The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: SafeHaven on September 12, 2018, 08:21:48 am
-
Made a batch of damson jam last night... was expecting the sweet/tart plummy delight my grandmother made all through my childhood. But this has a bitter edge that I can't get around. I'm sure that's not how it's meant to taste. I used 1.8kg of damsons and 1.8kg of sugar (145ml of water). I would say the bitterness subsided slightly after cooking and cooling, and it's set wonderfully... but still, that bitter edge is still quite present. Any ideas why this would be?
-
The 1:1 with sugar and quantity if water is pretty much the same as I use. I did mine a few weeks ago so if you are doing them now I guess they are all ripe because a few under ripe ones might have that affect?
-
Here's an unpleasant thought for you....Did you split all the fruits to check for larvae? I have about 1:10 affected this year....
pgk
-
I did not check for larvae :yuck: I also have a victoria plum tree and did split all of those and found no larvae at all... so :fc: it's the same for the damsons.
I have a jar of the last bit in the pan that wasn't quite enough for a full jar, and after a day in the fridge, it does seem to have settled a bit in taste. So hopefully it'll be OK!
-
hpefully you were OK. I had about 1:10 in the victoria too
-
I don't suppose they do much harm after being boiled to setting point in a syrup.
-
...and anyway they have been fed on damson so should taste ok. Just a bit of extra protein.
It might be the skins which are bitter, or sometimes there are small bitter patches in plummy fruit, near the stone, which I dig out.