My Jam Didn't Set! How To Save Runny Jam

I made a huge batch of 28 jars of damson jam and they didn't set! So In this video I show you what I did to save them!
I'd love to hear what your favourite jam is and how you make it. I know that many people on the other side of the pond like to water bath it after it's made, but with this content of sugar it's just not worth it (also it doesn't last very long in this house I can tell you!
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[@Maker_of_Things]

We were at a carboot sale years ago, and Sue came across a woman selling home made jam. She had jars of spreading jam, and jars of pouring jam! Pouring jam was ideal for putting into rice pudding and other deserts apparently. She just had a good sales pitch for the jam that didn't set! 🤣🤣

[@englishhomestead]

I love that! I have some cherry syrup that is pouring jam! And it is good on icecream and yoghurt. I have to say that damson is the best jam to go between layers of cake so it's the main reason I wanted it spreadable!

[@aliliveswellonless]

That is genius!! I've got a load of strawberry and blueberry pouring jam that I use in porridge!! 🤣

[@englishhomestead]

@@aliliveswellonless its good to have a bit of pouring jam to hand!

[@roninboxers]

This video is terrific. Finally one that shows the set test repeatedly so I can get a good look at it. Even using a thermometer I couldn't work out setting marmalade :(

[@englishhomestead]

I've never got on with a thermometer, better to get a feel for it. That said I did mess up the first time! I think I got a bit greedy!

[@roninboxers]

@@englishhomestead I am so exited! After watching your video I got my first marmalade to set with no added pectin!! (After years of failing and getting mad hahha) I did take the temp with the thermometer, but it seems to take about 5 minutes or so at temp... but it was the plate test for the win. Thank you!

[@janrankin2457]

That's exactly what happened to my strawberry jam yesterday. Thank you for your help, I deeply appreciate it. Have a wonderful day

[@englishhomestead]

Strawberry is one with low pectin, so you could add some more before you boil up again. You can get it from apple peals or even the stems of Dock leaves! But you can also buy it.

[@janrankin2457]

​@@englishhomesteadthank you for the ideas. I didn't see your reply until after I reboil the strawberry jam again which came out pretty good. I am happy with it. Have a wonderful day

[@englishhomestead]

@janrankin2457 ah that's great. Strawberry jam is one of my favourites, hope you enjoy it!

[@janegibson6678]

Glad I’m not the only one who has to do this at times.

[@englishhomestead]

Someone that's never made a mistake is someone who's never done anything! I've made plenty of mistakes with preserving over the years, but I keep getting better.

[@agardener3621]

Thirty years of home preseving, a few things I've learned, 1.don't make too big a batch, 2.check that the sugar is made from cane and not beets, 3. if possible use a gas cooker 4 the jam should have a 'rolling boil' where it looks like it is going to boil over keep this boil for 2 minutes 5 use a thermometer if possible. That said, this year I used an electric cooker it took much longer and had a loose set. I was pleased to see you didn't add anything more to your batch.

[@englishhomestead]

I agree with your points - although not heard about the sugar cane verse sugar beet so that might be a good one to experiment with. What's your experience between them? The induction hob is good, but I must admit that for this type of thing gas is probably better.

[@agardener3621]

@@englishhomestead Way back when, I used to use preserving sugar, then was introduced to granulated sugar as a cheaper alternative. At first fine, then found I was having to reboil my jams and marmalades. A friend told me English sugar is made from beets and this affects preserving. If I can't find cane sugar, I add grated cooking apple and lemon juice to the final stages of boiling which adds pectin. There is nothing like the flames of a gas cooker licking up the sides of the pan. This years crab apple jelly on my induction hob took 1.45 hours compared to the 45 minutes on gas. Marmalade next month, I'll be bribing some friends to use their cooker

[@sophielaurenti8846]

You are a patient man. Glad it turned out well the second time around. I enjoy your videos even more than your blog.

[@englishhomestead]

Ah thank you! I'm still so unsure of myself with the videos and always think I shouldn't post them. Have another coming up with a chest I've just made as well - it has a carved front and takes a fair bit of patience! At least when I was boiling this jam back up I could watch KZbin videos!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We've all been there! I use a thermometer now, it does help! Congratulations on the 1k subs 😉

[@englishhomestead]

Yeah, it might be worth the investment. I also think I tried to do too much at once really. Live and learn! Thanks the 1000 subs is a great milestone to have hit!

[@DaveBennett]

You need to make a spoon with a longer handle to make that stirring easier. My arm was hurting just thinking about this. We had a batch of jam not set up some years ago. It was a disappointment, but was “easily” fixed, as you demonstrated.

[@englishhomestead]

It's one of those jobs I think about every time I do it and then forget until next time. I had thought about making some and selling them, so maybe a video in the future!

