Need Help in Jam Preserving

[Mamasue]

I have some frozen bags of strawberries that need to be used and thought I would try to make some jam. The only and first time that I made jam was last year in my ABM machine. My question is do I melt some parafin wax for the top of each jar of jam or do I not need to do this? Thanks for your help. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

http://www3.50megs.com/huggybee/food/hb-strawberry.gif

[NancyR]

If you have the space to keep your jam in the freezer, I prefer making the freezer jam (recipe included in packages of Sure Jell, etc.). The flavor is more intense and there is no need to worry about spoilage at all. The second best way is to use 2 piece lids and heat process in boiling water bath. The lids then seal with a vacuum and will keep forever but flavor suffers a little. The paraffin technique is VERY hard to do if you plan to keep your jam for any amount of time at all. No matter how hard to try to keep the sides of the jar clean it seems a little microscopic spot will not seal completely and eventually you get mold growing. That is not to say that you shouldn't do it....it is an old, time-honored technique...but I wouldn't. Jam making is too much work to have your precious product spoil.

[Beth]

This may be more than you wanted to hear, but the FDA no longer approves of the open kettle method and says all canned goods should be processed. You'll need a canning jar lifter and tongs as well as a large dutch oven or soup/pasta pot and a rack (a small, round wire cake rack will work) or canning jar basket to fit inside are the main things you will need. A canning funnel is helpful but not essential. Target and Walmart sell these, as well as many houseware stores. You can also order from Ball, Kerr, and I'm sure Chef's catalog and Williams Sonoma.

If you are going to process less than 10 minutes, the jars and lids need to be sterilized in boiling water for 10 minutes before use (be careful, you don't want all the lids stuck to each other. All my jams process for 10 min., so I've never done this). Otherwise, clean, hot jars will work. We usually put our jars in the canning pot to boil while the jam cooks.

Fill the jars, leaving the recommended head space, then wipe the rim carefully with a damp cloth. Any food on the rim can prevent a seal. Dip a lid into the boiling water for several seconds, then place on top of the filled jar. Seal finger tight with a ring.

When all the jars are full, place them in your canning pot with boiling water(your soup pot with a small, round wire cake rack in the bottom will work for jelly jars) with enough boiling water to cover the top by one inch with room for boiling. Put the lid on the pot and bring back to a boil quickly. Time the processing from the time the water returns to a boil, usually 10 min for jelly and jam jars. During processing, the air inside the jar will bubble out, formimg a vaccum when the jar cools and eliminating the air bacteria needs to grow inside (hence, the finger tight).

Remove from the pot (don't put on a cold or wet surface, a rack is good but a towel on your counter will also help protect both the counter and jars). Each of the lids should go down in the center, and you may hear a ping with each one (I have found that Kerr lids are more likely to ping than Ball). If the lid does not go down and stay down in the center, the jar is not sealed and must be reprocessed or stored in the refrigerator.

When completely cooled, remove the rings. Wipe the sides of the jars to make sure they are clean of any thing that may have bubbled out in the processing. Label and store in cool, dark place. Most jams and jellies are good about one year from canning.

That's the nutshell version. Hope I didn't loose you. Have fun, but be forewarned: Once completed, and with half a box of jars left, it can become addictive. If you need ideas after the strawberries are used, post a note. Deanna and I, and some others I can't remember, are sure to have some thoughts.

[Mamasue]

Thanks a bunch Nancy and Beth! I appreciate your help and hints. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Weather permitting I will be making strawberry jam tomorrow.....no plans for the holiday! I just have to go out and get a canning funnel, the rest of equipment I have.

[This message has been edited by Mamasue (edited 07-03-2000).]

[Mamasue]

Bringing this up to top for Carolyn. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif