Are you on the search for equipment to elevate your jam making game? Look no further than these tools from OXO and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a set!
I often think of July as the pinnacle of the jam making season. It is the moment when berries, peaches, currants, cherries, plums, and even early apples are all competing for space at markets and in our kitchens. I find that the secret to being able to make the most of the abundance is to be prepared with sturdy, durable equipment. To that end, I’ve teamed up with my friends at OXO to show you some gear that can help make your jam making efforts a little easier.
Most critical is a good pot to cook your jam. Some people like using copper preserving pans while others prefer enameled cast iron. While those are both good, my preference is always a low, wide, stainless steel pan that can hold about 8 quarts. Stainless steel is a non-reactive metal, so it will never impart a metallic flavor into your preserves (copper is reactive and can leave your jam tasting tinny if you don’t use enough sugar).
Stainless steel is also the most forgiving surface. If you burn your jam in an enameled cast iron pot, you might be able to soak and scrub the burned spot off, but the finish will never be the same. When you burn in stainless steel, elbow grease and steel wool will eventually make you whole again.
Right now, the jam pan in constant rotation in my kitchen is the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pro 8 Quart Covered Casserole (OXO | Amazon). It is similar is size, shape, volume, and performance to my favorite All-Clad jam pan, but at a third of the price. I often briefly simmer small stone fruit and let them cool before pitting to make the process easier, and the glass lid makes it easy to see when to turn off the heat. It’s also got volume markers up the side of the interior, which helps you have an idea of what your yield is going to be. All in all, it’s an excellent pan.
Another tool I turn to all summer (and fall!) long is the OXO Good Grips Food Mill (OXO | Amazon). It can strain out the seeds from berry and grape pulp, separates tomato skins from the meat, and does a masterful job of making applesauce that is smooth but not entirely without texture. I went through several food mills before this one found its way into my kitchen, and if it broke, I would replace it with an identical model.
Finally, the hand tools. I would be lost without a sharp paring knife (OXO | Amazon), a good peeler (OXO | Amazon), a heat-proof spatula (OXO | Amazon), and a citrus squeezer (OXO | Amazon). I particularly like having these tools in bright colors because that helps them stand out from the peels and stem ends (I can’t be the only person who’s ever accidentally thrown away a peeler because it blended into the scraps too well).
Thanks to the good folks at OXO, I have a second set of jam making gear to give away to one lucky Food in Jars reader. Please use the widget below to enter.
Disclosure: OXO has provided the equipment you see pictured here, along with the second giveaway set, at no cost to me. No additional funds were exchanged and all opinions are entirely my own.
Seems crazy, but I. Most thankful for my Wusthof knives, even when cutting fruit for jams. I’m also thrilled when my mother lets me borrow her very nice KitchenAid blender… one day, I’ll splurge and get one for myself. Until then, I’d really love a food mill.
I’m fairly new to canning but the first few times canning were rough without a canning pot and rack. It was a nightmare trying to jerryrig one with my largest stockpots. My mom bought me a canning pot set for Christmas last year with that I’m sure it will be a much smoother process for me in the future.
I would be lost without my trusty all clad pan!
What a great giveaway! Thanks for the opportunity.
I love my big stainless pots. Sand plums grow wild like crazy here (except when a late freeze gets the flowers like this year) and my 16 and 20 quart pots come in very handy!
I love my canning funnel with the head space measurements on it!
My Vitamix, apple corer/peeler, and cherry pitter!
The tool that made the most difference in my canning was actually the plain wooden citrus reamer I picked up while helping clean out my husband’s grandmother’s house. It’s super simple but it makes juicing lemons and lines so much easier!
Oooh or my victorio strainer. Makes tomato and apple seasons SO much easier!
Love having a strainer for jam making.
A good food mill is so nice to have!
My favorite heavy bottom jamming pan has been in use for 30 years. Sadly, it got dropped and now the bottom has a ding in it and as time has passed has become a little “bubble” so it doesn’t sit as flat as it should. I would love to have a replacement, but I don’t dare pass this treasured pan on until it is already replaced.
i’m still a relative novice, so favourites yet.
