How To Remake Runny Jam Or Jelly

Recipes for jams or jellies can vary in an important way: Some are made with commercial pectin while others are not. Today's Seattle Times recipes are made without pectin.

If you make jam or jelly using pectin, follow the recipe on the pectin package exactly, since each brand or type of pectin has its own precise requirements for the ratio of fruit to sugar to pectin.

What if a jam or jelly made with pectin turns out too thin? You can fix it before canning or freezing the product. If you plan to can the thickened jam or jelly, first read through these instructions and the ones on canning on this page.

Here's how to thicken too-thin jam or jelly that was made with pectin:

Cooked jams made with powdered pectin:

For each cup of jam or jelly, use 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon powdered pectin and 1/2 tablespoon bottled lemon juice. Measure water and pectin into a saucepan; mix well. Place over low heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add jam, sugar and lemon juice; stir well. Place over high heat and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Skim off the foam and ladle into hot sterilized jars, according to canning instructions on this page. Adjust lids and screw bands and process following canning instruction.

Cooked jams made with liquid pectin:

For each cup of jam or jelly, use 2 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 tablespoon bottled lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon liquid pectin. Measure jam and water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; add sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in liquid pectin. Skim off foam and ladle into hot sterilized jars, according to canning instructions on this page. Adjust lids and screw bands and process following canning instructions.

No-cook freezer jams made with powdered pectin:

Use the same proportions as for cooked jams or jellies. Measure water and powdered pectin in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the pectin is dissolved. Add sugar and lemon juice to fruit; add dissolved pectin and stir another 3 minutes. Ladle into freezer containers and let stand until thickened before freezing. (Freezer jam has a softer consistency than the cooked canned product.)

No-cook freezer jams made with liquid pectin:

Use the same proportion as for cooked jams or jellies. Measure jam into a bowl; stir in water, sugar and lemon juice. Stir for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Add liquid pectin and stir for 3 minutes longer. Ladle into freezer containers and let stand until thickened before freezing. (Freezer jam has a softer consistency than the cooked canned product.)