How To Jar Jam?
Making jam at home is one of the delights of cooking seasonal fruits. You must make jams at home to store them for later use, right? But you should know that jams must be canned adequately to store them for long periods.
If you jar jams the correct way, they will preserve the freshness and flavor for months to come. It does not really matter what fruits you are using to make the jam, all of them will be preserved equally well. Read the following sections for more details to jar jam.
Canning Equipment
To jar jams at home, you need certain specific canning equipment to fulfill the process successfully. Canning is an important step to store food items for longer periods, therefore arrange the canning equipment accordingly.
Check out the following list of canning equipment to jar jams at home:
- Water bath canner
- Canning rack or steaming rack
- Canning tongs or jar lifter
- Canning jars and lids
- Ladle or spatula
- Wide-mouth funnel
- Paper towels
Before you store the jam in canning jars, make sure that you thoroughly clean and sanitize all of the equipment. Also, remember that you should use specific jar lids that fit each jar correctly. Never reuse jar lids, always use new ones.
Steps To Jar Jam At Home
Now that you know the list of equipment list, check out the following steps to jar jams at home:
- Preparing the water bath canner is the first step to canning. Place the canning rack inside to hold the jars and fill the pot with water. Bring the water to a boil before moving further.
- Meanwhile, fill the jars. Use a wide-mouth funnel to pour in food. Leave a little headroom in each jar, and close the lids tightly. Use canning bands to secure the closure tightly.
- Next, use a tong and place the filled jars inside the boiling water. Make sure the cans are completely submerged in water, otherwise, the food will not be processed appropriately.
- Set the heat on medium to low flame and let the jars cook for about 30 minutes. Once it is done, turn off the flame and allow it to cool completely.
- Use a tong to remove the jars from the canner and place them on a paper towel. This will soak all the extra moisture. Use another towel to clean the jar rims.
- Keep the jars aside until they set completely. Once all of these are done, your jam is all set to be preserved. Store them in the pantry and you are done.
Tips To Follow To Store Jam
Now you know the steps to preserve jam. For better results, check out the following tips:
- Wash the fruits thoroughly before making jam. Discard the fruits that are blemished. Also, you should choose properly ripened fruits to make the jam.
- Do not fill the jars with hot jam. Allow the cooked jam to cool completely before you process it in a canner.
- Since you are preserving the recipe, ensure that you remove all the moisture while cooking the fruits. Try using a wide pan to fasten the process.
- Double-check the sealing of the jars before storing them in the kitchen cabinet. If they have not been sealed properly, you will have to reprocess them.
- Date and label the jam jars adequately before storing them so that you know how long they have been kept in your kitchen pantry or cabinet.
How Long Can You Preserve Jam Jars?
Jam jars can be preserved for about 1-2 years safely. Post that you might notice discoloration or the release of water in the jams. However, if you have opened jam jars, it is suggested that you refrigerate them immediately, otherwise they will spoil.
Sometimes, even unopened bottles of jams might spoil due to improper storage. Therefore make sure you are storing them away from sources of heat and light. Also, make sure the area where you keep the jars is cool and dry. This will keep the moisture out.
How To Make Jam At Home?
It is quite simple and straightforward to make jam at home. Your jam will be ready in a few hours if you follow the procedure step-by-step and pay attention to the timings.
Check out the following recipe to make jam at home:
- Slice or dice your fruits into smaller pieces. You can also cut them into very tiny pieces. Transfer the cut fruits to a large bowl.
- Add in the required quantities of sugar and lemon juice and mix all the ingredients gently until all of them mix sufficiently.
- Blend in a few drops of vanilla essence next. Cover it with a lid and set it aside in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
- Then, heat a pan and pour the mixed ingredients into it. Let it cook until the sugar turns into a syrup-like consistency. Also, mash the ingredients to turn them into jam.
- Lastly, let it cook for about 40-45 minutes, or until you see your preferred consistency. Allow the dish to cool completely, and your homemade jam is ready.
