# Strawberry jam not setting



## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Mrs P and I made some Strawberry jam the other day. It was decanted into a couple of small and a few larger jars.

The jam in the small jars has set as it should. The larger jar contents are still pretty liquid !!! Odd or what????

Now I/we are aware that strawberry jam can be "difficult" to set at times BUT....................

Everything came out of the same pan within a couple of minutes of each other and it had been boiled until it reached the correct temp on the jam making thermometer (which has given sterling service in the past)

Can anyone shed any light as to why this should be???? Any suggestions of how to get the stuff in the larger jars to set?? (We have tried leaving in the fridge for a couple of days, no difference !!!) 

Andy


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Liz makes Jam, but has no idea why this should happen, Google perhaps or a Jam forum.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Kev you are such a Div, go and ask Liz and tell us what she says.:wink2::wink2:

Mrplodd is there a WI local.

cabby


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I know that strawberry can be hard (hence use plenty of Certo to help set), but if some has set and others not my only thought would be that there was something in the jars stopping it - I believe that acid can stop it setting but am struggling to work out how some jars would and others not....

sorry not really helpful - you need a WI member for advice or try their website;

WI Strawberry Jam recipe

as I said, not a lot of help as you are already making the stuff.....

Dave


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

'er indoors sais "lemon juice" - summat to do with pectin.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Could it be something like too much or too little volume in the large jars.I seem to remember that the level was on the collar of the jar when my parents made it years ago.

cabby


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

pippin said:


> 'er indoors sais "lemon juice" - summat to do with pectin.


The requisite amount of lemon juice was included in the original "brew"

Andy


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## Napoleon478 (Aug 1, 2016)

Don`t worry about it Liz, it`s well known that strawberries can be set in their ways!! Boom Boom


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

It happens to my jam sometimes, I reboil it with lemon juice for several a few minutes :grin2: to make sure the blinkin stuff does set. 
Jan


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## Sgt411 (Dec 17, 2008)

Hi Andy- When this happens to me I just add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice into the jar, give it a stir and then pour it into another jar that has been sterilised- works for me. Good luck! Keith


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Sgt411 said:


> Hi Andy- When this happens to me I just *add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice into the jar,* give it a stir and then pour it into another jar that has been sterilised- works for me. Good luck! Keith


A couple of *tablespoons *in a jar :surprise:how bigs this jar ? He wants to eat the jam not shrink his mouth.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Cheers Keith

We will give it a try and report back. Having said that there was the correct amount of lemon juice in the original cook.

Andy


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Needs a touch more pectin ploddy

Send me a jar when it's finished I'll test it 

Once upon a time I made jam, chutneys, pickles 

Gleaned the fields for new potatoes, peanuts etc 

Did you know in Israel once the harvester has passed, gleanings are left ?

For the poor 

Well there you go, another piece of useless information :grin2::grin2:

Sandra


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Sandra

Thanks for that but it all came out of the same batch so it all had the same amount of pectin in it yet it's ONLY the larger jars where it hasn't set, the small ones are perfect consistency ??

Andy


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

aldra said:


> Needs a touch more pectin ploddy
> 
> Send me a jar when it's finished I'll test it
> Once upon a time I made jam, chutneys, pickles
> ...


We kids had a lot of fun gleaning wheat for our chickens, that was way back in the 1950´is. 
I bet if it was laying about in the fields today kids wouldn´t dream of collecting it. 
No sense of adventure these days, only playing games on computers or mobiles, hence so many fat children about.
Jan


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Kids only glean if parents glean Jan

We did it as a family once upon a time

And we needed to, to survive in those days

Our grandkids wouldn't understand that

But they would enjoy gleaning if it were possible

Sandra


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Have you solved the problem yet Andy.If not tell me the type and size of the jars and to what level you filled them.

cabby


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