How to Make Blackberry Jam With Only Natural Sweeteners
Making jam and jelly (especially jam) is so simple; I promise, if everyone knew how easy it was Smuckers would have to start selling real jelly again; because what they sell is not real jelly. If that is all you know of the glimmering sweetness we call “jelly” then, keep reading.
Jam still has large chunks of fruit. I nearly exclusively make jam and marmalade. To me, it is far more satisfying and it saves the step of making juice from fruit, which jelly requires. However, if you wanted to make juice there is only one way to do it and maintain sanity (in my humble opinion of course).
Here are my top reasons for making my own jam:
Flavor.
I know exactly what is in it.
No food coloring, corn products, fake sugars.
Flavor.
Great gifts
It’s much more cost effective (than to buy the halfway decent stuff I would even consider eating)
And…..flavor.
If you are new to canning, jam and jelly is the best place to start. You can stick with recipes acidic enough to warrant water bath canning (boiling) instead of learning the new skill of a pressure canner (which really is easy, I promise). If you are looking for a good book to learn these new skills, we can get you started.
I will only use Pomona’s Pectin. If you have made traditional jelly recipes with standard pectin, you know that you must first buy a shopping cart of white processed sugar before you can get started! The amount of sugar is sickening. It reminds me of a health class assembly where someone from the Diabetes Association pours sugar into a bowl to demonstrate the nation’s growing obesity problem. Pomona’s Universal Pectin works off a different chemical reaction that is calcium-based. It is 100% pure citrus pectin, but does not require large amounts of sugar to activate whereas standard pectin recipes are between 55-85% sugar.
With Pomona, the sweetener you add is for your palette only. It is vegan, dextrose-free and gluten-free, also. You can use your sugar-of-choice. I use honey but that is personal preference entirely; you can go with agave, xylitol, fruit juice concentrate, stevia, or anything else that suits your fancy. This recipe is based on honey. When you buy Pomona’s Pectin, there are instructions included, which can vary based upon the type of sweetener used.
Here are the tricks to using Pomona’s Universal Pectin successfully:
1) Make small batches, usually no more than 6 cups of jelly at a time.
2) Read all of the instructions included in the box thoroughly before you start.
3) Only use this in low-sweetener mixtures. If you want to put it into a recipe with a higher sugar ratio, you will need to mix in the additional sugar later in the process.
4) Make the calcium water ahead of time; since a lot is included with a box, you can store the rest in the refrigerator for your next canning day.
This recipe works for several fruits. The instructions found in the box will clearly give ratios for other fruit, and I recommend this particular recipe only for honey; if you plan to use Stevia or fruit juice concentrate, there are alternate instructions available in the box of Pomona’s Pectin.
I will teach you how to make blackberry, blueberry, apple, or grape jam without any fake or processed sugars! These instructions include the basic canning instructions too, so that you do not have to have a canning book and the recipe open simultaneously. Thoroughly read through proper canning procedures in a canning book first so that you are familiar with the steps.
Blackberry, Blueberry, Apple, or Grape Jam
Prep time: 15 minutes + jar prep
Cook time: 10 minutes, additional 1 min for every 1,000 ft above sea level
Total time: 30-45 minutes
Yield: 4-5 cups
Ingredients:
4 cups mashed fruit
½ cup-1 cup honey
¼ cup lemon juice (if using more lemon juice, use high side amount of honey)
2 teaspoons Calcium Water (comes with Pomona’s Pectin)
2 teaspoons Pectin Powder (comes with Pomona’s Pectin)
Step 1: The pectin came with 2 separate pouches. Follow the instructions to make up a batch of the calcium water before you even get started. Extra calcium water can be stored in refrigerator.
Step 2: Thoroughly wash all fruit!
Step 3: Prepare jars and lids for canning. This means that you have washed and rinsed them, letting them stand in hot water (dishwashers are great for keeping them warm until you are ready).
Step 4: Smash fruit, add lemon juice and calcium water. Stir well. simmer, according to preference. While the fruit does need to be juicy, I still prefer it to be very chunky.
Step 5: While brining the fruit mixture to a boil, use a bowl to mix the pectin powder into the room-temperature honey. Stir into the fruit mixture once the fruit is at a full boil. Stir for about 2 minutes vigorously until the pectin is completely dissolved.
Step 6: Once the pectin has dissolved into the boiling fruit mixture, remove from heat and fill clean jars (leaving 1/4″ headspace).
Step 7: Once you have filled the jars, ensure that you have thoroughly wiped the rims before screwing Tattler lids onto them with metal rings.
Step 8: Prepare your water bath canner (or your pressure canner without the lid) by filling with enough water to cover the jars completely. Bring the water to a boil.
Step 9: Boil Jam for 10 minutes, adding 1 minute for every 1,000 feet you are above sea level.
Step 10: Once you have boiled the jars, remove from the water bath canner (or a pressure canner without the lid) and let the jars cool on a kitchen towel on the counter.
Step 11: Once they are completely cool, check seals. If a jar did not seal properly for whatever reason (chipped jar, cracked gasket, etc), put that jar into the refrigerator and use immediately.
Now, put on some super-cute labels and you have last minute gifts, warmth added to your own shelf, and something to make you smile over morning toast.
Shelf Life: Canned Jam should be eaten by the 1 year mark; if stored properly you will find that they although they last longer, quality will diminish. An open jar in the refrigerator lasts 3 weeks.
Stay Nourished, Healthy, and Strong–
Chaya
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Hi there, wondering if you might suggest a solution. I made redbud jam with Xyliyol And Pomona’s pectin. They didn’t set. I know I made 3 mistakes and am wondering how best to fix. I used 1 to 1 ratio sweetener as was instructed but it took it out of the low sugar realm; I boiled it, which I know now breaks down the pectin and lastly, left them too long in hot water bath. What would you do?? Thanks bunches!