[@moxiemaxie3543]

You don't need to use a small spoon just b/c he was. Maybe it doesn't bother him like it bothers you

[@JanesGrowingGarden]

This was great Kev - might just try it on my strawberry 'soup'!

[@englishhomestead]

Might be worth adding some lemon juice or pectin if you can - strawberry is always a tricky one!

[@Panticle]

@@englishhomestead Apple is another good thing to add pectin, without adding a lot of different flavour.

[@englishhomestead]

@@Panticle Yes! Great point. Often if I have the woodstove going and I'm dehydrating or preserving apples, I'll save up the peals and cores and boil them up for hours, then reduce them down. Then when this is quite thick I'll spread it on silicone sheets and pop it in the dehydrator. I'll store this in jars and use it as "homemade" pectin. Seems to work, not sure about the pectin levels but seems a good use for the peels and bits (unless I make apple scraps vinegar).

[@DoctorMangler]

Reading some comments leaves me LOL with similar experiences.... When I was a kid my folks made peach jam. Well almost all of them did not set and you know what? We had the best peach syrup I've ever had. We had pancakes and French toast and waffles, with the best peach syrup I can remember! Viva le SLOP!

[@englishhomestead]

One I can never get to set is our cherry jam, so it becomes cherry syrup which we have on ice cream! Incredibly tasty, might not have been what I "set" out to make, but still takes pride of place in my pantry!

[@beaulieuonnp593]

I ended up using cornflower, and then stirred it in it did the job though it tastes a bit different. It was great as it so runny it was pretty useless unless for cakes and yoghurt

[@englishhomestead]

That's not a method I've tried but reading about it sounds like a good alternative. Let me know how it stores! What has it done to the taste? Can you taste a hint of flour in there?

[@karentemplesnow8960]

You can cheat and add powdered gelatine. I just saw it on another video. Only he didn't explain whether it goes into the hot jam, or cold jam, so maybe Google that first.

[@englishhomestead]

There are a few ways to do it. I make my own pectin from apple peel which I'll add to some jams as well.

[@nunofyourbizness5975]

So you just cooked it more? No pectin added or anything?

[@englishhomestead]

@nunofyourbizness5975 yeah, so heated it up again to get it to setting point.

[@noela5535]

Do you not process you jam? (Boil for 10 minutes in a canner)

[@englishhomestead]

No, in the uk it's not the done thing for jam as it's 50 percent sugar and that is enough to kill anything bad. I do process if canning fruit though.

[@DanStormVO]

I tried making some Dandelion jam, bought liquid pectin and something definitely went wrong- After two boiling attempts it's still not set, and I think it's due to the recipe I followed which said to add everything, pectin included, at the start. This is the opposite of the actual instructions on the bottle, saying to add it after boiling. Not sure if it's worth trying to salvage it with a third boiling, or if it needs more pectin.

[@englishhomestead]

Are you boiling it for long enough? Powered pectin is added to the fruit before boiling normally I think, but I have to admit I don't have much experience in using it. I have made my own by boiling up apple skins then reducing down the liquid and adding it to a jam, that gets boiled the same as the rest of the fruit and sugar then. Sorry I can't be much help.

[@DanStormVO]

It was liquid pectin (from Apple extract as well). I did eventually get it to set through a combination of more boiling and just adding a lot more of the pectin. It probably didn't quite work the first time because its meant as more of an additive to a fruit that already has some natural pectin, thus that's the instructions on the bottle. Yet to actually try it yet but it should taste great!

[@englishhomestead]

@@DanStormVO sounds good dandelion jam is supposed to taste like honey! Let me know how you get on with it, I can get the kids picking some - although over here picking dandelion is said to make you wet the bed and their nick name is "wet the beds"

[@marquese1960]

How long did you re-boil it for?🤔

[@englishhomestead]

Until it got to setting point. It was a while ago now but think it was about 15 minutes.

[@BT-pn5dn]

Same for jelly?

[@englishhomestead]

As in American jelly (which is what we call jam in the UK)?

[@BT-pn5dn]

@@englishhomestead We have jam and jelly, jelly being the firmer of the two. Depends on the fruit used. Grape jelly, not grape jam. Raspberry jam, not jelly. The fruit consistency plays a big role. Just wondering if you can reset jelly like you did jam.

[@englishhomestead]

@@BT-pn5dn I'm fairly sure you can. All of those you mention you boil to get to setting point?

[@shelleymitchell7912]

im literally in this process with 30 jars of jam im wondering if its the pectin i used with had a best before of 2025

[@englishhomestead]

@shelleymitchell7912 it could be, but thats still in date. Apparently the setting effects of the pectin do go down as it's stored longer. You could get some windfall underripe apples and boil them up for natural pectin, we have lots about at the moment.