Technical Tips

 High Methoxyl 

High methoxyl pectin’s need a high concentration of sugar to create a gel.

Our Standard Sugar Pectin (SSP) and our Confectionary Pectin(CP) use a high methoxyl pectin.

SSP Requires:
End brix: 55—66
pH range: 2.8—3.3

(Optimum: 65 brix @ 3.2pH)

CP Requires:
End brix: 78—83
pH range: 3.2—3.4

Low Methoxyl 

Low methoxyl pectin’s need the presence of calcium to create a gel.

E Our Low Sugar Pectin (LSP) requires an end brix range of 45 to 55.

Our No Sugar Pectin (NSP) Requires no added sugar. NSP uses preservative to maintain shelf life once opened and in the refrigerator.

Recommended amounts:
SSP – Use 2% of total batch weight
LSP – Use 3% of total batch weight
NSP – Use 5% of total batch weight
CP – Use 6% of total batch weight

You must ask yourself four questions during the process.

1. Do I have the correct amount of pectin?
2. Is the pectin properly hydrated?
3. Are my brix where it should be?
4. Is the pH in range.

When using a proven recipe, it is assumed that the answer to these questions is “yes”. Also using our LSP and NSP will give more freedom to change the recipe without creating a no-set situation. This will be covered more in detail later.

What if you want to make jam that requires you to come up with the recipe yourself? I am going to teach you how!

Let’s start with the standard sugar type recipes.

FIRST: Determine the fruit that will be used

Let’s use strawberry as an example:

The brix of strawberries range from 7 to 10. Let’s go with 8 brix. pH range from 3.25 to 3.5.

(note: We have technical sheets on most fruits that give both brix and pH ranges. Contact us for these.)

SECOND: Determine Your Batch Size

Let’s go with six 10oz jars.

(note: a 10 oz. jar will hold close 12 oz. jam or jelly by weight.  The reason is because the higher sugar content gives a greater density)

6 x 12 = 72, making our desired yield 72 oz.

Cooking procedure standard sugar pectin:

· Weigh out 43oz sugar and set aside.

· Weigh out 1.5oz SSP and set aside.

· Clean and crush 33.25oz strawberries in a 6 quart pot.

· Add defoaming agent then start heating.

· Just before the berries are about to boil add your SSP stirring constantly.

· Bring to boil for 30 seconds and start adding sugar in two parts while constantly stirring. We do not want the batch temperature to get too low. Bring back to near boil and add the last half of the sugar.

· Bring back to a final boil for one minute stirring constantly. Turn off heat, skim off foam if necessary. Fill jars. Invert for two minutes.

Parameters:

Brix 65
pH 3.2

Low Sugar Recipes:

Let’s use blueberries.

Brix range 14 to 17

pH 3.1 to 3.3

We will base our recipe on a standard 1/3 less sugar. We will stay with a 72oz end weight giving us a 77oz start weight. We determine the pectin weight by our yield.

72 x 1.5% equals 1.08oz or 31 grams.

This recipe gives us a starting brix of 51. Use the same cooking procedure for the standard sugar recipe. You could use a little less sugar but I would not recommend going below 45 brix as a starting point. We will not be adding additional acid because the fruit should have enough natural acid.

(note: A general pH rule is fruit with a pH greater than 3.3 will need the addition of acid)

How much acid to add is more difficult to determine. There are several variables.

Parameter:
Brix 54-55
pH 3.2-3.3