WSU Thurston County
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Thurston County Extension
Food Safety: Food Preserving
Tips Ensure Success of Jams and Jellies
The Olympian, July 29, 1998
Since the early 1800s, American families have been enjoying home-prepared jams, jellies, and fruit spreads.
Living in the Northwest, we have numerous opportunities each summer to choose regionally grown fresh fruits that can be used to create high quality, safe spreads. Fruit spreads such as jelly, jam, preserves, marmalades, and butters are sweetened, thickened gels that can be canned, refrigerated, or frozen.
QUESTION: We grow a variety of fruits in our backyard. I would like to preserve some of them, but as I review recipes, I'm confused by some of the terms. Could you explain the difference between jelly, jams, preserves, marmalades, and butters?
ANSWER:
Jellies - clear, made from fruit juices, firm texture, that holds its' shape
Jams - made from crushed or mashed fruit, less firm than jelly
Preserves - made from whole or cut fruit in a clear, slightly gelled syrup
Marmalades - made with diced or ground citrus fruit that is suspended in clear jelly
Fruit Butters - made from thickened fruit sauces usually with added spices
QUESTION: Is there an easy, safe way to make jams and jellies?
ANSWER: Jams and jellies are relatively east to prepare. But, there are a few things you can do to ensure safety and success if you're a beginning jam and jelly preserver.
Jams or jellies contain fruit juice or liquid, acid, flavorings, sugar, and pectin. They "gel" because of the presence of a chemical compound called pectin.
Fruits such as tart apples, cranberries, currents, gooseberries, eastern Concord grapes, and lemons, usually contain enough naturally occurring pectin to yield jelly that is firm. Many fruits, however, do not contain enough pectin to ensure consistent success in making jams and jellies.
The good news is that you can purchase pectin as a liquid or powder at your supermarket. Using commercial pectin is a great way to get started easily and successfully. Complete directions for a variety of fruits are included with packaged pectin. Generally, the recipes use apples, blackberries, grapes, mint, peaches, black or red raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, apricots, cherries, pears, and plums.
Jams and jellies made with commercial pectin have more natural fruit flavor, require less cooking, and generally give a larger yield. Using commercial pectin also eliminates the need to test for proper gelling.
QUESTION: Last year, I made grape jelly and found that there were crystals that appeared in the jelly after it had been stored for a long time. Is this jelly safe to consume?
ANSWER: Crystals in home processed grape jelly can be a problem if the grape jelly is stored for a long time. The crystals are actually potassium acid tartrate and come from the grape. They are not a health hazard. If you plan to store your jelly for longer periods of time, you can minimize the problem by chilling the extracted juice for 48 hours, using only the top portion of the liquid in your jelly. You should discard the sediment.
B. Susie Craig
Area Faculty
WSU Cooperative Extension Thurston County
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WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office. Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the county of Thurston.
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