Margaret's Jam Fest

Margaret Brown spent this afternoon (Bank Holiday Monday 25th August 2025), at The Old Grammar School making jam to sell in the cafe, and wanted to do a step by step guide to show people how it's done!!!

Note wearing pinny and hat, washed my hands before I started, hygiene is very important

Also have fly catcher on

Jam jars after being through dishwasher, ready to be sterilised in oven

6 lbs black currants and 1 pint of water gently simmering until fruit soft, the longer it's simmered the more pectin is released and the softer the fruit skins, so take your time over this part, stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning on pan base.

Fruit nearly soft enough another 5 mins or so

I am using my family heirloom pan, it's victorian, it must have made 1,000's of jars of jam!!

Ready to add sugar 1 lbs sugar to 1 lbs fruit

Take the pan off the heat, add sugar and stir until completely dissolved, return to heat bring to rolling boil. Switch on oven at reg150° to heat and sterilise jars and lids.

Jam Making - A rolling boil

Keep a close eye on the jam now stirring to prevent it sticking, or boiling over

Test for a set once it has been boiling for a while, difficult to give an exact time, drop a small amount onto a cold plate, and turn off the heat, once this is cold push your finger through it if it wrinkles then it's ready. Leave a few minutes and take hot jars out of the oven and place on heat proof surface. Leave the jam in the pan for 5 mins as if you bottle it when it's too hot, all the fruit will raise to the top

Test for a set

Pour into jars using a jug. A jam funnel helps. Wipe around the jars ensuring that no jam is around the lip of the jar. Put on jar lids making sure they are firmly attached. Leave to cool.

Then label and store.