Canning Problem

[jbraas]

Last year we canned some strawberry jam that turned out pretty good. Good enough to do a double batch this year (only 16 jars, nothing overly crazy quantity wise).
I followed the recipe as last year, added liquid pectin, canned (not a pressure canner) and let sit over night. The lids were popping and sealing.
This morning I checked them out, none had gelled. At all. I don't know if I had bad pectin or what.
Two questions I guess -
Any thoughts from you experienced canners what may have happened (I'm suspicious of the pectin)?
Do you think I could empty the contents into a pot, re-boil, add new pectin and re-can?
I hate to dump all those strawberries down the drain.

 

[sucasa]

Haven't had much luck in rerunning batches myself. I also found that doubling doesn't always work. If I think something is good enough to make a double of then I'll just make separate batches. There's instructions on the pectin pkg that you can follow for rerunning jelly/jam. Try using the powder this time -- a little more potent.

 

[tatonka3a2]

jbraas
I agree with SuCasa, I never double batches, instead I make more single batches. Doubling up batches just doesn't seem to work for me. Possibly save what you have made for ice cream or pancake topping?

 

[jjrokkett]

I haven't had good luck with the liquid pectin either. So I stopped using it but I agree with Tatonka and use it for ice cream topping / pancake topping if your not going to try and rerun the batch.

 

[steve s]

I did some strawberry jam and it came out like that two years ago, I just pulled it out of the pantry last week and it is all jelled. Go figure.

 

[jimr]

My wife swears that if you do a double batch together you are guaranteed to fail. If she is going to do 4 batches she always does them individually. She also swears by Sure-Jell. It's all she will use.

 

[jbraas]

Oops, sorry. When I said I doubled the batch, I really only meant quantity wise. I did two separate batches, not one larger one...

On jar already did make a nice ice cream topping this weekend. I may try to re-boil with some added pectin. I don't think I will really need that much ice cream topping/syrup.

Thanks for the feedback all.

 

[sucasa]

You may not need that much ice cream topping or syrup -- but you can always use them as gifts. I've found -- esp. when making my jalapeno jam -- that I have to use 1 1/2 to 2 packs of the liquid pectin instead of the 1 that it calls for. I like the little softer set that you get with the liquid. Some jellies I just want a slight softer set -- some I want firmer. You can always test a jar to see if it will reset. There's instructions on the package. If that jar won't reset then odds are the rest won't. Just think of who would like a nice gift -- bdays, christmas, whatever.