Freezer jam does look different than regular jams. It sounds like yours is what would be expected.

Personally, I've found the "new method" (i.e. uncooked) does often result in a somewhat grainy texture. I follow the old method, which includes a gentle heating step.

1. Prep berries. Add lemon juice and stir. Sift in pectin and stir till thoroughly mixed. Allow to sit 30 minutes.

2. Gradually stir in sugar and heat to 100 degrees, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pull off heat, pour into containers and allow to rest until thoroughly cooled (no condensation). Then cover and store.

You could also follow the method you used but warm your sugar in the oven before stirring it in. Again, this speeds up the dissolving.

I never have figured out how you're supposed to achieve a completely smooth texture (i.e. no grit) with the current method.

Carol

I should have mentioned that when the sugar is fully dissolved, the jam is "clear." It's the undissolved sugar that's causing the cloudiness.

Carol

Awesome...thanks! This did set up after a while and I ate some with peanut butter and crackers. Wowza! I may never buy jam again. This tasted so much more like fresh fruit than regular jam/jelly. I didn't notice it being gritty when I ate it, but like I said, it was on pb and crackers.

I used the Ball instant pectin and the recipe only called for 2/3 c. sugar to 1 2/3 c. fruit. That may be part of the reason it doesn't seem gritty even though it's not totally smooth either. The Sure-Jell package calls for 4 c. sugar to 2 c. fruit. I'm sure that much more sugar would make a huge difference in the texture (and the taste!)

I've sprinkled sugar on berries and left in the fridge overnight before and the sugar dissolves overnight and gets syrupy so it's possible this will over time too. Whatever happens, I'm thrilled with my first attempt! My grandmother used to make regular jams/jellies/preserves and those were worlds better than storebought but like I said, this tasted just like fresh fruit.

Thanks so much for your help and I'll try the "old" method of heating next time and see how it comes out. I see lots of fun experiments in my future! All in the name of research, of course :)

I came here searching for the answer to why my sugar was not dissolving in a batch of peach freezer jam. After reading over the suggestions, I came up with my own "fix". I'd already stirred and stirred, and stirred, so there was no turning back. I filled a pot, that was just a little smaller than the top of my bowl of peach mix, with hot tap water, and put the bowl down into the pot, sort of like a double boiler, but not on the stove. It warmed the contents of the bowl a bit, and my sugar dissolves with a a few minutes more of stirring. I don't know how it will set up, since I probably stirred if for well over half an hour before turning to the internet and coming up with a solution.

made mine with this crazy new method , last night. mine is set now and ugh tastes so grainy!! anything to do??????

btbarbara, i had the same problem. I did heat the pectin in water, and then stirred for at least 10 minutes but the mixture was still grainy. So then as suggested above -- thank you readinglady and Bonnie Riley -- I heated the mixture slightly, being careful not to cook the berries. The sugar did finally dissolve. Now I'm just waiting to see if the jam sets up.