Homemade jam will have the best flavor within a week because no chemical preservatives are added, so it cannot be stored for several months or even a year like the jams sold on the market. The shelf life of the jam must be extended. , there are many details that need to be paid attention to from the beginning of production. Don’t be afraid of complicated procedures. Just follow the instructions step by step, and you are guaranteed to enjoy it for a long time.
Method 1: Add a lot of sugar
Most people think that sweet food is easy to spoil, but the opposite is true for jam. This is because sugar can promote the fruit’s aging process during cooking. The water in the food is boiled out, so that the sterilization effect can be more thorough. Without bacteria, it will naturally not deteriorate easily during storage.
The more sugar is added, the less likely the jam will go bad, but excessive sugar will not be very delicious. In principle, the amount of sugar added cannot exceed half of the weight of the fruit. Within this range, most The level of sweetness that people can accept, if it exceeds it, it will feel too sweet.
Method 2: Full cooking
Full cooking is a very important step when making jam, because long-term cooking can boil the pectin and flavor in the fruit. It deeply affects the taste and texture of the jam. At the same time, the fruit will inevitably be contaminated with bacteria. Long-term cooking also has a sufficient sterilization effect to prevent the internal deterioration or fermentation of the jam during storage.
The cooking time varies depending on the characteristics of the fruit. When making it, follow the instructions in the recipe. The cooking time can only be extended and not shortened.
Method 3: Canning while hot
The purpose of canning the prepared jam while it is hot is to prevent bacteria in the air from falling on the jam during cooling. It is best to boil it before When cooking, prepare the canning container. As soon as the heat is turned off, seal the can immediately. Then place the whole can at room temperature and let it cool down slowly, then store it in the refrigerator.
If there is no time to prepare the container or it is too hot to pack, it is best to complete the canning and sealing action before the jam cools down to 70°C to prevent bacterial growth.
Method 4: Choose an appropriate storage container
Fresh fruits have a high acid content, which will corrode the container over a long period of time. Therefore, stainless steel or enamel pots must be used when making jam. , when storing, it is best to use a glass container with a lid that can be sealed, so that harmful substances are not easily released due to corrosion of the container. The lid of the container must also be made of acid-resistant material, or the inside must have been treated to prevent corrosion. Just fine.
Another thing to note is that the heat resistance of the glass must be high, otherwise there is a risk of cracking when filling the can while it is hot. Usually, the thicker the glass, the higher the heat resistance. You can put the glass can first. Test the heat resistance in boiling water. If the cold bottle does not crack when placed in boiling water, it can be used with confidence. Reprinted from Ganghua Cold Storage-www.dgganghua.com.