A while back, I wrote a piece all about how to ensure that your jam sets. However, even when you keep all those tips in mind, there’s still a chance that you’ll wind up with a poor set. Here’s what you can do to salvage that jam.
If you don’t want to invest any additional work in that jam, all you have to do is change expectations. If it’s just sort of runny, call it preserves. If it’s totally sloshy, label it syrup and move on with your life.
However, if you’re committed to getting a nice, firm, jammy set, there is still hope. Here’s what you can do.
- First, you wait. Give the jam 24-48 hours to set up (because truly, sometimes it can take that long for pectin to active).
- If it still hasn’t set, it’s time to open all the jars back up.
- Pour the jam into your widest pot.
- Set heat to high and begin to bring the jam to temperature.
- Whisk in one tablespoon of powdered pectin as it heats.
- Cook vigorously until jam appears visibly thickened. Test set using plate or sheeting test (both described here).
- When jam has reached the desired thickness, remove pot from heat.
- Pour jam into prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply brand new lids and screw on the same old bands.
- Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
- When processing time is up, remove jars from bath. Let jars cool and then test seals.
That’s it!
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Meant to ask if can, can more then twice.
Miss K, I’ve never recanned my preserves more than once, so I just don’t know how your results will be if you try running the same jam through the boiling water bath canner a third time.
Thanks Marisa. Was just wondering if it could be done. Was going to add pectin if I could even tho receipe I used did not call for it, just sugar, but afraid I would not be able to reprocesses a 3rd time & add pectin to help set it up a little more.
I made 2 batches of dewberry jam today and it’s wicked runny. I’m considering your suggestion to re-heat and give it another go. Any thoughts? Dewberry seems to be sort of an oddball because I can’t find a recipe for it. Thank you.
Thanks for the tips! We recanned last night and … let’s just say that the threshold between “syrup” and “hard candy” is a mighty small one! It is now rock hard, and it happened FAST! It still tastes good, and we’ll be happy to heat and eat as crepe toppings, etc. but won’t be giving this batch away. Oh, well, this IS the Mile High City, so we’ll just chalk it up to “altitude”
and try again with fresh fruit. This time we’ll use your recipe – the best part of all this may end up being that it led me to your site!
I have hot pepper jam that I made in late October 2012. It did not set well, but the jars are sealed. Can I empty the jars and add pectin now and re-can or has it been too long?
[...] from Food in Jars really helped me save my batches: How to Ensure That Your Jam Sets and How to Save Runny Jam. I’ll be experimenting with this in the future and hope I’m successful in making a [...]
I am just sick about my runny jam. i have been making strawberry jam for over 30 years. this has really never happened to me before, so i redid one of the batches, following the instructions on the Sure Jell box. it still has not setup. i am determined to make this happen due to the amount of money and time i have spent working on this project this past week. I would like to know what i did wrong in the first place. I followed all the instructions, researched “Rolling Boil” timed for 1 min. everything, and all three flats have come out bad. not one of them have setup.
sick!!!!!
has anyone seen my comments
deborah kay braun
Deborah, this post contains my instructions on how to save runny jam. I am so sorry that your jam didn’t set up, but I don’t know what to tell you. You might want to consider recooking it with a different brand of pectin. I find that the Ball and Mrs. Wages pectins work better than the Sure Jell versions.
You Make it natural next time no reason to use pectin. The longer cooked the thicker the jam. It also gets thicker when placed in the cold fridge, always give a couple days to set.
Can I reboil runny jam which has already had extra pectin (“Certo” brand in the uk) added? I’m asking this because the Certo bottle instructs you to put the Certo in after boiling the jam. anna – Highlands, Scotland
I imagine you could, though I’m a little hazy on what you did exactly.
miss K recommends redoing the jam adding 1 tbs. of pectin but does not say for how large a batch. I made orange rhubarb and thought I followed directions. I have 4 qts.