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Homemade Low Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe

donveyfarms
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8 cups

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

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.
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 reached room temperature. Can be frozen up to 1 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 boiling. 
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. This recipe can use from 1.5 cups to 4 cups of sugar. Adjust to your own taste.
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.