A few years ago we made strawberry jaam that would not jell. It was delicious on pancakes. We have tried to duplicate this for several years with no success. We have tried with less sugar, less pectin and everything we make jells. Do you have any suggestions. Thanks

-- J.W.Greenwood (jgwood@seark.net), May 04, 2002

Answers

Follow the recipe on the pectin and leave out the pectin. That's how I first made mine. :>)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

Fruit that is very ripe (or even overripe) has less pectin in it than unripe fruit, and so would be more likely to make a syrup than a jam.

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), May 04, 2002.

You COULD melt the jam, mix it with jam mix-(pectin-free) until it is the right texture.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), May 04, 2002.

I usually just nuke the jam left over in the jar and use it as syrup that way :) Maybe substitute some mild-flavored honey for some of the sugar, or use some corn syrup instead--corn syrup seems to be in a lot of commercial syrups.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), May 04, 2002.

Well I just had my first attempt at making strawberry jam, followed the directions and it didn't set-up. Tried again the next day in case I did something wrong the previous day, still runny and didn't set up. Shouldn't jam set up as soon as it has cooled off? So I have 8 pints of strawberry syrup. Good thing the kids like waffles and pancakes. Anyone have any ideas what could have gone wrong?

-- Anita in NC (anitaholton@mindspring.com), May 04, 2002.

my wife made the best strawberry syrup you ever had.

strawberry syrup(or can be made with any fruit that is low in natural pectin)

7 cups smashed fruit 7 cups sugar 1 pouch of liquid pectin

mix sugar and fruit, bring to boil, keep stirring, stir in pectin. Bring to full rolling boil, and boil hard for one minute. Keeep stirring. remove from heat. skim foam off. pour into jars and seal. We turn ours upside down for 5 minutes and then back and it should seal. or do a hot water bath or steam.

We made syrup out of blackberry , grape, apple and you don't have to add the pectin. just 5 cups fruit and 7 cups sugar. the directions are the same. keep stirring. dont boil these too long or you'll end up with jelly.

from my wife-the city girl now known as the jam lady

-- randy in central missouri (rwybrant@coin.org), May 04, 2002.

I've have problems sometimes with mine because I don't follow the directions. It says not to double the recipe so I don't-I triple it! I just hate doing it one at a time when I can mix 2 or 3 batches up at once. Most of the time it comes out, every once in a while I'll have syrup(then I just add another box of jell)

-- Terri in WV (mrs_swift_26547@yahoo.com), May 05, 2002.