So it's occurred to me after I made a post in another thread about re-using jam jars that maybe some people out there don't realise that the best way to save money in regards to jam is to make your own! It's fairly easily, and there's plently of different recipes out there for you to try out. Best of all, you can make jams out of fruits you wouldn't normally find in the shops as they're not very commonly used as opposed to strawberry or raspberry. Do any of you guys do this, or have any tips you want to share?
One comment about reusing jam jars: You can reuse the glass jars because they can be easily sterilized before canning. You can boil them in water on the stove or put them in the oven (300F is a good temperature). If you have them hot when you can the jam, there is less of a chance of contamination. Do not reuse the lids. The rubber seals can not be trusted to be used a second time. (This is for regular and not freezer jams). The rubber hardens over time and the lids can deform as a result of opening the jar. Both of these effects can reduce the effectiveness of the seal and can lead to contamination. When you buy lids, make sure that they fit properly. If you are using old jars from food, you might not get as good of a fit compared to canning jars.
I really do think that it's best to make your own jam, and mix it directly according to your preferences. What I find best about this is that, besides of it being cheaper, is it's healthier. Processed jams involved too much chemicals that are harmful to the body and detrimental high amounts of sugar. They are only good for taste, but not for the health. When you make your own jam, you have your opportunity to either make it healthy and less harmful.
I think it's a good idea to create my own jam for Christmas giveaways (or other occasion). I'm not very fond of jams but I know a lot of people will appreciate this kind of gift. I can do the cooking part but I'm not sure if I can do the packaging properly, especially when @lostvalleyguy mentioned something about reusing the lids or rubber seals. I don't know where I can get new ones.
I love making my own jam.. but I don't make it like most people. Even jams people make on their own are unhealthy. I just blend fruit up as I need it, no additives, just fruit. Or you can blend up fruit and chia seeds for a boost. I make my own all the time, haven't done it the traditional way since I was little. Much healthier and far yummier in my opinion
I had never considered giving them away as presents or anything like that! I've never had any issues with re-using lids myself, nor has my mother, although we usually use some greaseproof paper and a rubber band to secure it in place, before screwing the metal-not rubber-lid onto the jar again.
I don't make my own jam, when I was young my mom made jam that we ate all year. I really do not have the interest to do stuff like that. Also fruit does not last that long in my house, we eat it.
Although this has never occurred to me before, I did observe several documentaries including homemaker videos at YouTube and saw for myself that jam-making is a relatively easy endeavor. We've basically made one before but it wasn't strawberry or raspberry. If you guys haven't heard of jackfruit jams yet, well they're common delicacies where I'm from. The old folks here are capable of making them in the span of an hour or less. Unfortunately jams require a lot of sugar and two of my family members happen to be borderline diabetics.
I am particularly fond of cumquat jam.Log In It's a fruit that I wasn't familiar with until a few years ago. And that's when I got addicted to it's beautiful bitter-sweet taste. I love cumquat jam in combination with sesame butter spread on buckwheat or quinoa crackers. It's absolutely delicious, and easy to make at home.
Never done that before, but both my mom and dad are really good at it. The strawberry jam they make is way better than the ones I buy from the stores. I didn't really had the time to make one myself but will definetely do in the near future.
I've made freezer jam before, but don't have the recipe handy. I like that it's quick, and lasts for a long time. I don't need a huge amount, so this recipe would suffice. This recipe calls for a lot of sugar, which might turn some off, but it's easy enough to find healthier versions, since there are plenty floating around the internet. Strawberries are cheap right now, so it might be a good time to make some of this.Log In
