Homemade Low Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe
You pick berries and decide to make jam, when BAM! The recipe hits you with even more sugar than fruit! I’ve been there too. How is homemade supposed to be more healthy when it’s completely saturated in sugar? Well, I found another way. A recipe that not only uses a fraction of typical full-sugar recipes, and it is home-canner safe too! Let’s dive into how to make this homemade low sugar strawberry jam.
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Yep, I’m the home canner who wants it all. The home-grown produce, the recipe with as much (or as little) sugar as I choose, and I want to be able to can it safely! Is this even possible?! Preserving at home can be so scary when you read stories on social media. I want tried-and-true recipes, 100% tested and safe. That is why this recipe is so wonderful. It’s the best option for low-sugar and alternative sweetener canners. The secret is using Pomona’s universal pectin for this homemade low sugar strawberry jam.
The Difference Between Jam VS Jelly
Jam vs jelly, what’s the difference?
The main difference between jam and jelly is that jam uses crushed or chopped fruit and jelly uses fruit juice. This recipe uses the whole strawberries so it is technically a jam.
What is Pomona’s Universal Pectin:
Pomona’s universal pectin is a brand of citrus pectin that is made from:
- methoxyl citrus pectin (citrus pectin)
- mono calcium phosphate (calcium powder)
This pectin is dextrose, preservative, and other unnecessary ingredient free!
The jelling action is activated by calcium, not sugar content. – How neat is that!
Because it’s activated by calcium, when making jam or jelly with Pomona’s universal pectin you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, agave, xylitol, stevia, fruit juice concentrate, or any other sweetener.
Another great benefit of using this pectin is that you can double, triple, and quarter your recipes! Which is not usually advised with other pectins.
Pomona’s pectin can easily be found on Amazon, and also at Azure Standard.
Tips:
Fruit substitutes: If you are canning this recipe, you can substitute equal amounts of kiwi, raspberry, sour blackberry, sour cherry, or pineapple without changing the acidity of the recipe. If you add a low-acid fruit like blueberries or apples you’ll need to add 1/2 cup bottled lemon juice to the recipe to make it safe to can.
Substituting honey: You can add 1 to 2 cups of honey instead of the sugar to this recipe if you would like. I used organic cane sugar for this recipe.
Can you freeze this recipe? Absolutely! If you’re not into canning and would like to be able to just freeze the rest of this jam you absolutely can just freeze once jam reaches room temperature. It stores well in the freezer for up to one year.
How to stop foaming: If you don’t want to ladle foam off the top of your jam, you can add 1 tsp of butter to the batch before the sugar/pectin comes to a boil.
Taste testing: Taste test the sweetener amount after pectin has dissolved in the mixture. If it’s not sweet enough, add more sugar and stir 1 minute at full boil.
Extra calcium water can be stored in the fridge or freezer for future recipes
The shelf life of processed (canned) jam made with Pomona’s pectin is 1 year unopened and 3 weeks in the refrigerator after opening.
Tools You will Need:
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Whisk
Small Pot
Spatula
(If you’re wanting to can)
Jars, lids, rings ( I used 8-1/2 pint jars)
Ingredients:
Strawberries
Sugar
Box Pomona’s Pectin
How To Make Homemade Low Sugar Strawberry Jam:
If canning, wash and rinse jars; let stand in hot water or warm oven. Brings lids to simmer; turn off the heat; let stand in hot water. Wash bands, set aside in hot water.
Wash berries
Cut tops off berries (and set aside if you’re wanting to make strawberry top simple syrup)
Add to 8 cup glass measure
Puree strawberries by using a potato or banana masher
In separate bowl measure sugar and add pectin whisk thoroughly
In separate small bowl make calcium water mixture by adding calcium powder to water and shaking or whisking thoroughly
Add calcium water to pureed strawberries and whisk thoroughly ( this is when you would also add your lemon juice if changing what kind of fruit you’re using for the jam recipe)
Add strawberry mixture to the small pot
Bring fruit to a full boil on the stovetop.
Add pectin/sugar mixture and stir vigorously 1-2 minutes to dissolve pectin while the mixture returns to a full boil. Remove from heat.
If not canning: Set mixture aside until it’s room temperature then store in fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a year.
If canning: Scrape foam off of the top of the jam. Fill washed jars to 1/4: headspace. Wipe rims clean with paper towel or washcloth dipped in white vinegar. Screw on the 2 piece lids. Lower filled jars into simmering water in water bath canner and add the lid to the canner there should be 1 inch of water above lids. Bring to a full rolling boil and process for 10 minutes. ( add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft above sea level). After 10 minutes remove lid and let sit 5 more minutes. Remove jars from water on to a clean towel. Let jars cool. Check seals, and wash jars before labeling and storing. Lids should be fully sealed.
Homemade Low Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- 8 cup glass measure
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Small Pot
- Spatula
- Potato Masher
- Jars
- Lids
- Rings
- Canning Accessories
- Water bath Canner
Ingredients
- 8 cups mashed fresh strawberries (roughly 10 cups un-mashed berries)
- 1.5 to 4 cups sugar adjust to your taste
- 4 tsp pectin from box Pomona's pectin
- 4 tsp prepared calcium water from calcium packet in box
Instructions
- If canning, wash and rinse jars; let stand in hot water or warm oven. Brings lids to simmer; turn off the heat; let stand in hot water. Wash bands, set aside in hot water.
- Wash berries
- Cut tops off berries (and set aside if you’re wanting to make strawberry top simple syrup)
- Add to 8 cup glass measure
- Puree strawberries by using a potato or banana masher
- In separate bowl measure sugar and add pectin whisk thoroughly
- In separate small bowl make calcium water mixture by adding 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder from Pomona’s pectin box to 1/2 cup of water and shake or whisk thoroughly
- Add correct amount calcium water to pureed strawberries and whisk thoroughly ( this is when you would also add your lemon juice if changing what kind of fruit you're using for the jam recipe)
- Add strawberry mixture to the small pot
- Bring fruit to a full boil on the stovetop.
- Add pectin/sugar mixture and stir vigorously 1-2 minutes to dissolve pectin while the mixture returns to a full boil. Remove from heat.
- If not canning: Set mixture aside until it’s room temperature then store in fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a year.
- If canning: Scrape foam off of the top of the jam. Fill washed jars to 1/4: headspace. Wipe rims clean with paper towel or washcloth dipped in white vinegar. Screw on the 2 piece lids. Lower filled jars into simmering water in water bath canner and add the lid to the canner there should be 1 inch of water above lids. Bring to a full rolling boil and process for 10 minutes. ( add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft above sea level). After 10 minutes remove lid and let sit 5 more minutes. Remove jars from water on to a clean towel. Let jars cool. Check seals, and wash jars before labeling and storing. Lids should be fully sealed.
Notes
Did You Try This Homemade Low Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe?
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This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure policy here.
