Why you can't make successful jam: avoid these common mistakes

Homemade jam can replace a variety of store-bought sweets in winter. Jam is also great for a variety of pastries. However, even experienced housewives often fail to make the perfect preparation.

The FoodOboz editorial team will tell you why jam turns out to be too liquid, dark, and starts to ferment. You need to know a few simple nuances.

Wrong cookware

To ensure that the jam cooks well and has a good consistency, it is very important to choose the right cookware. It should be a large enough container. Also, the dishes should be made of copper or brass: you can easily stir the mass and it will not burn.

Violation of proportions

When making jam, it is very important to observe the correct proportions. There should be one portion of sugar per one portion of fruit. This ratio is the key to the perfect consistency of the future jam.

Cooking one time

Making jam is a rather long and multi-stage process. You can't just cover the berries with sugar and boil them for a few minutes. First, the fruit must release its juice. After that, you can start cooking. Then stir the jam very carefully. It is important to remove the foam that will form. This procedure should be repeated several times.

The product is too runny

If the jam is too runny, there are several reasons for this: you boiled the mass too much or used stale berries.

The product is too dark

When the jam darkens, you have overcooked it. The sugar has begun to toast and caramelize. After the jam has cooled, it will become stony, and such a product will not be suitable for consumption.

Why jam ferments

Sugar serves as a preservative in jam. Therefore, if you add a small amount of this ingredient, the mass will start to ferment.