My favorite tool is a funnel that was my grandmother’s.
I’ve never made jam or jelly before so I would love to win this and learn how!
This would be awesome. I love making your small batch jelly. So far this summer I have made strawberry balsamic, vanilla rhubarb,
This is a great starter or refresher kit! I make about 500 jars of jam a year from all my own fruits or foraged ones❤️
I have that same food mill and it is awesome. I also can quite a few cherries, and so one of my favorite tools is a cherry pitter that clamps to the table with a little reservoir.
I have the exact peeler in black and it is still going strong after 12 years of use. Would be great to win this fabulous prize!
This is a very nice starter set
Love my oxo peeler!
I have my grandmother’s old enamel stock pot which I use as my canning pot. Works great, but would love to update my canning supplies and use the old stock pot for planting flowers or something where I can still use it and see it every day. Thanks for the opportunity!
I have been freezing strawberries as they are on sale. That way I can make my Christmas gifts. This would make it so much easier.
I use quite a bit of canning items that were my grandmas, so all of the are my favorites; strainer, peeler, funnel, wooden spooner, large milk glass bowl, even a special hot pad that was hers. I learned to can from my grandma, and I love the memories I thought no ever time I use her tools.
What a lovely prize package, SO many useful items! My most used items in my kitchen are my stainless steel canning funnel and my wustof chefs knife. There’s not a single day that goes by that both aren’t washed and dried at least, twice!
My small stockpot and rack that fits inside it so I don’t need to pull out the big canners when i make a small batch of jam.
Have just started jamming recently and love the fresh fruity flavors. Would love to have these tools
Looks great!
I love my oxo tools, but the scale and spatulas are there with me every batch!
Absolute essentials for making really great jam. Thanks IXO
I keep it pretty simple – other than my normal cooking pans, a canning funnel, jar lifter, and lid lifter
i dont tweet so i guess i will be unlucky in this giveaway
Love my jar lifter and funnel!!
A good heatproof silicone spatula for scraping all the goodness out of the pan!
All these look great, but I especially want the pot for small batch canning.
My favorite equipment is my lid lifter… Saves my fingers!
I can’t live without that tool to remove the jars from the water! 🙂
I finally bought one of those screen things a couple of years ago and now all the plops and splats don’t escape all over the stove.
Looking for a small batch canning pot!
I have a stainless steel Revereware pot I got from my grandparents that serves as both jam pot and hot water bath.
After decades of preserving food, I now use the Ball FreshTech Electric Water Bath Canner – LOVE it for small batch, outdoor canning.
I really love my upgrade to the Ball Secure Grip Jar Lifter. With the configuration of my new kitchen, I have to walk across the kitchen when I pull my jars out of the canner to set them down. This would never be possible with a basic jar lifter!
I love my funnel from my mom.
This is awesome! Thanks for the chance to win!
My heavy bottomed stainless steel pot and my jar lifter. Great giveaway.
Love my cherry pitter this year. Pits six at a time. Cherries are a good price this summer.
My grandmothers jelly jars!
I’d be lost without my 2 quart Pyrex measuring cup and my wide mouth funnel!
i have my grinder tool it seperates the seeds from the fruit it’s from the 20’s
I have a kitchen colander that fits across my sink that is perfect for washing berries before I start the jam.
Probably sounds weird, but my VitaMix! Former boss used to give me tree-ripe (including fallen) tangerines. I love citrus, but hate marmalade’s chunky peels. So, I blend it. Named the results Marvalade after her. 🙂
I have a wooden spoon that I couldn’t do without!
I don’t know how I did any canning before I got my wide mouth funnel. It makes things so much easier!
I am using my mother’s canning pots and funnel which is like 40 -50 years old. Still works. I usually put good quality balsamic vinegar in my jams to heighten flavors.
I have never made my own jam. I have canned other things such as soups and pickles. I ha e made my own fruit syrups. I am now wondering why I have never made my own jam.
