Jam and jelly are two popular fruit spreads that are present in many households. While they may seem similar, there are some key differences between the two. In this article, we will explore what jam and jelly are, how they are made, and what sets them apart.
What is Jam?
Jam is a fruit spread made from crushed or chopped fruit and sugar that is cooked down to a thick, sweet spread. The fruit used is typically left in some form or another in the final jam – either whole, in slices, or crushed. Pectin, naturally occurring in many fruits, is often added to help jam gel and set. Jam tends to have a looser set and texture compared to jelly. It often contains fruit pulp and seeds.
Some common types of jam include:
- Strawberry jam
- Raspberry jam
- Blackberry jam
- Apricot jam
- Pear jam
- Peach jam
- Plum jam
- Cherry jam
- Orange marmalade – a type of citrus fruit jam
Jam can be made from one type of fruit or multiple fruits combined. It can range from soft and spreadable to thick and chunky in texture depending on personal preferences and the fruit used.
What is Jelly?
Jelly is a clear or translucent fruit spread made by boiling fruit juice and sugar. The juice is extracted from fruit, strained to remove all pulp and seeds, and then boiled with sugar and pectin to help it gel and set. This process allows jelly to be clear and smooth with no fruit pieces throughout. Jelly has a firm, gel-like texture compared to jam.
Some common flavors of jelly include:
- Grape jelly
- Blackberry jelly
- Boysenberry jelly
- Crabapple jelly
- Guava jelly
- Mint jelly
- Pepper jelly
- Apple jelly
- Quince jelly
Since jelly is made only from fruit juice, it tends to have a more concentrated, intense fruit flavor compared to jam. The smooth, spreadable texture makes it popular for use in sandwiches and with cheeses and meats.
Differences Between Jam and Jelly
While jam and jelly are both fruit spreads, there are some clear differences between the two:
| Jam | Jelly |
|---|---|
| Contains crushed or chopped fruit | Contains fruit juice only |
| Has pulp and seeds | Does not contain pulp or seeds |
| Has a chunky, thick texture | Has a smooth, gel-like texture |
| Spreads less evenly than jelly | Spreads cleanly and easily |
| Does not need to contain pectin for thickening | Requires added pectin to help set |
In summary:
- Jam contains fruit pulp, while jelly is strained fruit juice
- Jam has a looser, chunkier texture compared to jelly’s firm gel texture
- Jam spreads less evenly than jelly
- Jam often gels well without added pectin, while jelly requires pectin to set
How is Jam Made?
Jam is made using the following basic steps:
- Wash, peel, pit and chop the fruit into even sized pieces or leave whole if desired.
- Combine chopped fruit with sugar and a small amount of water or lemon juice in a pot. Use a ratio of around 1 part fruit to 3/4 part sugar. The exact amount will vary based on personal taste and the natural sweetness of the fruit.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until the desired thickness is reached, about 30-45 minutes. Jam will thicken more as it cools.
- To test if the jam is done, place a small spoonful on a chilled plate. It should set up to a gel consistency once cooled.
- Remove the jam from heat and stir in a teaspoon of lemon juice to balance flavor. Optionally, stir in 1-2 teaspoons of pectin for an even firmer set.
- Ladle the finished jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, affix lids and rings, and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes to seal, if desired.
- Store sealed jam jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.
The jam can be tweaked to your liking by using more or less sugar, cooking to different final thicknesses, adding spices, or using multiple fruits. Use ripe, flavorful fruit for the best results.
Tips for Making Jam
- Use ripe, flavorful fruit for best results
- Add lemon juice to boost flavor and help jam set
- Skim off foam as jam cooks
- Use bottled lemon juice if jam will be processed and canned
- Add pectin at end if jam needs help gelling
- Cook in small batches for better control over thickness
How is Jelly Made?
Jelly is made using a similar process as jam, but with a few key differences:
- Wash ripe fruit and remove any stems, pits, etc. Cut into pieces if needed.
- Place fruit in a pot, add water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fruit is very soft, about 20-30 minutes.
- Strain mixture through a jelly bag or cheesecloth to extract juice, without any pulp. Let juice drip through overnight if needed.
- Measure extracted fruit juice and pour into a pot. For every 1 cup juice, add 1 cup sugar. If desired, use a pectin-sugar mixture instead of plain sugar.
- Bring juice and sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Once boiling, continue cooking 1-2 minutes.
- Remove jelly from heat. Test gel set by placing a spoonful on a chilled plate. It should set up firm.
- Ladle jelly into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, affix lids and rings, and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes to seal, if desired.
- Store sealed jelly jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.
Since jelly contains no fruit pieces, it relies on pectin both naturally occurring and added to create its spreadable gel texture. Underripe fruit often contains more pectin.
Tips for Making Jelly
- Use underripe fruit or crabapples which contain more natural pectin
- Use bottled lemon juice if jelly will be processed for canning
- Strain fruit pulp thoroughly through jelly bag or cheesecloth
- Add a pectin-sugar mixture when cooking to aid gelling
- Boil hard for 1-2 minutes to deactivate naturally occurring enzymes
- Skim off foam during cooking
- Use proper headspace when filling jars
Uses for Jam vs. Jelly
Due to their differing textures and fruit content, jam and jelly each shine in different culinary applications:
Jam Uses
- Toast, biscuits, scones, or muffins
- Swirled into oatmeal or yogurt
- Thumbprint cookies
- Linzer cookies
- Peanut butter and jam sandwiches
- Fruit tarts or galettes
- Glazes for meat
- Paired with soft cheeses
Jelly Uses
- Jelly sandwiches
- Jelly donuts or turnovers
- Jelly rolls
- Fruit glazes
- Meat or poultry glazes
- Mixed into smoothies
- Swirled into Greek yogurt
- Thumbprint or jelly cookies
- Layered in trifles or parfaits
Storing Jam and Jelly
For best quality and food safety, jam and jelly should be stored properly. Here are some guidelines:
- Store unopened jam or jelly jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year. A pantry is ideal.
- Refrigerate after opening. Keep leftover jam or jelly tightly covered.
- Use opened jam or jelly within 3-4 weeks for best quality.
- Look for signs of spoilage before eating such as mold, off odors, or beads of liquid on the jelly’s surface.
- For long term storage at room temperature, use proper canning methods to seal jars.
- Freezer jam or jelly can be stored in the freezer up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before use.
Conclusion
While jam and jelly are often confused for one another, they are distinctly different fruit spreads. Jam contains mashed or chopped fruit while jelly uses strained fruit juice. Jam has a chunky texture with fruit throughout, while jelly is smooth. Jam tends to cling while jelly is easy to spread. Both are beloved options for toasting, spreading, and using in recipes from sandwiches to cookies to glazes. With proper storage methods, opened jam or jelly will stay fresh for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator.