It may seem simple, but there’s a lot to remember when it comes to storing jams and preserves. You need to make sure your jam is set to the right consistency before you bottle it. You need to ensure your jars, lids and equipment are sterilised and secure. And you’ll definitely want to do everything you can to pack in the delicious tangy flavours of your preserves. To make things a little easier, here are our top tips for how to store homemade jam.
Sterilise Your Jars
From jam to honey to homebrew, the number one rule of all kinds of preserving is to sterilise your containers. Sterilising your jars prevents your homemade jam from becoming contaminated, which can cause bacteria to grow and make your jams spoil.
You can sterilise your jars in a number of ways. If you have a dishwasher, just run your jars and lids through on a hot rinse cycle. You can also boil them, or put them in the oven. Follow these easy steps for sterilising your jars.
Sterilise Everything Else
It’s not just your jars that need to be sparkling clean. Make sure all the equipment you’re using – including spoons, lids, and funnels – have all been sterilised before you start. You can use the same method as you used for your jars if your items are suitable for use over a certain temperature.
Test Your Jam
To keep your jam fresh for as long as possible, you need to jar it when it’s at its best. The perfect moment to pot your preserve is when it hits its setting point. The easiest way to check if your jam is at its setting point is to use a sugar thermometer to heat the jam to 105°C. If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, follow the instructions here to test your jam.
Jar Your Jam While It’s Hot
If you ladle your jam into your jars and close them while the jam is still hot, this can help keep bacteria out until you open the jar again. The heat forms a vacuum seal with the lid of the jar, which helps to keep bacteria out and flavour in.
Use The Right Jars
If you choose the right jars for storing your homemade jam, the whole process becomes a lot easier. For example, using a jar that’s suitable for hot fill means it’ll easily withstand the high heats needed to sterilise and fill it. Jam jars that come with metal twist-off lids don’t need to be used with a wax seal, so they can be a more cost-effective solution than other jar types.
Store In A Cool, Dark Place
You don’t need to store jams and preserves in the fridge. If they’ve been boiled and preserved in the right way, bacteria is unlikely to grow in the jar, so there’s no need to keep it chilled. Instead, store it in your kitchen cupboard. To make sure your jams stay free from contamination, always use a clean knife or spoon to dip into your jar.
With these top tips for how to store your homemade jam, you can keep your delicious preserves fresh and flavoursome for even longer!
If you’re still looking for jars for your homemade jams, we offer jars in lots of styles and sizes. Whether you’re giving away your jams as gifts, or just making the most of a seasonal glut of fruits, you’re sure to find the jar for you in our collection. All our glass jam jars are suitable for hot fill unless otherwise stated. Shop our picks below – or take a look at the full collection.
Shop Online For Glass Jam Jars
FAQs
Store In A Cool, Dark Place
Can you store homemade jam in plastic containers? ›
Glass jars, the type you use for canning or even cleaned jars that previously held store-bought jam, are great. McClellan also likes lidded Pyrex containers. You can even use plastic so long as you let the jam cool first before pouring it in to avoid melting anything. A refrigerator jam isn't going to last forever.
How long does homemade jam last in the fridge without canning? ›
If you're making fruit jam at home and skipping the canning process, what is often called quick jam or freezer jam, store in the fridge or freezer to preserve, and be aware that it should be consumed within 10 days if refrigerated and 3 months if frozen. It's not shelf stable without proper canning.
How long does homemade jam last with pectin? ›
With the sugar, citrus and pectin, they recommend 18 months but you should be able to judge by the look, smell and taste if you are worried about it. If it smells bad or the lid pops, its a good indication that its gone bad. Timothy Sly. How do I tell if homemade jelly in a glass jar is still safe to eat?
How to increase the shelf life of homemade jam? ›
A low-sugar jam will, therefore, have a shorter shelf life due to its high water content. The trick to preserving your jam for as long as possible is to keep it in the refrigerator, whether it is unopened or opened. The cold slows down the proliferation of bacteria and allows you to savor your jam for a longer period.
What is the best way to store homemade jam? ›
Most homemade jams and jellies that use a tested recipe, and have been processed in a canner for the recommended time, should retain best quality and flavor for up to that one year recommended time. All home-canned foods should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place, between 50-70°F.
What is the most suitable type of packaging for jam? ›
For preservation and processing, tin is an ideal container for jams and jellies packaging. It is hermetically sealed thereby avoiding contamination.
Can you store jam in Tupperware? ›
You can just store the finished jam in the refrigerator (in jars or even in Tupperware), where it will keep for many months. But if you're anything like me, there's no room in your refrigerator. Besides which, my method is nearly as easy and doesn't take much in the way of special equipment.
How to tell if homemade jam is bad? ›
Regardless of the type of jam or jelly you have on hand, it's important to know the signs of spoilage. According to Lee, this may include yeasty off-odors, fermented alcohol-like flavors, and mold growth, which may appear as white fuzzy patches inside the jar or on the product itself.
How to store homemade jam without jars? ›
Yes, you can pour refrigerator jam into plastic containers, but because the jam is very hot when finished, let it cool to lukewarm before pouring it into plastic containers.
The chia seeds soak up the juice and moisture from fruit purée and plump up, giving a thickening effect to the jam without using heat or added sugar or pectin. Think of it as a chia seed pudding made with fruit rather than milk.
Why did my homemade jam go hard? ›
If jam comes out too stiff, it is often caused by overcooking fruit or the fruit spread having too much pectin. Pectin is naturally found in fruit and creates the gel and thickens jams and jellies.
Can you put too much pectin in jam? ›
You will need approximately half the amount of pectin that is indicated by your recipe. Please be careful when adding pectin as too much will leave you with a set that is too solid and it is not possible to rectify this so always add less than you think is necessary and test the set and then add more if required.
What is the best preservative for homemade jam? ›
Sugar: Besides sweetening the flavor, sugar works with the pectin and fruit acids to create the gel texture that indicates a proper jam. Sugar also acts as a preservative that maintains the color of the fruit and inhibits mold growth. Low-sugar jams often require added pectin to firm up.
How much should I sell my homemade jam for? ›
The price depends on a number of factors. Generally, a jar of homemade jam or jelly ranges between $5 and $10. However, specialty or unique food preserves can reach $20 or even more. The most common types of fruit preserves are strawberry jam and grape jelly.
Can I freeze homemade jam? ›
After 24 hours you can store jam in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks or freeze it for up to 1 year!
Can we store jams in plastic containers give reason? ›
The acidic part can react with packaging materials such as plastic and metal, which can alter the flavor, taste, and quality of the product apart from affecting the health of consumers negatively. This problem can be corrected by just using a glass jar for packaging jam/jelly.
Does jam have to be stored in glass? ›
Jam is a delicious treat that can be stored for a long time. It's also more durable when stored in glass jars rather than plastic bottles. Jam will last longer in glass jars than plastic bottles because they are less likely to break and easier to clean, making them ideal storage containers.
Can I use plastic containers for freezer jam? ›
While you can purchase special plastic containers made for storing jam in the freezer, it's not necessary. You can use whatever sealable plastic containers you have hiding in your cupboards, or you can use good, old-fashioned Mason jars.
