Use less sugar and it should not set up as fast. Its funny to know that most people have issues with the jellies NOT setting up. To help thicken slightly, using less cooking, add a little Clear Jel starch to it to make a thicker syrup. Not enough to make a stiff jel, just a little thicker like syrups are supposed to be. The item below is also very useful to prevent pectins from setting up. Its used as a liquid or a powder. Avoid it near any juices you want to make into jam/jelly

Here is a link that might be useful: Pectic enzyme

Use fully ripe berries (no underripe) and make sure the temp of the mixture doesn't exceed 218 degrees. Eliminate the citric acid. Reduce sugar if you wish.

To assure a syrup rather than a jelly, use a light-flavored honey. Then it won't set up.

Carol

Thanks for the replies.

ksrogers, I've tried putting a few chunks of frozen pineapple in the pot. I've heard pineapple will prevent Jello from jelling, so I thought maybe it would prevent the syrup from jelling, but it didn't. They enzyme you reference sounds more powerful, I think I'll give it a try.

Carol,

Good idea on the honey, but I make quite a bit of this stuff. I'm afraid it could get rather expensive using honey as a sweetener. You mention to keep the temp under 218F. Does syrup have a higher boiling point than water? Why would you get rid of the citric acid?

Thanks.

olpea, when your syrup reaches 218 it's nearly "jell point", the temperature at which the correct ratios of fruit/sugar/acidity will jell. If you never bring it to jell point, it will remain liquid.

The citric acid is a part of that ratio too, so if you exempt one portion of the equation, you will also avoid reaching that jell point.

it's the same with the sugar, reduce that and you could skew the ratio to the point where it cannot achieve a jell.

I add acidity to some fruits which are low in natural pectin so that I can attain a jell, and you're trying to avoid what I'm trying to achieve, so I'm kind of laughing along with Ken on that.

Good luck, blackberry syrup sounds delicious.

Annie

I understand about the expense. Even part honey would assist in achieving your goal.

When I said 218, as Annie mentioned, that's the correct temperature for the sugar-berry mixture to thicken for syrup. Much above that and it's likely to jell, especially if a % of the juice comes from underripe berries, which are higher in natural pectin. Pectin level decreases with ripeness.

Jelling occurs as a bond is achieved between pectin+sugar+acid. You're probably "helping things along" by adding citric acid. It isn't needed for safety and it doesn't prevent discoloration/oxidation as ascorbic acid would in a lighter colored syrup, so you may as well save yourself some money and skip it.

Carol

Thanks a bunch,

Very helpful. I'll cut out the citric acid. I'll also try messing with the sugar/honey ratio. If that doesn't work I'll try the pectic enzyme, although I wonder if it will work (i.e. not break down) at high temperatures. I found out today, the anti-jelling enzyme in pineapple breaks down at boiling.

I have used the enzyme for wine making. Many fruits and berries just have way too much natural pectin and if you add the enzyme, they will never set up on their own, no matter how much sugar is added. If you still want a controlable syru, add a little Clear Jel and mix it with a little water and make a slurry. Pour a little in while the juice is boiling. It should be the right thickness once you determine how much of teh modifed food starch to use. If you have recipes that mention corn starch as a thickener for syrups, use less Clear Jel. Clear Jel in home canning is also much safer to use home canning compared to regular corn starch. Some of my grape based wines like port, needed to have a bit more 'body', so I would add a banana to the must. Pineapple or papya (papian) is also a meat tenderizer and is the prime ingredient in Adolphs meat tenderizer. Added to beef and allow it to marinate 24 hours will give you mush as opposed to meat. Adding citric, or better yet, the acid blend of tarteric, malic, and citric is a better choice to improve acidity of fruit juices. Its found at the same place the pectic enzyme comes from.

My syrup gels when I add alcohol to make blackberry cordial. is there anyway to remove or reverse the gel?

the best way to make the cordial is by filling a jar with fruit. then fill the jar with alcohol. Cover the jar. the longer it sits, the better. A year or two is not unreasonable, but 3 months works. if three months you can make two batches from the same berries. Add sweetener to taste. I like agave nectar.