Old Fashioned Strawberry Jam Without Pectin {Vintage Recipe} (2024)

FAQs

What thickens jam without pectin? ›

Lemons - Juice of one lemon and zest. Sugar - To help thicken and sweeten. I don't recommend substituting for a sugar alternative. Cornstarch - Optional, but works well as a thickener in place of pectin.

No extra pectin– You may wonder if strawberry jam is better with or without pectin. Strawberries are naturally low in pectin, so some people prefer to add additional pectin to jams and jellies. However, I actually prefer homemade jam without extra pectin. They are a bit softer in texture, making it more versatile.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice is essential for getting the pectin to gel properly, setting the jam. It also helps prevent the growth of bacteria.

Cool the jam and move it to two jars.

Cool to room temperature. Seal, label with the fruit and the date, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

With a simple lemon juice trick, your homemade jam will achieve your desired thick texture. Preparing jam is about capturing the sweet essence of the fruit while simultaneously cooking it down to the perfect syrupy consistency.

To remake cooked jam or jelly without added pectin, for each 1 L (4 cups) jam or jelly add 25 mL (2 tbsp) bottled lemon juice. Heat to boiling and boil jam or jelly hard 3 to 4 minutes, then test for signs of gelling.

Do not vary the sequence in which the ingredients are added. For example, powdered pectin does not dissolve in a sugared solution, so if you add the sugar and then the dry pectin, the jam will not be firm. Be sure you use a kettle large enough to accommodate the preserves when they are brought to a full rolling boil.

TIPS: Alternatively, you could use 'high-pectin' sugar (also known as jam sugar). The addition of lemon juice also helps to activate the pectin and set your jam.

If your recipe called for lemon juice and you forgot to put it in, your mixture will not be acid enough for safe canning. You have to open the jars and put the mixture into a sauce pan. (If you made the jam or jelly recently and you carefully remove the lids without damaging them, you can re-use the same lids.)

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh for jam? ›

Lemons vary in ripeness and therefore the amount of acid might not be adequate for the jam to achieve the proper set. The best way to ensure you are adding enough acid is to go with a commercial bottled lemon juice because these are controlled and standardized, so the acid content is assured and more reliable.

If, on the other hand, the jam is rock solid, that means you've gone too far and cooked it too long. You can try adding a little water to thin it out, but bear in mind that after overcooking a jam, you can't really get those fresh fruit flavors back.

If you don't boil it long enough the pectin network will not form properly. Boil it too long you risk not only losing the fresh flavour and colour of the jam but having a jam with the texture of set honey.

Adding acid in the form of fresh lemon or lime juice is important for two reasons: First, it makes for a more well-balanced jam, returning some of the acidity lost with the addition of sugar. Second, pectin needs acid to properly activate, or firm up.

Make sure to not overcook the fruit. Stir on and off for five minutes before putting the jam into jars, and make sure to follow the recipe exactly. If jam comes out too stiff, it is often caused by overcooking fruit or the fruit spread having too much pectin.

If you simply take fruit and cook it with some sugar to sweeten it a little, it will get thick enough to turn into jam by the naturally occurring pectin in the fruit and the process of reduction. Reduction occurs when we simmer the fruit, and the liquid turns to steam and evaporates, which thickens the jam.

Cornstarch - Another plant-based thickening agent, cornstarch is a great substitute for pectin. Gelatin - For non-vegan menu items, you can substitute gelatin for pectin, but it will yield a different consistency.

The acid in lemon juice can help pectin to gel which is why it is often added to lower pectin fruits in jam-making, but it is not a straight replacement for pectin. As the recipe contains (apple) cider vinegar there is already a reasonable amount of acid in the chilli jam and extra lemon juice shoud not be needed.