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Jam and pectin

14 years ago

Can berry jam be made without pectin? Or is pectin a must? If it is a must, how did the old timers get by without pectin in the jam?

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Comments (6)

dgkritch
14 years ago
No, you don't have to use pectin.
You can add sugar to your fruit, then cook it down to the desired consistency. Then process in BWB to seal for long term storage.

It takes longer and "may" result in an overcooked taste.
It may result in a slightly "looser" jam than with pectin.
The advantages are purety of ingredients, some cost savings by not buying pectin (but those could be offset by the cooking time/fuel used).

Many here make jam without pectin. Look for "preserve" recipes!

What kind are you making?

Deanna
malna
14 years ago
Yes. No. They just knew. :-)

First, it depends on the natural pectin available in the fruit. Some berries, like blackberries and gooseberries, are high in natural pectin. Most, like raspberries and strawberries, are not.

Commercial pectin is just a convenience factor. The problem with these is the huge amount of sugar you have to use to ensure setting of the jelly/jam. Most of these are WAY too sweet for me personally.

You can also use Pomona Pectin, which allows you to reduce the amount of sweeteners (sugar, honey, Splenda, whatever...) to whatever suits your sweet tooth. And I'm liking Pomona Pectin more and more as I'm experimenting with jelly/jam recipes with a lot less sugar.

Another resource might be to buy Mes Confitures by Christine Ferber, in which she uses no "artificial" pectin in her recipes (do check out the Raspberry with Chocolate posted here many times - it's indescribably delicious) and does give a recipe for making your own natural pectin from green apples.

Here is a link that might be useful: Explaining Pectin
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This thread is 14 years old, so probably too late, LOL. However, I must disagree with the best strawberries being from Florida or Texas or where ever. I think the best berries come from where you live. Local produce isn't picked green and shipped for thousands of miles to end up here in Michigan (or Ohio, or Vermont or whatever) hard as a rock and white in the middle. They are not the hybrid types who are made to be sturdy enough to ship and handle. They are good, fresh, old fashioned berries that must be used quickly before the quality deteriorates. Those are the ones that are fresh, sweet, juicy and flavorful, no matter where you live. The problem, of course, is that here in Michigan strawberry season lasts only a few weeks. There are pick your own farms everywhere, and then they are gone until next year. That's when you are either fortunate enough to have put some in the freezer or already made your jam, or you are relegated to the styrofoam imposters that have been shipped halfway around the world, or across the country. Put them right next to those commercially available tomatoes, which have the flavor and texture of the plastic tray they are packaged in. Annie
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Nervous seems a whole lot better option than brash or cocksure. It's true that blackberries can edge up near that 4.6 pH breaking point, but they'd have to be dead-ripe and dead-ripe berries don't set well. Realistically, you wouldn't use those in a jam. Generally with berries, if you're adding lemon juice it's not for safety but because it assists with setting a lower-acid or lower-pectin fruit. So you don't need to worry. It's still better to ask, though. No one wants to can something and then worry if you're serving a product that's unsafe. Carol
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readinglady
14 years ago
Normally I just respond to the post, but in this case I do recommend a search because there's a wealth of information (with recipes) on this forum regarding preserving without using commercial pectin. I'd say there's easily the equivalent of a book.

Do some searching and reading and when you're ready to tackle a particular recipe, let us know if you have any additional questions.

There is an art to such preserving, but there are many of us who prefer such preserves and who find it rewarding. A traditional preserve of this type requires less sugar than one using commercial pectin.

A newly released book which does offer a great deal of information on preserving, including preserves without commercial pectin, is The Joy of Jams, Jellies and Sweet Preserves by Linda Ziedrich.

Carol
ksrogers
14 years ago
Many threads discussing no pectin jellies and jams. Usually not meant for the beginner unless your very daring.

Here is a link that might be useful: No pectin jam search links
keepitlow
Original Author
14 years ago
Thsanks for all the replies.

I'm interested in making berry jam Deanna
busylizzy
14 years ago
As a general rule berry jams don't require added commercial pectin, although they benefit adding a 1/2 cup mashed Granny Smith apple.
I agree it's an Art and rewarding as well. Long cooking times are involved, so watch for scorching.
Old timers also made their own apple pectin. I meant to make some last year, but didn't have time. Now is a good time to make that because the apples are just coming on. Also, it helps to makes the jams with some underripe fruit, it has more pectin.
My earliest books either have long cooking times, and at one point gelatin was added as a gelling agent.

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