Jam and marmalades recipes with resting periods

[max1988]

Hi,

as the title of the thread says, some jam or marmalade recipes require that the preparation rests until chilled after being cooked at around 70-80C for two hours, and this process is repeated even for 3 or 4 times. Does someone know the theoretical or practical background of this process?

My main worries are the food safety rules within those resting periods (which normally are outside the refrigerator).

If someone could point me in the right direction, would be deeply appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Hi and welcome to CookingBites.

I'm not familiar with any recipes that require this. Do you have any recipes in particular in mind that require this?

But from a food safety point of view, sugar is a preserving agent, and after being cooked for a couple of hours at 70-80C few germs (mostly mould and final spores from the fruit) would have survived. Remember that all utensils, jars and lids, preserving pans etc will have been sterilised prior to bring used so the only source of germs would be from unwashed fruit, mouldy fruit, unclean hands or double dipping during the preservation of the fruit. Making jam and marmalade is a preserving technique original used to store excess fruit for leaner periods such as early spring.

 

[sidevalve]

As above - we have just made some apple jam [to use up a few more apples] and other than allowing it to cool before putting in jars there was no such stipulations. Again the high level of sugar [like honey] makes jam a VERY unhealthy place for bacteria anyway.