Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600890
10/13/97

### GUIDELINES FOR MAKING JAMS WITHOUT ADDED PECTIN

        Wash  and rinse all fruits thoroughly  before  cooking.

    Do
    not soak.  For best flavor, use fully ripe fruit.  Remove

    stems,
     skins   and  pits from fruit; cut  into  pieces  and

    crush.
      For berries, remove stems and blossoms  and  crush.

    Seedy
     berries  may  be put through a sieve  or  food  mill.

    Measure
      crushed  fruit  into  large  saucepan  using   the

    ingredient
    quantities specified in the table below.

    INGREDIENT
    QUANTITIES

               Cups Crushed    Cups     Tbsp.       Yield

    Fruit        Fruit         Sugar    Lemon    (Half-Pints)

                                        Juice

    Apricots     4 to 4-l/2     4         2        5 to 6

    Berries*     4              4         0        3 to 4

    Peaches      5-l/2 to 6     4 to 5    2        6 to 7

    *Includes
       blackberries,    boysenberries,     dewberries,

    gooseberries,
     loganberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

        Add  sugar  and lemon juice and bring to a  boil  while

    stirring
     rapidly  and constantly.  Continue to  boil  until

    mixture
     thickens.  Use  one  of  the  following  tests   to

    determine
    when jams and jellies are ready to fill.  Remember

    to
    allow for thickening during cooling.

        Temperature test--a jelly or candy thermometer and boil

    until
     mixture reaches  the temperature  for  your altitude.

    Sea
     l000   2000   3000   4000   5000   6000   7000   8000

    Lev.
     Ft.    Ft.    Ft.    Ft.    Ft.    Ft.    Ft.    Ft.

    220
    F 218 F  216 F  214 F  212 F  211 F  209 F  207 F  205 F

        Refrigerator  test--Remove  the jam  mixture  from  the

    heat.
      Pour  a small amount of boiling jam on  a cold plate

    and
    put it in the freezing compartment of a refrigerator for

    a
     few minutes.  If the  mixture  gels, it is ready to fill.

        Remove  from  heat  and skim off  foam  quickly.   Fill

    hot
    sterile jars (see directions below for sterilizing jars)

    with
    jam.  Use a measuring cup or  ladle the  jam  through a

    wide-
    mouthed funnel,  leaving  l/4-inch   headspace. Adjust

    lids
    and process.

    Sterilization
    of Empty Jars

        To sterilize empty jars, place them  right  side up  on

    the
     rack  in  a boiling  water canner.  Fill the canner and

    jars
     with  hot (not boiling) water to 1 inch above the tops

    of
     the  jars.   Boil  10  minutes at altitudes of less than

    1,000
     feet.  At higher elevations, boil 1 additional minute

    for
    each  additional 1,000 feet elevation.  Remove and drain

    hot
    sterilized jars one at  a time as filled.

           RECOMMENDED PROCESS TIMES FOR JAMS WITHOUT ADDED

                 PECTIN IN A BOILING-WATER CANNER

                      Process Times at Altitudes of

    Style

    of
             Jar          0-           1001-         6001-

    Pack
           Size         1000 ft.     6000 ft.      8000 ft.

    Hot
         Half-pints      5 min.       10 min.       15 min.

            or pints

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