Jelly, Jam and Preserves

Admittedly, I’ve spent most of my life not knowing the difference between jelly, jam and preserves. It was only recently that I found out the difference.

Jelly shakes and jam doesn’t, right? Some of you might remember that song by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, “It Must Be Jelly (‘Cause Jam Don’t Shake Like That).” Well, there’s actually a scientific way to tell the difference between these very similar approaches to preserving fruit.

Jelly, jam and preserves are all made from fruit mixed with sugar and pectin (an indigestible carbohydrate found in the cell walls of most fruit). The difference between them comes down to the form that the fruit takes.

Jelly

In jelly, the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice. With the smoothest consistency, jelly is made by crushing fruit and discarding the solid, chunky portions, leaving only the fruit juice. The juice is then mixed with pectin and heated to form a gelatinous spread.

Jelly is firm, holds its shape, and can be identified by its “shake.” Typically, jelly doesn’t contain pieces of fruit, although some spicy jellies may include small bits of jalapeño or chile peppers. For wine lovers, a good wine jelly is made with real wine — and the better the wine, the better the jelly. A high-end wine jelly tastes just like a glass of wine.

Jam

Jam is made by crushing fruit and cooking it with sugar, and sometimes pectin and lemon juice. During this process, many of the fruit’s fibers remain, giving jam a thicker, spreadable consistency. Jam contains a rich portion of fruit and is often used to complement cheeses and crackers. It can be a purée or soft pulp, but it doesn’t contain chunks of fruit.

Preserves

Preserves feature chunks or whole pieces of fruit suspended in a syrup or jam. Unlike jelly or jam, preserves have a textured consistency. They’re often used for cooking and baking, as they retain the largest amount of natural fruit flavor. Of the three, preserves use the most fruit — chopped into small pieces, mixed with sugar to maintain freshness, and combined with syrup or jam to bind them together.

Glass Packaging for Jelly, Jam & Preserves

For centuries, glass containers have been used to store jelly, jam and preserves. As the safest, most environmentally friendly packaging, glass containers are impermeable and airtight, keeping fruit spreads fresh for extended periods. Glass is also the only widely used food packaging granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) status of “GRAS” — Generally Recognized As Safe.

So, now you know what shakes, what doesn’t, and what’s fruity and what isn’t. Next time you’re at the store, pick up a glass container of jelly, jam and preserves — and see if you can identify the differences.

Bon appétit!
BOB