does home made jam go off? is it best to keep in fridge?

Answer 1

If you're making your own jams and jellies,your jars are hot when you add the prepared jam,also hot. Your rings and lids have been boiled and remain hot also. After filling your jars and placing the lids and rings on them,you seal them by placing them in a hot water bath according to the time schedule given with your recipe. This hot water bath seals the jar and also seals out bacteria. As long as the lid goes "pop" it is sealed. After letting the jars cool,you can also test the lids by placing your finger in the center to ensure that you can't press it down. It will make a noise if the jar didn't seal. Sometimes jars do come unsealed,so always use this method of pressing on the top before opening a jar that has been stored.
Personally I have never had any problems with jams or jellies stored on a shelf. As long as the jar is sealed no air has entered it and it should remain good for a long time. I have had some for 2 years.
If at any time you notice mold forming,throw it out. Better safe than sorry.
One of the only foods you need to be very cautious canning is tomatos. Anything that has a tomatoe base also is more prone to bacteria. Things such as salsa or spaghetti sauce.

Another way to prepare some jams is by making the freezer method. Instructions can be found on the web or on the package of Sur-Gel. This is called freezer jam.

Good luck to you. Enjoy.

Answer 2

Sugar is a preservative, jam is essentially a method of preserving fruit, but you need to make sure you use plenty of sugar. The modern fad for low-sugar jams just means more jars to go into the fridge (I don't understand the concept of low-sugar jam, anyone who wants to limit their calorie intake shouldn't be eating jam!). However, even with a full measure of sugar (at least as much as the weight of the fruit), its life is limited, and the best way to maximise it is to ensure good sterilisation, and to ensure the lids are vacuum sealed (tighten them while the jam is steaming). Those lids with the button are good, they all click back down as the vacuum forms. Sealed, it should normally keep for months unrefrigerated. When open, you can keep it in the fridge but it will normally be fine for a week or two left out, plenty long enough for the average household to get through it.

Having said all that, if you do find some mould growing on your jam, scrape it off and see if the jam still tastes OK, don't panic and throw the jar away. Once when I made marmalade I put some if it in a big unsealed jar, forgot it, then rediscovered it 2-3 years later. It was absolutely wonderful, far better than freshly made.

Answer 3

Provided you have made jam in the old fashioned way, then it should'nt go off at room temperature. You have probably used an equal amount of sugar to fruit. However I think it is best kept in the fridge,
Commercial jam has less sugar, added glucose and thickening agents, so is more likely to "go-off"

Answer 4

You should keep it in the fridge once it is opened- it is more likely to go off than shop bought jam. Keep unopened jars in a cool, dark place- garage/ shed/ cupboard under the stairs?

Answer 5

Home made? I would have thought if you used enough sugar - natural preservative -but would agree with the above that most things are best kept cool and if it is something you do often, sterilise everything with Miltons or any other sterilising fluid or boiling water and seal the jar as quickly as possible

Answer 6

if the jam is to be stored unrefrigerated it must be in sterile containers otherwise there is a significant risk of nasty bacteria growth. Using sterile containers is an involved process requiring canning. See http://www.homecanning.com/usa .

Better to keep it in a container in a fridge to be on safe side, I aint had any problems!

Answer 7

You should keep all jam in the fridge, have a look at the back of a jam jar, it tells you to refidgerate

Answer 8

the trick is to stop people using a knife with butter on it and then dipping the same knife into the jam jar. it goes off very quick that way because the butter turns mouldy first

Answer 9

There are no preservatives in it so once opened keep in the fridge because it will go mouldy

Answer 10

If it is canned it will have a shelf life of about a year outside the refrigerator. Refrigerate after opening though.