Drafts

How to Store Your Homemade Preserves

|Le Parfait America
Sealed, opened, and freezer storage, plus labeling and the signs to toss a jar. Read more...

Can You Remake Runny Jam? Yes, Here's How

|Le Parfait America
A soft batch is not a failure. Here is how to re-cook jam that never firmed up. Read more...

Why Didn't My Jam Set? The Three Usual Culprits

|Le Parfait America
The three usual culprits behind a runny batch, and how to get a firm set next time. Read more...

How Long Does Homemade Jam Last?

|Le Parfait America
Shelf life sealed and opened, how to store it, and how to tell when a jar has turned. Read more...

The Beginner's Jam-Making Equipment Checklist

|Le Parfait America
The short list of what you actually need to make jam at home, and the few extras worth owning. Read more...

What Is Jam, Really? Jam vs. Jelly, Preserves, and Marmalade

|Le Parfait America
Jam, jelly, preserves, and marmalade, and the differences that actually matter when you make your first batch. Read more...

Canning Troubleshooting: Failed Seals, Spoilage, and Cloudiness (PREVIEW)

|Le Parfait America
Short answer: Most canning problems come down to three questions: did the jar seal, is the food still good, and is cloudy liquid a problem. If a jar did not seal, refrigerate and use it within a few days, reprocess it within 24 hours with a fresh gasket and a clean rim, or freeze it. If you see any sign of spoilage (a bulging or unsealed lid, leaking, an off smell, mold, unexpected cloudiness or foam, or liquid spurting out when opened), do not taste it; throw it out and... Read more...

Replacing the Seals and Rubber Gaskets on Your Le Parfait Jars (PREVIEW)

|Le Parfait America
Short answer: The rubber gasket is the part that makes a Le Parfait jar seal, and it is replaceable, so the jar lasts for life and you just swap the seal. Use a fresh Le Parfait rubber gasket for every canning session. For everyday dry storage and refrigerator storage, where there is no heat processing, you can reuse the same gasket for years. Replace any gasket that is cracked, hardened, stretched, flattened, or no longer springs back, and match the new gasket to your jar's mouth size. The rubber gasket... Read more...

Preparing Your Jars for Canning: Cleaning and Sterilizing (PREVIEW)

|Le Parfait America
Short answer: Before you can, wash your jars, gaskets, and lids in hot soapy water and rinse them well, then inspect the glass and hardware for any damage. Whether you need to sterilize depends on your recipe: if the processing time is under 10 minutes, sterilize the jars first; if it is 10 minutes or longer, the processing step itself sterilizes them, but the jars still need to be clean and hot. Keep jars hot right up until you fill them so they do not crack from thermal shock, and... Read more...

Which Foods Are Safe to Water-Bath Can? High-Acid vs. Low-Acid (PREVIEW)

|Le Parfait America
Short answer: Acidity decides whether a food is safe to water-bath can. High-acid foods (pH 4.6 or below) like most fruits, jams, pickles, and properly acidified tomatoes can be safely water-bath canned in a Le Parfait Super Jar or Super Terrine. Low-acid foods (plain vegetables, beans, corn, meat, poultry, fish, plain broth) cannot: they need the higher temperatures only pressure canning reaches, so use dedicated pressure-canning equipment, or just refrigerate or freeze them. When in doubt, follow a tested recipe rather than guessing. If you are new to canning, this... Read more...

Water-Bath Canning, Step by Step (PREVIEW)

|Le Parfait America
Short answer: Water-bath canning processes filled jars in boiling water to seal high-acid foods (jams, fruit, pickles, acidified tomatoes) for shelf storage. You need a water-bath canner or a large deep pot with a rack, a jar lifter, Le Parfait Super Jars or Super Terrines, a fresh rubber gasket for each jar, and a tested recipe. Fill to the headspace the recipe specifies, process for the full time it specifies, then cool and check the seal. This guide walks through every step. Water-bath canning is the method most home canners... Read more...

Canning 101: A Beginner's Guide to Home Canning (PREVIEW)

|Le Parfait America
Short answer: Home canning seals food in glass jars and heat-processes it so it keeps on the shelf without refrigeration. For beginners, start with high-acid foods (jams, fruit, pickles, acidified tomatoes) and the boiling water bath method, using a Le Parfait Super Jar or Super Terrine, a fresh rubber gasket, and a tested recipe. This guide walks you through the whole process and links to a step-by-step guide for each part. Home canning is one of the oldest and most satisfying ways to keep food. With a few jars and... Read more...