Help! How to fix runny cherry jam

Arrowroot will make it a clear gel

I think it depends on the type of cherry if you are to get a good set. Some needs pectin added.

You may need to reboil adding pectin or lemon juice as cherries are low in pectin.

It is a bit of a faff but worth it.
However, how runny? I prefer rather runny jam to over-set jam.

Personally, I would freeze it all in smaller batches and use as cherry sauce for puddings, pouring into yogurts and ice cream etc. Oh, and duck in cherry sauce. Just a suggestion, shame to waste it after all your hard work. Good luck!

I just looked at the recipe and most other recipes I have seen have equal amounts of sugar and jam or just slightly less sugar.
There seems to be a trend to use less sugar as it is supposed to be bad for you but sugar is the preservative.

Evoha ..do you mean stir the powdered narrowest into the jam and re heat?

Sorry Evoha16 your proper name!

Boil it up again with Certo

I second Maw.

I agree with jusnoneed and Callistemon - boil it up again and add pectin (you'll see it in the shops as Certo, which is the brand name). I made lots of cherry jam a couple of years ago, and did this. Result was lovely set jam, not too firm, just right.

We could all come round and test it for you, if you like.

A Gransnet bubble of jam testers.
It sounds delicious.

I use lemon juice and don’t boil for as long as that for most jams I haven’t made cherry so maybe that’s different

Probably too late by now - but yes mix and boil arrowroot with ‘jam’ I make a Bigarade sauce as an accompaniment for duck using arrowroot - leftover sauce sets like a savoury Armagnac flavour marmalade I do hope it turns out - love cherries and yoghurt ☘️

I had problems with my first batch of cranberry and gin jelly at Christmas - did the obvious thing, Google then, as I said, reboiled with Certo plus some extra lemon juice.

Maw is right.....Certo/pectin will sort it out. It is a faff, but you’ll know next time ?. Otherwise if it’s not ultra runny, I’d certainly prefer it like that (says she, making a claim to a few pots!). French jam is much more liquid but it’s a question of preference, of course.

Thank you everyone for your advice. Will go out tomorrow and buy some Certo and more lemons and reboil. Fingers crossed!

Don't reboil for too long (5 minutes?) then test, then about 2 minutes at a time.

I turned runny strawberry jam into something resembling glue by reboiling with pectin because I wanted to make sure it set!

I turned runny strawberry jam into something resembling glue by reboiling with pectin because I wanted to make sure it set!

But even that can be saved by reboiling with added water or fruit juice. It's a bit hit and miss, but always worth a try!

DH ate it!
It was last year and he gamely ploughed his way through two jars of it.

I will remember that tip, though, Bathsheba.

He was brought up during the years of rationing.