My stainless steel pot that I’ve had for over 20 years is my best tool for making jams & preserves…and your website where I find the best recipes 🙂
my silicone trivet used in place of a canning rack when making small batch jams – not having to get out the big canner has made jam making happen much more often and in lots of different flavors!
My favorite is my cherry pitter for canned cherries I use for off season clafoutis and cherry cranberry relish. It also works for olives. The trick is to protect myself head to toe against the cherry juice that spurts out. A bib apron, ponytail holder for hair follwed by a shower for me and a sponge down and mop of all surfaces and floor. In other words, it’s totally worth the mess.
I’ve only canned a few times but I love my jar lifter. A food mill would be amazing!
Lots of helpful tips in these comments!
I’m a total novice, so these tools would be an amazing addition to my kitchen.
My friend and I just started jamming together! So far we’ve made wild huckleberry jam and watermelon jam. I think my most essential tool has got to be a good silicone spatula, I bring my own every time!
I have a Victorio strainer for applesauce and tomato sauce which I love. I just got the berry strainers as well for it and am looking forward to using that as well.
My wide mouth green funnel. Can’t live without it
My funnel to fill the jars!
I love my wooden spoon and my medium sized stainless steel pan from Goodwill. It has very even heating. my spoon has a hole in the center that helps keep the fruit intact while stirring.
Just used the OXO cherry pitter yesterday for a batch of cherry and plum jam. The best!
I’m new to canning, but I’ve found that the all silicone spatulas are really turning out to be one of my favorite tools to use. I appreciate that at the end of the jam making session, I can throw them in the dishwasher!
My canning pot and funnel!
HI there,
Thanks for the chance to win some cool stuff!
A wide-mouth funnel is a must. In the prize bundle, I’ve got my eye on the food mill. Thanks for a cool contest!
I can’t make a proper jam without my old, porcelain enameled cooking pot.
My water bath canning pot that I got from my mother.
I love my enameled cast iron dutch oven. While it may leave some spots, I feel like it’s just adding character to a well-loved piece of kitchen equipment. It’s also nice and wide, which helps the most when making jam.
I dont have any yet, I just recently got into it with my grandmother and now I am wanting to get me some supplies to do it at home!
Right now we are using tools that were passed down from my grandmother. I could use awesome new tools like these..
I don’t have any favorite tools yet…my friend is magic in the kitchen, and she’s just begun to teach me how to make jam. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
I most love my funnel
I don’t have any favorites, as I have just started learning about canning.
I would be lost without my jar lifter (mine is a Ball product). I have been able to substitute for everything else in a pinch. My second favorite is my OXO food mill.
I am just starting on this canning journey. I have been looking at the OXO food mill and excited for the chance to win one. Thanks for the opportunity!
I can’t live without my funnel.
Just starting out canning, these tools would be an immense help!
I’ve always wanted to, but never really gotten into a groove of making jam every year. I attempted strawberry last year and love the fruits of my labor (?), but this serves as another reminder and motivation to try again before the end of summer!
I cannot live without my cutting boards.
That food mill would come so handy for applesauce!
My bread maker has a jam setting. No slow stirring over the stove.
My regular/wide mouth funnel! It not only does my jam, but also helps when I’m loading up jars with dry goods. Second place goes to my digital scale to get the perfect ratio of fruit to sugar.
One of the things I can’t do without when making jam is my Grandmother’s recipes
For making jam I love my little debubbler/ measuring device. So important to get all those bubbles out and to fill correctly so there is no leakage from the jars during the process. Thank you so much for having such a great little give away! It’s going to make someone very happy!
My canning pot is something I can not live with out.
I have been studying under my mother for a couple years now. I know that she has a strainer that her grandmother used and her mom to make jam. I will never use it. But it is something I wouldnt make jam without.
I can not do without my grandma’s mesh strainer.
The clip-top jars would be the tool to not live without.
I have never made it but would love to learn. I have found recently I love to try new things in the kitchen.
I’ve never canned but want to. thanks
I love my Kliner pot for cooking jam and jelly.