I don't skim foam....it'll sink!
Does Annie have a Maslin? I'm jealous!

Annie does not have a maslin pan, she just wants one. Sigh. No room to store it keeps me from splurging on that.

Nope, I use a 8 1/2 quart Calphalon pan. The hard anodized finish keeps it from being "reactive" and it's very wide and shallow, about 5 or 6 inches deep. Because of the wide surface area, the moisture steams off quickly and I tend to make double batches of no-pectin jam, the longer cooked kind, so I like that it cooks so much more quickly. I don't worry about the thermometer because I don't use one, I use the "frozen plate" test, but if you like a thermometer it could be an issue with a small single batch.

cloud, you don't HAVE to skim the foam, it's just prettier if you do. I skim with a small gravy ladle, it's wide and shallow and works really well because of the angle of the handle. I scoop it all into a small ramekin and the girls used to eat it with a spoon, LOL, it just tastes like jam.

I sure don't measure headspace, LOL, I just fill the jam jars to somewhere between 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch and call it good. It all works.

Headspace is crucial on some items because of expansion, you don't want them too full, but if items shrink you could compromise the seal. I don't think jam is an item where headspace is crucial so I'm very relaxed about it.

Jam is one of the easiest and safest items to can, so keep on jamming!

Annie

I knew whatever Annie had it was better than what I have, which is a low wide pan but it is made of stainless steel, which does NOT have the heat conducting qualities of aluminum or copper, or even coated steel for that matter. I also have a stainless clad heavy aluminum bottomed stockpot, which is great, but I use that one for the BWB in small batches. I can't switch the pans roles since the stainless one isn't high enough for the water to cover the jars when doing the boiling water bath.

I know Maslin is the gold standard, but the ideal jam pot is like Annie describes, and there are a variety of types of pans out there on the market that fit the bill for that. Stainless conducts kinda carpy and straight aluminum isn't recommended because it reacts with the product being boiled. So other than those two not being viable, there are a lot of other varieties of pans that would be good--coated aluminum, copper bottomed or enameled steel. I would buy one but I just can't afford non-necessary purchases right now, even if they are relatively low cost, like an enameled steel one would be. I don't like enamel coated steel though because they often are so thin that stuff burns pretty easy, which is the flip side of good heat conductivity. That's why enameled steel is ideal for the BWB, you're not going to risk burning the water! An iron pot wouldn't be the best because you can't turn the heat up or down fast in an iron pot. But you could use one. It has the same downside as an all stainless one for jam, but it's upside (that it HOLDS heat well) would be good for a long cooked preserved product like tomato sauce or chili sauce. What's 5 more min. on the stove with those!

Oh! I feel kind of dumb for not thinking of it before, but I think I have that pan, Annie. Mine is 12" wide and 4.5" deep (I checked on my calculator and that comes out to a bit over 8 and a half quarts volume) hard anodized. I bought it when Amazon had it at a ridiculously low price because that Calphalon line was being obsoleted. But when it arrived, I couldn't decide whether to make it milk or meat, Passover or regular so I put it in a closet until I decided and then forgot about it.

I guess I also didn't think about it because I was thinking I wanted tall sides because the jam bubbles sometimes spit a drop up when they burst - is there something to do to avoid that? Or maybe with a more even heat pan it will behave better than the stainless steel not-triple ply one I've been using.

I take it you are finding that the hard anodized is non-reactive enough.

I found the Maslin pan at Lee Valley and it certainly is a thing of beauty. (It costs less than the non-sale price of the Calphalon 8 1/2 quart would have been.) However I find the picture funny - I can't quite see taking a pan full of quarts of boiling hot sticky jam and tilting it to pour into the jars no matter how good the handles are. And there are the two filled jars, cutting board and counter without a drop spilled or funnel in sight.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=1&cat=2,40733,44734&p=46628

The maslin pan works very well indeed (though I'm too much of a klutz to risk filling jars without a funnel). I tend to ladle anyway. Pouring from a height risks aerating the jam so that you end up with this strange champagne-y stuff in the jar.

Of course you could skip all the issues by making jam in a shallow pan in the oven. Low temp and pyrex work just fine. It does take a long time, however, and isn't necessarily the most energy efficient.

I also have Annie's Calphalon pan. Spattering is somewhat of an issue, but I find it much less worrisome with jam than with fruit butters. As they thicken they become darned near volcanic.

Carol

I agree, Carol, fruit butter kind of reminds me of those hot mud pots in Yellowstone Park, LOL, spitting and sputtering.

I have always made apple butter in the oven, that's how Grandma did it too. No standing over a pan stirring and hoping you have asbestos sleeves to protect against those little apple butter "volcanoes". Just stick it in the oven and go do something else. Stir once in a while and when it's thick enough, jar it up.

The Calphalon pot is deep enough and big enough in diameter that I don't have a lot of spattering with jam, and it's the biggest pot I have so there's always enough room to bring it to a boil and to prevent boil over when adding that rum (or whatever).

As for the peach/brown sugar/rum jam, I made the BBB recipe and it was good, but not spectacular. It was one of those things where the flavors didn't "meld" the way I liked, I didn't care for the brown sugar flavor with the rum. I liked it better with white sugar, go figure.

Annie

using my quiet voice.... I got a Maslin Pan as a Christmas present this year. Just haven't had a chance to use it yet.

In a much louder voice... I'm working too many ^%(&@!$%# hours, will be glad when Labor Day is over and life slows down!

Nancy

nancy, I knew you got that pan for Christmas, I just wasn't gonna tell, LOL.

I figured you were working some awful hours. Is it better now, though? More peaceful, or at least more organized?

Annie

It would be so frustrating to be trapped working long hours at the height of summer. Especially with that Maslin pan crooning, "Use me, use me."

I hope there're a few minutes to stash some fruit in the freezer for jam-making later. Spiced blueberry preserves, raspberry chocolate. And then after labor day there're pear preserves, chutneys, apple-maple preserves, green tomato mincement, winter conserve with dried apricots, almonds and amaretto. That Maslin pan will get plenty of use.

Carol

Nancy Dear Friend, take a few minutes to box it up and send it to me. I will make sure I pamper it and provide you with a detailed report of its usefulness...or not!

I know you have taken on a expanded responsibilities--take care of yourself!

Cathy

Thanks all. I do plan on using the pan. (Sorry Cathy) I picked black raspberries last week, ran them through the Victorio and froze the puree... peaches, pears and apples next and whatever else I find.

It's the extended store hours that are hard but they will be over after Labor Day. Gotta make it when you can here.

Nancy

Cathy, I think you would at least need to send back the box packed full of examples of its usefulness to accompany the report!

Nancy, Labor Day isn't very far away now. Hope things calm down for you.

Annie, if I do the peach maple jam again, I might try the oven. It is more like a peach butter and was doing a mud pit impersonation too. What temperature do you use for that?

For me the rum, brown sugar and peach flavors worked together - at least from what I licked off the spoon. Kind of peach flavor hot buttered rum. I may have to open one of the half pints without waiting for it to age to double check that.

cloud, I usually start apple butter at 350F. Don't try to go higher and "hurry" it, because it will "caramelize" and taste overcooked.

If you have time, I'd go even lower, maybe 300F. Stir it every hour or so and your time will depend on how juicy the fruit is.

I love this method because I can bake bread while the apple butter is simmering, or I can make a batch of stock in the electric roaster and get some extra canning done all at the same time while I have the stove on. It's not unusual for me to have the canner on one burner, the pressure canner on another, the roaster going on the porch and an oven full of apple butter, LOL.

Annie