Do the vacuum jam is an ancient and effective conservative technique. This method not only allows you to prolong the shelf life of the jam, but also preserves its flavour, color and nutritional properties. In an era where attention towards homemade food and natural preservation techniques are increasingly advanced, learning how to sous vide jam becomes a valuable skill for every cooking and food and wine enthusiast.
How to make jam sous vide
The process of vacuum-packed for the jam it naturally begins with the preparation of the jam itself. Once you have your jam ready (here is an example recipe: Lemon jam), the next step is to make sure you have some glass jars sterilized. Sterilization is essential to eliminate any bacteria or microorganisms that could compromise the preservation of the jam. This can be done by boiling the jars and their lids for about 10 minutes or using an oven pre-heated to 100°C for the same amount of time.
Once the jam is ready and the jars sterilized, fill the jars up to approximately 1 cm from the edge. It is important to leave this space to allow for adequate expansion during the sealing process. After filling the jars, clean the edges to remove any jam residue, which could prevent an airtight seal.
The next step is the sealing. Close the jars with their lids and place them in a large pot, making sure they are completely covered with water. Bring the water to a boil and let the jars boil for about 10-15 minutes. This process, known as “bain-marie”, is essential to create the vacuum inside the jars. The heat causes the air inside the jars to expand which, when cooled, creates a natural void hermetically sealing the lids.
After boiling, carefully remove the jars from the water and let them cool completely to room temperature. During cooling, you may hear a “pop”, a sign that the vacuum has formed correctly. Once cooled, check that the lid is well sealed by pressing in the center. If the lid doesn’t move, the vacuum sealer was a success.
In short, vacuum-packing jam requires attention and care, but it is a technique that everyone can do. Not only does it guarantee a longer conservation, but keeps the organoleptic qualities of the jam unchanged. So, with a little practice and following these steps, you can enjoy the fruit of your labor for many months to come. As we have seenthe process is simple but requires precision and attention to detail.