You can make low-sugar strawberry jam without sacrificing the sweetness or thick consistency that regular jam has. Jam recipes often call for equal parts sugar and fruit, sometimes even calling for more sugar than fruit. According to the University of Nebraska, a jam recipe requires 55 percent sugar or more for the jam to thicken properly. You don't need this much sugar for low-sugar jam. Just use low-methoxyl pectin and half the sugar -- or a sugar alternative -- so your jam turns out thick, sweet and deliciously gratifying.
Step 1
Place strawberries in a heavy, stainless-steel pot and place the pot on a stove top. Turn the stove on medium-high heat. As the strawberries heat and soften, mash them with a potato masher. Keep the heat on medium-high and bring the strawberries to a boil.
Step 2
In another pot, add pectin and 3/4 cup water. Stir the mixture and bring to a boil on the stove. Let the mixture boil for two minutes. This prevents clumping that would occur if you added pectin directly to the pot of strawberries.
Step 3
Pour the pot of pectin mixture into the pot of fruit. Add sugar, stir with a metal whisk and bring to a boil. If you want to avoid using any sugar, add honey instead.
Step 4
Make calcium water by mixing calcium powder and 1 cup water in a small bowl. Add the calcium water to the pot of boiling fruit and stir until dissolved. Complete this process quickly, as the pectin weakens under prolonged boiling.
Step 5
Remove the fruit from the stove and let the jam cool to room tempurature. The jam will thicken as it cools.
Step 6
Taste the jam for thickness. If the jam is not thick enough for you, return the jam to the pot and reheat, adding 1 tsp. calcium water at a time until you get the desired consistency.
Tips and Warnings
- If want a low-sugar, seedless jam, remove the seeds beforehand. Place a cheesecloth or metal sieve over a large bowl. Using a spoon, push the strawberries through the cheesecloth or sieve. You might need to repeat this process more than once because some of the seeds might still pass through the sieve. Some people "double up" on a recipe to make more jam at once, but this could significantly alter the quality of the jam. According to Tammy Roberts of the University of Missouri, a doubled-jam recipe does not always thicken properly. When this occurs, you must reheat the jam and modify the ingredients, which would weaken or destroy some of the ingredients. If you want to make more jam than what a recipe calls for, make another batch.
- Do not taste the jam from the pot. Allow to cool before tasting to avoid burns.
Things You'll Need
- 1 cup strawberries
- 2 heavy, stainless steel pots
- Potato masher
- 3/4 tsp. low-methoxyl pectin
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Wire whisk
- 1/3 cup honey (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. calcium powder
- 1 3/4 cups water
- Small bowl
References
- University of Nebraska--Lincoln Extension; Fruit Jellies Food Processing for Entrepreneurs Series; 2006
- "Stocking Up: The Third Edition of America's Classic Preserving Guide"; Carol Hupping; 1990
- University of Missouri Extension; Tips for Making Jams and Jellies; Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD; May 2009
