Jane, any time I've tried to "fix" jam or jelly it's only gotten worse. I've recooked some of the commercial pectin jam and gotten something kind of like gummy bears.

I do occasionally overcook a batch of jam and get taffy, and the only way I know to use it then is to heat it before use. (sigh)

And I sure learned fast that when testing with a frozen plate, turn the heat off while waiting for that jam to cool, it can overcook in that minute or so it takes...

Sorry about the jelly, though.

Truthfully, you might try boiling with some more cherries or juice, although I wouldn't use apple, too high in pectin. Since you like the flavor I'd probably stay with cherries. If you probably wn't use it as is, what are you out if the experiment fails?

Annie

No words of wisdom here. Just empathy. I have in the past made blueberry "jam" and grape "jam" that could have been substituted for roofing tar!

Since I started using Annie's cold plate trick, I haven't had a problem.

Boy just when I swear I'm off CF for good there comes a post where I think I actually have something to offer. Like Boo, I have made quite a few taffy/roofing tar jam batches, although my usual problem is my pepper jelly NOT setting up, which leads me to overcompensate and then get the tar stuff when I do my next batch. Last year I made both strawberry and plum rubber-jam. What I did to make it palatable was to mix in water before serving until it reached the desired spreadability. I suppose you could use juice too. But I wouldn't re-can, not with a pectin product--too many variables and I'm not that lucky.

I'd just stir in a T. or so of warm water when I open the jar. That loosens the texture without additional cooking.

What you're doing is restoring some of the water that was boiled out.

Carol

I'd use it in glazes and sauces...in a hot pan with a little wine to deglaze it would be wonderful over fried pork chops.
Linda c

Thanks for all the replies. I have never had this happen before so was kind of surprised. Since I had planned to use this as a glaze - at least some of it anyway, all is not lost. The idea of stirring a little hot water into it before use is a good one - thanks.
Jane

I'm with Lindac. I often make bbq sauce out of my duds. One year I dumped them all together, including some onion jam that didn't set, added vinegar, tomato products and spices and wound up with a yummy sweet/hot sauce that everyone got for Christmas. Too bad I'll never be able to replicate it...sighhhh....

I usually lurk here, but now must chime in as another jam-unfortunate. Annie, I so wish I'd known about the frozen plate trick last summer. I picked enough wild blackberries (ask me about the scratches & bruises!) to make 6 pints of pectin-less jam. Couldn't even come close to prying it out of the jars once it was all boiled and overwith. Sigh. And that was including my attempts to gently reheat the stuff. I'm thinking that my "blackberry jam" might actually be a better and more environmentally acceptable alternative to traditional roofing tar.

Welcome to the Forum, brindamour.

Oh geez, that's horrible about the blackberry jam. I've picked enough of those tiny wild blackberries to know how long that takes, so I'm sorry!

I've used a thermometer and I've gotten to the point where I can just about tell by the way jam looks that it's getting close, but I still use that frozen plate, just for insurance.

Annie