to make those jams without added pectin.
User
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you all for the feedback.

Good to know others have had similar experiences (thought I was going crazyÂ OKÂ I know IÂm going crazy but not because of my "instant pectin" experience! LOL).

Annie, Ken is correct. Bernardin is the Canadian equivalent to Ball.

It really has been a year of firsts for me; instant pectin set; a not so tasty Ball recipe; and using Harvest Gold jars. IÂll post my experience in the current HG thread shortly. I made two more batched of the Red Pepper Garlic Jelly today and the dng stuff still hasnÂt set five hours after processing. I used Certo from the same lot that set instantly???

I am now in KenÂs camp with regard to exclusively using Pomona. For me, I really canÂt detect a chalky taste. IÂm sure others with a more sensitive palate can.

Oh well, live and learn and (in my case) learn over again sometimes!

All the best, cheers

Bill
annie1992
15 years ago
Ann, I think you might be able to jell the Habanero Gold with apples and even if it added a flavor, I don't think it would be offensive. Appples and hot peppers seem like a nice mix to me, I may have to give it a try after things calm down this fall.

Bill and Ken, I know Bernardin is the Canadian equivalent of Ball/Kerr/etc., but being in Michigan, right next door to Canada, I often see some of the Canandian equivalents. I've never seen the Bernardin version of pectin, though.

Annie

Perplexing Pectin results

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