In what dish is it best to cook jam - this question is asked by everyone who comprehends the basics of canning. The market offers a large selection of pots, jams from various materials, with innovative coatings. How to make the right choice in such a variety?
Before deciding in which dish it is better to cook jam, you need to understand several aspects at once - from which berries will sweetness be prepared for the winter, in what quantities and even according to what recipe. Housewives with extensive experience in canning can give useful advice on this issue, and it is worth listening to their opinion, and not to the recommendations of consultants in a dish store, whose main goal is often to sell more and more expensively.
The shape of the dishes for cooking jam for the winter
The quality of homemade jam is influenced not only by its recipe, but also by the dishes in which it is prepared, and even its form. It is recommended to give preference to pots, the top of which is wider than the bottom or basins - it is much easier to mix the contents in them, berries or fruits will not shrink or burn.
Another option is cylindrical pans that are wide enough but not deep. The jam in such a dish will boil faster, it will be easier to control its sticking to the bottom. It is important to understand that even a small amount of burnt product (about a patch) will affect the taste of the jam, and in no case should this be allowed.
In addition, the wide bottom will allow excess moisture to evaporate from the structure of the jam faster. The ingredients will boil in such a bowl more evenly, the consistency of the jam will be uniform, there will be no undercooked berries or pieces of fruit left.
The optimal volume of dishes for cooking jam
Experienced housewives make preparations for the winter, including jam, in small portions. The trick is that when cooking a large volume, ingredients, berries or pieces of fruit, as a rule, lose their shape, crumple, which negatively affects the quality of preservation. That is, the more tender the main component of the future jam, the smaller the volume of the dishes should be. The maximum amount of proportions recommended by professionals, soft bases for jam per recipe - no more than 2 kg, elastic - up to 3 kg. You cannot add more to the cooking utensils, even if the volume allows.
If there is much more raw material, then it is better to divide it into several portions and cook each separately. In addition to the fact that the berries will be preserved, the jam will turn out to be more tasty due to the fact that more attention will be paid to it. When cooking large volumes, it is enough to simply trace, miss the moment of burning to the bottom, the formation of foam and other important aspects that can negatively affect the result.
What materials should be used for cooking jam
The fruits of fruit trees and berries contain organic acids, which, upon contact with certain materials, can become dangerous not only for health, but also for human life - every housewife should know this. Optimal materials for the dishes in which the jam for the winter will be cooked:
- food (stainless) steel,
- classic enamel cookware,
- ceramics or glass.
It is not for nothing that professional chefs and culinary specialists call stainless steel "food" metal - it does not come into contact with food, even with prolonged cooking. Pots and pans made of this metal can even be used to make jam in several stages - cool and reheat in them, if required by a step-by-step recipe.
Ordinary enamel and ceramic pots are suitable for cooking jam only as long as there is no damage on their surface - chips and scratches. Before putting food in the container, it must be carefully inspected, and if it is damaged, use another container for making jam.
In what dishes cannot be used to cook jam
Our grandmothers and mothers cooked jam in copper basins, not suspecting that the resulting product could be hazardous to the health of household members, and not benefit them. The fact is that the ions of this metal, coming into contact with the acids of fruits or berries, destroy everything that is useful in them. Moreover, they remain in the structure of the jam, they can spoil it or make it a dangerous toxin, and not a tasty treat.
Another metal dangerous for jam is ordinary cast iron. It is practical and attractive, the photo of dishes from it and the display case is original, but it does not tolerate contact with any acids, including organic ones. Jam cooked in a cast iron pot will get an unpleasant aftertaste. But if the cast iron cookware has a food enamel coating, then it can be used to make jam for the winter. The only rule, even a prerequisite, is that there should be no damage, even microscopic ones. Are you sure you can spot them? If not, then the cast iron pan is best set aside.
How to care for your homemade jam utensils
Each pot or bowl, any dish, should have its own purpose. If it is used to make jam, then it is better not to cook anything else in it. The zealous housewives who make preparations for the winter with their own hands do not spare money for special dishes, and this is an economy, no matter how reckless it sounds. Having spent one time on a saucepan just for making jam, blowing off its good choice, for many years you will cook goodies in it for your loved ones.
Standard detergents are used for washing dishes for preservation, unless other requirements are specified in their instructions for use. Dirt is removed from the dishes immediately after use. Care should be taken to ensure that the jam particles do not dry out on the pan. You can wash the dishes only with soft sponges - they will not damage the structure of the coating, and will not ruin the pan or bowl. The remains of the detergent are thoroughly washed off with running water, the container is dried, and only then is it removed for storage.
You should not be led by your desires, and cook in dishes purchased for making jam, something else. Be economical and attentive, true to your principles even within the kitchen - this is not bitchiness, but constancy and a manifestation of love for yourself, your loved ones, albeit in such trifles.
