Problems with preserves?

Press, 18 March 1988, Page 18

Problems with preserves?

Before so many households had the convenience of a deep freeze, jam had to be made as soon as the fruit was harvested. Today fruit can be deep frozen and made into preserves as required. The faculty of Consumer and Applied Sciences j— the new name for Otago University’s faculty of Home Science — staff receive a steady number of requests all year about preserves. Homemakers | have some common problems.

Failure of Jam Jelly or Marmalade to Set There are a variety of reasons for this but the most usual is inadequate boiling or boiling to a time rather than until! a test for setting gives a positive result. To test: observe how the “preserve” falls from a spoon. When the separate streams converge on the edge of the spoon and fall in a sheet the "preserve” will set.

Straining Fruit for Jelly

Allow the fruit pulp to drip undisturbed through a cloth jelly bag. (A fabric flour bag is suitable). Up to 2kg of fruit pulp will drip in one hour. It is not necessary or desirable to drip jelly overnight as the pectin deteriorates at room temperature. Jelly made from juice which has been left standing over night may not set. If it is not convenient to make jelly immediately, store the juice in a deep freeze until required.

Making Jam in a Microwave Oven A suitable container which will stand the high

temperature of boiling jam must be used. However, the small quantity made at one time and the constant stirring required detracts from any time which may be saved.

Jam from Frozen Fruit Bring frozen fruit to the boil slowly to develop the pectin. Boil for two or three minutes to evaporate any excess water. Add the sugar and proceed as for jam made from fresh fruit. In jam recipes where a quantity of water is I added (e.g. blackcurrant) add slightly less water when using frozen fruit.

Brining of Vegetables for Pickles This is an essential step to make a crisp pickle that will keep well. Prepare a brine from l / 2 CU P salt (plain or iodised) to 1 cup of water — this will brine 500 g of prepared vegetable. Vegetables are usually left in the brine solution for at least 12 hours before being rinsed thoroughly and combined with the other ingredients.

Making jams, jellies, pickles, relishes and other similar “preserves” is a practical w’ay of using an excess supply of fruits and vegetables. As well as adding interest and zest to meals a jar of home-made "preserve” can be a: welcome gift.

The 1988, revised edition of “Jams, Jellies, Pickles and Relishes,” contains practical information on covering jars, storage, ingredients, and problems, along with many recipes. The book, costing $8.65 (including GST and postage) is available from the FOCAS Information Service, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin or from some book shops.