By Country Girl at Heart

Re: Strawberry Jam...
05 Jul 2008 17:46

have been out picking strawberries to make jam, but why does the recipe say to add the juice of one lemon? What benefits does that bring?
CG@H

Replies

By gerry

Re: Strawberry Jam...
05 Jul 2008 18:06

Helps it to set, because strawberries are low in pectin (I think).

By Biggles

Re: Strawberry Jam...
05 Jul 2008 18:12

Just looked in Margueritte Patten, Step by Step Cookery
"You must add additional pectin in the form of lemon juice or commercial pectin." this is for fruits lacking in pectin such as strawbs.
I use the sugar with the pectin added to it, buy it in supermarkets.
Enjoy, no jam for me this year, only picked about 11 strawbs. I'm sure we will do better next year. Biggs

By Country Girl at Heart

Re: Strawberry Jam...
05 Jul 2008 18:21

Thanks guys, thats a relief because although I dont have a lemon (and didn't want to go out again tonight) I do have the sugar with added pectin, so I'm guessing from your answers that I shall be OK using that.
CG

By The Original Anastasia

Re: Strawberry Jam...
05 Jul 2008 19:04

For each 3lb of strawberries I always add the juice of 2 lemons, & that works a treat
Anastasia X

By *Bramble

Re: Strawberry Jam...
06 Jul 2008 10:40

I always put lemon juice in too, strawberries are notorious, so if you don't get a set, Country Girl, you can always add the lemon juice later and boil them up again quickly to setting point. I would be interested to know whether yours does set, please ?