Working with pectin.

geordief

I have had success and failure in similar amounts over the years and I am trying to understand what goes wrong sometimes when I make blackcurrant jelly. (apple and redcurrant jelly -as iwell, as blackcurrant jam-are nearly always successful and even when the blackcurrant jelly fails then I can still often use it for sauces)

I am coming to the conclusion that I must be overcooking the pectin.Could this be right ?
How long is it permissable to boil the blackcurrants before the
pectin degrades?

Is it the temperature that does does the damage or is it just the length of time involved?
Does this apply to both stages of the cooking (initially w/out sugar and then with the sugar) ?

By the way I only use ordinary sugar (I know that adding commercial pectin would solve the problem but I don't want to use itunless I really have to)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mr Simpson

I don't think pectin degrades with temperature, I'm not 100% sure though. TBH if you're having problems with set, I'd just use Jam Sugar (with pectin), there's no harm in using it.

geordief

Thanks
I know there is no harm in commercial pectin (although it is an added expense) but I would like to understand (for my own benefit) what I am doing wrong.

I know that thermometers are used a lot in cooking with sugar and so I wonder if ,as the water evaporates and the temperature rises this damages the properties of the pectin?

I have the feeling that sometimes after a short boil I can see the set develops and I wonder if I have to restrain myself at this stage from continuously boiling it to make the set firmer?

Mr Simpson

Sometimes the fruit just doesn't have enough pectin, I don't know why.

For Jam, the fruit has to be brought up to temperature (105C). Maybe the first thing you should do is buy a Sugar thermometer

Also, a quick tip (you may know it already), just drop a quick spoon of jam on to a saucer to see if it gels (when you think its ready). If it gels, its done.

geordief

Well the say that the fruit should not be too ripe so that can be a factor.
And of course some types of fruit have nore than others (Strawberry for example doesn't seem to have any at all unless maybe you throw in the odd green one or two - I am not sure about that)
Yes a thermometer might save me hassle in the long run.

Magic Monkey

Hi Geordief,

Investing in a proper sugar thermometer is a good idea, as the temperature will dictate the % of sugar in the jelly. You may be overcooking your blackcurrant jelly, thereby evaporating more water, and increasing the sugar concentration, which will affect the setting of the pectin. Knowing your temperature will give you better control over the outcome.

For more information on pectin, check here (It should be noted that the commercial "Certo" brand liquid pectin you get in Tesco, should you ever use it, is a high methoxyl type).

Alton Brown has a Good Eats episode devoted to jams/jellies. And if you're interested in reading more about it, I recommend this lady's book and products.

LaChatteGitane

geordief wrote: »

Well the say that the fruit should not be too ripe so that can be a factor.
And of course some types of fruit have nore than others (Strawberry for example doesn't seem to have any at all unless maybe you throw in the odd green one or two - I am not sure about that)
Yes a thermometer might save me hassle in the long run.

You are right in that unripe fruits contain more pectin. And some fruits contain more than others.
Most pectin is in the pips/stones and skin of the fruits.

geordief

thanks Magic Monkey. That looks like it might have the kind of information I was looking for.