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When I make small batches, 1-2 half pints at a time, they turn out perfect with great set and texture.

However when I make regular batches of 8 half pints, they have bad set and contain gritty granules of pectin. I use LM low sugar pectin, about 8-12 tbsp. per batch. I mix in the pectin with cool water and boil to dissolve the pectin, then I add the mixture to the cooking jam.

But it never works, and the set is poor and the pectin only half dissolves, leaving the granules.

I have tried adding the pectin mixture with just the cool fruit and also in the cooking jam, but it doesn't work. I have found the former is a little more effective. Does anyone know what the issue might be? How can I fix it?

Eli Wrathall
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  • Do you have a link to the recipe you are using? Is the recipe size geared toward the small size (and you are multiplying) or at the regular size (and you divide for the small batches)? Seeing the recipe can help. The answers to these questions can help us determine what kinds of issues you could be running into. Jams and Jellies, along with baking, can be less forgiving than other kinds of cooking because their outcome is often based on a set of chemical reactions. If any one of your variables is out of "spec" (time, temperature, ingredients, ambient humidity, etc) it can cause issues. – djmadscribbler Dec 21 '15 at 21:42
  • Here is the link: http://www.pickyourown.org/marmalade.php – Eli Wrathall Dec 21 '15 at 23:02
  • I make the marmalade a different way however. I slice the whole fruit, including peel, and boil those slices down, before adding the sugar. – Eli Wrathall Dec 21 '15 at 23:04
  • After reading the recipe I have a few more questions for you. The recipe states it makes 9 pints (18 half-pints) and uses 12 tbsp of pectin. You say your regular batch is 4 pints (8 half-pints) and your using 8-12 tbsp. If you are halving your recipe you should be closer to 6 tbsp so you may just have too much pectin for your liquid (hence only half is dissolving). It also mentions (step 15) that it may take up to 2 weeks for the jam to set. How long did you wait to check the set (as you said it was "poor")? – djmadscribbler Dec 22 '15 at 17:58
  • I think I fixed the problem. I changed the pectin I was using and now it works. Thank you for the help. – Eli Wrathall Dec 23 '15 at 19:14

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