anyone use a jam thermometer?anyone use a jam thermometer?I've been trying and it seems completely useless.
Should the tip be at the bottom of the saucepan, at the side or in the middle? Mine is a long rod twice the height of the pan with a dial at the end, and the temperature it shows seems to go down as well as up while I'm boiling the jam. I read 105C, 220F but it never reached 100, and I seem to have made glue not jam, if the difficulty I had getting the last part jar bottled is anything to go by. I had another one that was a glass thermometer with a metal flat bit behind it, but that was impossible to read, if you lifted it out of the jam so that it was eye level it cooled. Back to the saucer method? Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?I have two, a glass tube thing and an old brass one. I too can never read the damn things
Helen xx
3 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 chooks, 3 fish, a shrimp that thinks its a prawn and a dappy dog. http://www.acountrygrandma.blogspot.com
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?I've only ever used a saucer. Side plate to be more precise :P. I also put the plate in the freezer beforehand to help with the cooling.
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?It was really difficult to spread for breakfast. Don't know what the full jars are like.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?Could you try to rescue it?
Reboil and add water. Not entirely sure how much, or how long, just know it is possible. Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?I'm hoping it was just the last bit, scraped from the sides of the pan that is really gluey. If the rest is I might have a go at that.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?This is the one I use for all sorts of things in the kitchen. Use it to measure temp of milk for yogurt making (where I only take to 83c), for checking the temperature of oil when frying, etc. They are pretty cheap to but from that really big online retailer. Michael
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?If you use it for jam where in the pan do you put it?
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?
When I opened the first full jar it was like trying to spread jelly cubes (straight from the packet before adding water to make up the jelly). So yesterday I did tip it all out and dissolved it in water. That was quite a job, squishing all the lumps between a knife and spoon. Brought it to the boil to sterilise it again. Got more bottles than before - but not as much as the greengage jam that I made at the same time, so I may still not have added enough water. We shall see. Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?Yes sometimes, not in my use regularly.
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?I've got runny jam that didn't really set properly - can I try reboiling it with more pectin do you think?
I tried using a jam thermometer but never really get on with it. The saucepan test usually works for me, but obviously not with this batch... Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell Chief servant to Marley the cat Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey. Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?
Sorry only just spotted this. Short answer is yes Long answer is...what I have got below from my wanderings around the internet. You need: The jars of jam to be remade No-sugar-needed type pectin. If you use regular pectin, that may make the jam or jelly too sweet! Lemon juice Sugar Supplies New lids for the jars (you can reuse the rings and wash the jars.) unless you used commercial jam jars. You can't reliably make batches of jam larger than 6 cups of raw fruit (of course, but the time you add sweetener, lemon juice, etc. it will be more than that). No matter how much you stir, you won't get effective heat penetration in larger batches, so some pectin gets overcooked, while other pectin is not activated. So, to reliably fix the jam, you will need to split it into batches of less than 7 cups each. So Step 1 - Add up the volumes of all the jars to be reworked 2 pints = four 8oz jars = eight 4oz jars) then empty the contents of the jars that are too runny into a pot in no more than 2 pints at a time. Then clean the jars and discard the used lids or if you're using commercial jam jars wash them as well. I just bung mine in the dishwasher but whatever works. Sterilise the jars and lids again (then keep the lids in hot, steamy (but not boiling) water. Step 2 -Determine how much jam or jelly needs to be remade Measure the jam or jelly to be recooked. Work with no more than 4 to 6 cups at a time. Add up the volumes of all the jars to be reworked 1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups =four 8oz jars = eight 4oz jars). Step 3 - Measure out additional pectin, water, sugar and lemon juice If you are using powdered pectin: For each quart of jam or jelly to be fixed, mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water or white grape juice, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin in a large pot. If you read across the lines they're in this orer (can't get them in a table) as I've got at home but you'll work it out. Amount to re-make sugar water/grape juice lemon juice pectin 2 cups (1pint) 4 tsps 4 tsps 1 tbsp 2 teaspoons 3 cups 6 tsps 6 tsps 1.5 tbsps 3 teaspoons 4 cups (1 quart) 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 2 tbsps 4 teaspoons 5 cups 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 2.5 tbsps 5 teaspoons 6 cups (1.5 quarts) 1/3 cup 1/3 cup 3tbsps 6 teaspoons 7 cups 1/3 cup 1/3 cup 3.5tbsps 7 teaspoons 8 cups (2 quarts) 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 4 tbsps 8 teaspoons Step 4 Add the jam or jelly to the pectin mixture and bring it to a rolling boil, over high heat, stirring constantly. Keep in mind that one reason jams and jellies don't set is because people try to double batches, and there is non-uniform heating. That results in some pectin becoming over-cooked and some pectin in the batch is under cooked. Never make a new batch of jam or jelly starting with more than 6 cups of crushed fresh or frozen fruit; and never try to remake a batch larger than 2.5 quarts. Once it is a rolling boil, then boil it hard for 45 to 60 seconds. A "hard boil" is distinctly different from a "rolling boil". A rolling boil is simply the production of bubbles but is not all-encompassing and may even be stirred down. A hard boil often produces foam and the jam expands, rises to fill more of the pot, and cannot be stirred away Don't "overboil" Just 1 minute of a "hard boil" Step 5 - Testing for "gel" (thickness) I keep a metal tablespoon sitting in a glass of ice water, take it out, shake off the water and then take a half spoonful of the mix and let it cool to room temperature on the spoon. in a minute or so. If it thickens up to the consistency I like, then I know the jam is ready. If not, I mix in a little more pectin (about 1/4 to 1/2 of another package) and bring it to a boil again for 1 minute. Step 6 Remove from heat, and quickly skim the foam off jam or jelly. Fill sterile jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust new lids ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)✰
(¸.✰´¨(¸.✰ Manda Living our version of the Good Life with 1 dog (who feels like we're living with 4!), 1 cats, a few sheep and 11 chooks. Don't get your knickers in a knot..it solves nothing ~ just makes you walk funny
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?Great thanks Mnada, I wouldn't have thought of the lemon juice etc so thanks so much for that
I only ever make smallish quantities of jam, I don't have any massive pans Will give this a go tomorrow! Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell Chief servant to Marley the cat Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey. Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?I've been thinking about your question of how to position the thermometer, as I've never been sure either.
Logically, the jam will be hottest at the bottom and edges, cooler in the middle and top. So: 1) If aiming for a temperature of 'at least X' then at the coolest part? 2) If aiming for a temperature of 'no more than X' then at the hottest part? or otherwise, either 3) take it off the heat, stir it around and quickly take the temperature anywhere? or 4) take an average of 1) and 2) temperatures? This is entirely guess-work based on how I'd analyze it as a problem to solve - maybe someone else knows the actual answer.
Re: anyone use a jam thermometer?Jam remade and set - thanks Manda
Karen
Alpha chick to: Smudge, Matisse and Bluebell Chief servant to Marley the cat Remembering Weeps, Rexie, Sage, Cassie, Toffee, Captain Gabby, Commander Nugget, Ronnie, Juno, Special Poetry and Reading Casper, Tigger, Tophenanall Rembrandt, Chestnut, Tiddly, Willow, Mango, Coco, Dorian Grey and Pokey. Also my lost furries Charlie and Jasper |
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