Sadly if the jam is burnt it’s beyond saving. However if it’s really overcooked the sugar will give it a bitter burnt taste.
Sometimes overcooked jam can be good thing, as it has a nice caramel flavour that will work well used in desserts. Your jam may taste bitter because it’s over-cooked. Then stir the apricots to make sure all the surfaces have been coated. Now, to keep the fruit from turning brown, when you get a bowlful, sprinkle 1/4 cup lemon juice or Fruit-Fresh (which is just a mix of citric acid and vitamin C, perfectly natural). How do you keep apricot jam from turning brown? It is produced commercially as a white to light brown powder, mainly extracted from citrus fruits, and is used in food as a gelling agent, particularly in jams and jellies. It was first isolated and described in 1825 by Henri Braconnot. Just scrape off the top layer and enjoy the rest. Oxidation in jams since they are so high acid is just an appearance issue, not a safety issue. In fact, when canning or preserving food, it’s the ideal substitute for lemon juice because it has a similar pH level. Lime juice is the best substitute for lemon juice, as it can be used as a one-to-one replacement and has a very similar taste and acidity level ( 5 ).
What can you use instead of lemon juice in strawberry jam? The acid in the vinegar also helps the pectin in the jam sugar to set. Cider vinegar is a fairly mild vinegar and is used mainly to offset the sweetness of the sugar. Let the sterilized jars cool slightly before using them – they should be warm to the touch (touch the outside only) but not hot. If you’re using low-acid fruits, such as rhubarb, apricots, peaches and strawberries, you need to add lemon juice. High-acid fruits include citrus, cherries, green apples, pineapple, raspberries and plums. To set, jam needs the right balance of acid and pectin. … Low sugar jams can have the tendency to darken or turn more brown over time, so consider adding red food coloring to offset some of the browning if you think you might store your jam longer than 6 months.) Do you need lemon juice for jam? (At this point, if you want your jam to be more “red” in color, you can add a few drops of red food coloring. Repeat if needed, but keep in mind, the jam will thicken more as it cools. If you prefer the jam to be even thicker, in a cup, mix two tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of water until dissolved and add the mixture to the jam. Properly processed, the jam will keep for a year. Homemade strawberry jam is often a surprising bright-red color that eventually dulls to a standard jam-red after a time.
During prep, you can stave off oxidation by submerging the fruit in acidified water (a couple tablespoons of bottled lemon juice in a bowl will do the job). As soon as you start cutting up fruit and exposing the flesh to air, it starts to brown. What is this? Oxidation – This one is the bane of all canners. Commercial low-sugar pectin sets the jam up quickly, leaving the flavor bright and the process easy. A set formula and commercial pectin ensure great results, even if you change things up.