What is Jam?

 

Jam is the product obtained by cooking sugar with fruits or vegetables.  In the process of making jam, the fruits or vegetables are somewhat crushed.  The object is to cook the mass into a smooth paste of a jelly-like consistency.  Making Jam requires 4 basic elements:

 

Fruits / Vegetables

Use 3/4 ripe fruit and 1/4 slightly under-ripe fruit for the jam.  This will give flavor and color to the jam and improve the consistency.  It is best to use whole fruit, but cut or bruised fruit (not decaying) may also be used.

Sugar

Use any white sugar of good quality.  Do NOT use brown or maple sugar.

Heat

Any heat produced by a cook stove can be used. Do not cook jam in the open air.

Proper Equipment

Use any good sized Sauce pan, kettle-porcelain lined.  Agate or copper kettles were preferred in the past.
Use wooden spoons or spatulas. Do not use metal spoons.

Use ordinary kitchen scales and weights.
Use jelly glasses, glass jars or other containers with tightly fitting covers.
Any paraffin of good quality will do.

The Basic proportions for making jam are:

1 pound of fruit, washed and picked
3/4 pound of sugar

Try our Jam Recipe for perfect jam, every time!