# Totally fed up with trying to make jelly



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

I tried jelly a while back and it did not set. Today I tried to fix it with the jelly cement recipe and it still did not set. I am through with trying to make jelly.


----------



## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

The jelly cement recipe ...

You lost me ??????????


----------



## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Don't give up. What I do fore cannin it be put a spoon in it an see how well it coats it. If it be to runny add in more pectin. Jelly to good ta quit on!


----------



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

*Andi said:


> The jelly cement recipe ...
> 
> You lost me ??????????


8 cups of unset jam or jelly
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup liquid pectin
1/2 cup sugar

Place unset mixture in pan, add 1/2 cup sugar
Bring to a boil, stir constantly
Add 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup liquid pectin

Return to a boil
Boil 4 minutes ONLY

Place in jars
Seal
Water bath


----------



## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

Freyadog said:


> I tried jelly a while back and it did not set. Today I tried to fix it with the jelly cement recipe and it still did not set. I am through with trying to make jelly.


Please don`t give up, this may help you some, but are you following the instructions. I'm going to try and make this one.


----------



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

Yep. Followed the directions down to putting the timer on for the four minutes.


----------



## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I do the spoon trick OldCoot said.

I watch my heat and time. Plus I use the no/low sugar pectin and add extra. (1/3 extra)

It took me a while to get the hang of jellies and jam. Try a few different recipes until you find one you like taste wise and sets.


----------



## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I guess I'm the odd person out... I use it no matter if it sets or not. 

Taste comes before looks and thickness... (sorry)


----------



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

*Andi said:


> I guess I'm the odd person out... I use it no matter if it sets or not.
> 
> Taste comes before looks and thickness... (sorry)


It tastes delicious. Guess I can always use it as syrup but I am running very low on jelly and need this for my preps. 

If I don't get some jelly made Thumper will start into my cases of raw honey. I Need to make jelly.


----------



## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

*Andi said:


> I guess I'm the odd person out... I use it no matter if it sets or not.
> 
> Taste comes before looks and thickness... (sorry)


If it doesn't set, it becomes gourmet pancake syrup, love those fancy shmancy flavors.


----------



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I gave up on jelly a long time ago, it was only hit or miss for me so I started making preserves. Doesn't work too well for apple or grape but other types of whole fruit "stuff", it works great.

The only ingredients are fruit and sugar, never fails for me.


----------



## brightstar (Apr 24, 2012)

The first time you made, did you use packaged pectin ? If so, what kind? I've discovered I'm terrible with liquid pectin but the powdered is my best friend


----------



## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

But does it matter one way or the other...

It adds taste to toast or a biscuit... (or pancake) Use it as such and try again for the jelly...

And if Thumper don't care for it ... then let him help with next batch.


----------



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

brightstar said:


> The first time you made, did you use packaged pectin ? If so, what kind? I've discovered I'm terrible with liquid pectin but the powdered is my best friend


The first time with this batch I honestly do not remember. It was a couple months ago. Just getting past other stuff to get back to the jelly. I am thinking though that it was powder.


----------



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

Couldn't say too much to him today because he was under my jeep almost all day.


----------



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

Davarm said:


> I gave up on jelly a long time ago, it was only hit or miss for me so I started making preserves. Doesn't work too well for apple or grape but other types of whole fruit "stuff", it works great.
> 
> The only ingredients are fruit and sugar, never fails for me.


Ok David you are going to have to give me the recipe for preserves. Jelly just isn't doing it for me. No matter how hard I try.


----------



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Freyadog said:


> Ok David you are going to have to give me the recipe for preserves. Jelly just isn't doing it for me. No matter how hard I try.


If the fruit is something like peaches or plums, I slice em or run it through a food processor, if its berries I just mash em up.

It takes "about(sometimes more) 2x as much sugar as fruit but mix the sugar and fruit, let it sit until the sugar pulls out enough of the fruit juice to cook it in then boil the mix over a medium heat until a smear of the brew will thicken on a cold saucer. You will need to keep it stirred and watch it to make sure it doesn't boil over - trust me, thats a mess you dont want to clean up!

