[Beewyched]

Thanks for all the tips folks - will get the mixture boiled-up with the sugar & into the jars (with discs) tomorrow 

[PetiteGalette]

No, no, no!
You need either the wax discs (put on while the jam is HOT and then cover with the cellophane tops and elastic bands) OR metal lids - not both!
I  have been  judge of preserve making for many years and it's a matter of one or the other!
IMOH your best bet is to use the pop-up lids - you know, the ones with the funny bit in the middle that goes 'pop'when you have a seal. Re-use what you've got after bleaching them..........
A microwave is good for sterilising but, if you haven't got one, boiling water will do............ Whatever you do, jam/jelly will only keep well for a year. Yes, I know people will say they have kept grannies jam for umpty-ump years...............

[Fleecewife]

I use the wax discs - shiny side down.  It used to be that jam makers poured a thin layer of wax on the top of the jam to seal the jars ie keep any air out.  The paper discs were made to be more convenient, but the idea is still for the wax to soften on the hot jam, spread over the surface then make a seal to keep the air out - that's why you need the correct size for the jar.
 
I used to use cellophane covers, and take pride in getting them to suck down properly, but they really only work on jars without a threaded top.  Now all jamjars seem to be threaded for lids so I use Lakeland lids, or re-use the marmalade ones (I tend not to make marmalade as it takes forever and never turns out as well as bought stuff  )   Lakeland lids are lined so do for chutney as well as jam.
 
ps - I AM the Granny, and my jam does last for several years 

[Bionic]

Fleecewife, slightly off the subject but since you mentioned marmalade...
I couldn't get seville oranges earlier this year so I bought the tinned fruit from Lakeland to make marmalade. OH said the marmalade was very good. (I don't like marmalade myself).
At the moment they have it on special offer too so I bought 2 tins this week. You only need to to add sugar and water and one tin makes about 6 lbs. This time I am going to make some Oxford marmalade with mine by adding some whisky or rum.
Sally

[Fleecewife]

Hi Sally.  I've used Ma-made tins, which sound pretty similar.  In fact I have one in the cupboard......   They are good.  I will try the Lakeland ones to compare.   It's all that chopping up of peel which takes forever then for some reason I can never get the set right which puts me off marmalade from scratch.  I've had better success with grapefruit or lemon marmalade, which both make a pleasant change from orange.
I'm a very lazy jam maker - I like to stick it all in the pan straight from the garden, add the sugar, boil, pot and forget it til it's time to eat it 

[plumseverywhere]

Oh that's a relief, I always get in a tangle with those wax discs and end up jumping about like a deranged hippo with them curling up on my fingers.  Just the metal lids it is then!


Oh and what are you supposed to do with the gingham fabric? cut it into circles to go over the lids? have never done that but thought it might look pretty one day  [size=78%] [/size]

[JFDI]

I have never used a wax disc yet, and been making jams since being at Uni.... and that was more than 20 years ago....

My mother  always used wax discs and cellophane and I was brought up on a healthy diet of penicillin-rich jam because a good proportion had mould within the year.  I don't think it did me any harm though my mums larder would be condemned by health and safety these days!

In the 30 years we've been making jam we have never used either wax discs or cellophane and I reckon the number of jars with mould has been less than half a dozen.  OH buys in jars and lids for her honey production and is extremely careful to ensure a vacuum seal.  Dodgy lids get binned.

[Mel]

Perhaps it is preference,I have always used waxed discs,it does not seem the same without them for me,I made some yesterday as I have the most wonderful crop of blackberries this year,they just keep coming,I made my 40th jar last night!

I might add,I honestly have never had one jar go mouldy.I do boil them and then dry them in the oven,I fill my jars immediately upon reaching a set and the lids always make a lovely seal.

Marmalade,well,for some reason I just cannot get it right,one batch out of around 20 which was really nice,the other was either way too runny or you could not get a spoon or knife in!-would have been better using it as cement