The Basics of Canning - The Difference Between Jam and Jelly

The Difference Between Jam and Jelly

In the above picture the Jelly (Blackberry jelly) is on the left and the Jam (Strawberry Mango Jam) is on the right.

Jam - jam is made from crushed fruit and always has pieces of the fruit.  You can see parts of the mango and seeds from the strawberries in the picture above (the chunks of fruit have been cooked and are therefore spreadable).

Jelly - jelly on the other hand is made from juice or syrup that is made from crushed fruit.  So really, jelly has an extra step and takes a little longer to make than does jam.

Many times people prefer jelly if they have alot of dental work or have issues with diverticulitis where seeds can cause problems.  Personally I prefer jam because it has a little more substance to it but both taste delicious - especially when homemade.

You can see the seeds and pieces of fruit in the jam on the right and the jelly on the left is clear with no bits of fruit.