Before I put the pan on to boil/cook I put several saucers in the freezer and take one out each time I want to check to see if it's done. If after cooking for a while, it doesn't thicken when you put a smear on the saucer, you'll need to add more sugar and let it cook a while longer or let more water cook out. Each type of fruit and even different picking of the same fruit have different amounts of water in them so the exact amount of sugar needed is a guess. Something you will need to be careful of is if you have to add additional sugar(after its been cooking for a while), be sure you cook it long enough to completely melt it into syrup or the it can crystallize when the preserves cool and be "gritty". It will still taste and keep OK but the grainy/gritty texture isn't that desirable. My mom uses a candy thermometer instead of the cold saucers when she makes preserves, she says it makes it a lot easier but I've haven't had the sense to buy one yet.

When I get the consistency where I want it, I ladel the boiling liquid into heated jars, put the lids on tight, turn them upside down and let them cool. They will seal as they cool. I've had the jars last several years without problems, I'm sure they would last longer but they always get eaten within that time.

I think I took some peach preserves to the Meet-Up this weekend so you could post a question on that thread and ask if anyone remembers tasting them. I like the "stuff" made that way but you may get some outside opinions before you try it.


----------



## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

I've never used pectin so can't really offer help with that. 

But I have the opposite damn problem, trying to make syrup and I get jelly if I'm not watching like a hawk.
If I'm making jelly I make sure I have a percent of under ripe fruit and do the flake test off a spoon. Equal parts sugar and fruit by weight.


----------



## boomer (Jul 13, 2011)

For the jars of jelly/jam that did not set, when you open them put them back in a saucepan on the stove, add more sugar and reheat until the saucer or spoon smear tests shows they have firmed up, and put them back in the jar. They will be just fine.

For when I want syrup I take jam or jelly and heat with some water until the desired consistency is reached and put it in a container to dispense.

If you dilute it far enough with sugar and heat it to a hard candy stage you will have fruit drop hard candy.


----------



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I just did some reading on jelly making and saw that you can pour a cup of rubbing alcohol and drip your pectin jelly into it while its cooking. If the drips solidify into "jelly" its done and will set in the jars, if it doesn't then you can work on it a little without having to go through the trouble of emptying it all back into the pot and reworking it from cold syrup. 

I have never done this before and forgot the link to where I saw it but it may be a tool someone could use to save some time, trouble and frustration.


----------



## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

I don't fool with jelly, I make jam. That way you get some of the fruit which to me is better than jelly. I also think that the fruit helps with the gelling because of any extra pectin in the fruit. But thats just my opinion lol


----------



## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

It is possible to re-batch the jelly, but it could end up kind of rubbery. Make sure fruit isn't TOO ripe. I tried making dandy lion jelly this spring that didn't set but it makes WONDERFUL syrup for pancakes. You can do it!


----------



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I have a question for you Jelly/Jam/Preserve making people!

I obviously know what "Jelly" is but exactly what is the difference between Jam and Preserves? We've pretty much used the words interchangeably, I know they are not the same thing but never knew what the exact difference was.


----------



## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

But....but you're the canning god! We went along pretending to know because we wanted you to be proud of us.


----------



## boomer (Jul 13, 2011)

Jams have mashed fruit and preserves have whole fruit. That is the theory anyway. We prefer seedless jam to jelly for the intense flavour. For real jelly I often use dried fruit that is not inclined to reconstitute. Jelly from fruits such as gooseberries is also easier than jams or preserves because I do not have to pick through and remove all the hard flower ends.


----------



## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

my grandmother always dipped her spoon in the jelly and then when she pulled it out she would run her finger on the back of the spoon. if the finger left a "trail", then it would gel, if it did not, she would continue cooking until she got her trail.


----------



## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

boomer said:


> Jams have mashed fruit and preserves have whole fruit. That is the theory anyway. We prefer seedless jam to jelly for the intense flavour. For real jelly I often use dried fruit that is not inclined to reconstitute. Jelly from fruits such as gooseberries is also easier than jams or preserves because I do not have to pick through and remove all the hard flower ends.


Wow, I've been lying to you guys for a few years now, I guess we make "Jam" and not preserves!

Thanks for the education.


----------

