Can freezer jam not be frozen if sealed?
I make my jam in sterile jars and use a freezer jam recipe. I then seal using a hot water bath for 15 minutes. I know you don't need to seal it but I always do. Something about it makes me feel safer especially if you gift it and they don't freeze it immediately. My question is can I leave it in the pantry on the shelf since I did seal it. The jam was only "cooked" during the hot water bath.
Best Answer
Only recipes from trusted sources should be used for shelf stable canning, as they are proven to produce a product with a sufficiently low pH to be safe when stored at room temperature.
The boiling water bath process is a way to create a vacuum seal, it is also a way to get the contents of the jar to near boiling for a certain amount of time, this will kill most microorganisms (any remaining will not be able to thrive in the low pH high sugar environment).
As you are not using a recipe specifically designed for a shelf stable product and you are not putting very hot jam/jelly into the jars prior to processing (you have no way of knowing how hot the center of the jam gets), your jam will not be shelf stable.
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Does freezer jam have to stay frozen?
Because freezer jam does not go through a water bath procedure, it is not shelf stable and should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Traditional jam can be stored at room temperature for one to two years.How do I know if my freezer jam is bad?
Can you use glass jars for freezer jam? Yes! I love to use glass mason jars for freezer jam! You can also use just about any container that is freezer friendly.How to Fix Freezer Jam that Won't Set, Without Adding More Sure-Jell
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