TXQFMom Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 OK when I made jam last week it did not call for lemon juice for the blackberry with the Ball powedered pectin I used... NOW I have the Pamona pectin and it says lemon juice for black berries! Well says it for sweet blackberries... I do NOT have lemon juice... I know you can sub citric acid.... (mine from the herb store had fragrance oil break near it and smells like creme brulee! I have no fresh citric acid... I do have some from a candle/soap supplier... is this the same or is there food grade & non food grade... Link to comment
MommaDogs Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I wouldn't try anything from a soap supplier. The lemon juice may not be necessary, I thought it was just to keep the color and maybe take the edge off of a too sweet jam... but don't take my word for it. I typically can whole fruit. This is my first year doing jams. Link to comment
Cat Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 I second that... no to anything NOT bought as "food grade" FOR foods. It says for "sweet" ones, so obviously it's gonna be ok if you don't use it. Link to comment
TXQFMom Posted July 16, 2008 Author Share Posted July 16, 2008 I did it without anything... was too nervous to add the soap stuff though likely identical! And I had made the other batches without it. We'll see this was using Pomona pectin... so I had to mix up calcium water, but it lets you double and triple recipes... next time I might try QUARTS of jam. I liked that you could buy it bulk and could use low sugar with it! I did 1 leavings pint in the fridge so I'll see what the dc say... Link to comment
Violet Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 The lemon juice is added to make a gel. When you make jams you have the right ratio of fruit, sugar, pectin, and acid to get a gel. I know, Pomona's is different, but you still use the acid when called for. I use Pomonas. Made sugar free plum jelly today with Splenda. It called for lemon juice, which I added. I doubled my recipe. I also used a can of frozen apple juice concentrate. Love the flavor it gives. Quarts are not used for jams because they often do not gel properly. Too big to get the right heat penetration during processing them. Enjoy that jam !! I know you will ! Link to comment
TXQFMom Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 hmm thanks Violet... I have a friend who ONLY makes jam in qts... and uses Pamona... pints just do NOT last long in a bigger family... Link to comment
JCK88 Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Pamona's pectin gels the fruit due to the action of calcium water that you make from the enclosed packet and add to the fruit. I've never had that pectin fail, but the largest jar I've done with it is pints. Link to comment
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