Can I Reboil Chilli Jam That Has Not Set? | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

FAQs

Can I Reboil Chilli Jam That Has Not Set? | Ask Nigella.com? ›

If the jam is still liquid then we don't particularly recommend reboiling. It can be tried but there is a risk that the jam becomes over boiled, which also means that it will not set. The jam can also burn much more easily when reboiled. The thin jam can be repurposed as a sweet chilli sauce.

If you push your finger through it then the jam should not flow back. The Chilli Jam is soft set rather than very firm. If it has not set boil for another 2 minutes and test again. You can use the thinner jam as an alternative to sweet chilli sauce and it will keep in the same way as a set jam.

If the fruit you are using has low pectin levels, then you can add some more pectin and reboil the jam. Pectin is available in both powdered and liquid forms. Read the instructions on the packet to give quantities, add all the jam to a saucepan and stir in the pectin.

The jam is ready when a spoonful placed on the cold saucer sets immediately and you can clear a line through it with a spoon. This ensures the jam will be thick, spreadable and not watery. If it doesn't set, keep boiling and retest every 5 mins, on a cold saucer each time.

Add pectin.

Whisk a tablespoon of powdered pectin (preferably the no-sugar-needed variety) into the pot of cooking jam. Test for thickness and add another tablespoon if needed. Learn More About Pectin: What's the Deal with Pectin?

You don't want to remake more than 8 cups (4 pints) at a time. For every 4 cups of jam that needs to be remade, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon powdered pectin. Pour the jam into a low, wide pan and add the sugar and pectin combo. Stir until the sugar and pectin has dissolved.

For each quart of jam or jelly to be fixed, mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water or white grape juice, 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice, and 4 teaspoons powdered pectin in a large pot. So, if you made a batch of jam and have 10 eight-ounce jars that didn't set, that would be an average batch (10 cups or 2.5 quarts).

If you've made jam and waited for it to cool, but it is still runny, pour the jam back into a saucepan and bring it back to a boil. Boil until the jam starts to reduce and therefore thickens.

Boil hard for 5-10 mins until the jam has reached 105C on a preserving or digital thermometer, then turn off the heat. If you don't have a thermometer, spoon a little jam onto one of the cold saucers. Leave for 30 secs, then push with your finger; if the jam wrinkles and doesn't flood to fill the gap, it is ready.

Spoon the overcooked jam into a large saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to incorporate all of the water. Cook until the gelling point has been reached. Spoon into clean jars and re-process in the water bath.

What to do if my red pepper jelly doesn t set? ›

The first option is to unseal your jars and re-cook the jelly. Add more sugar, add some pectin, and you'll get your gel. Resterilize your jars, top with new lids, and process again.

Points to remember

Take the jam off the heat while testing. Push your finger through the jam on the plate - you're looking for it to wrinkle and not flood back in to fill the gap. If it's not ready, turn the pan back on, simmer for five minutes and test again.

Once the jar has been opened it will keep for up to one month and should be stored in the fridge. If you are giving the Chilli Jam as a Christmas present then make sure that the label shows the use by date and all of the storage instructions.

Pectin is needed for the setting process and if you have used just regular sugar or preserving sugar then the jam will not set, though could be used as a sweet chilli sauce. It could also be that you have put the jam into jars before it has had time to cool slightly and thicken.

The pectin in the jam will start to diminish and intead the jam will take on a thick, syrupy consistency. As pan sizes differ and power output varies on stove tops, it helps to check the boiling mixture regularly to see if it has reached setting point.

If, on the other hand, the jam is rock solid, that means you've gone too far and cooked it too long. You can try adding a little water to thin it out, but bear in mind that after overcooking a jam, you can't really get those fresh fruit flavors back.

The natural pectin in fruits and vegetables thickens jams. If there isn't enough pectin in the fruit itself and you don't add extra pectin, the result is runny jelly or jam. Additionally, if the fruit is overripe, its pectin levels are lower.

How do you fix pepper jelly that didn't set? You can try pouring it into a pan and boiling it longer. You can try adding more sugar and boiling it longer. You can try adding some pectin to it and boiling it longer.

It can be saved with a gentle rewarming to melt all the crystals. Either heat over the stove or even just in the microwave, depending on the quality of the jam. Also, using a fresh jar that has no buildup of crystals on the walls will further prevent the recrystallization of the jam.

Additionally, overripe fruit is lower in pectin and can affect how jams and jellies set. Jam that comes out too soft can be caused by undercooking fruit, moving the jar too quickly after processing, incorrect measurement of sugar, making too much at once, or not using enough acid.