Using a lesser amount of sugar than regular jam, the bright fresh taste of the berries shines through in this light, luscious and fruity low sugar strawberry jam. It's easy to make, with just four ingredients. The perfect spread for toast, biscuits, pancakes, ice cream topping . . . anything, really!
Our strawberries are finally producing and with all this hot weather, they are exceptionally sweet and flavourful. They make a wonderful jam - sparkling like a ruby jewel.
Strawberries are quite low in natural pectin, so I find I get the best results using a commercial pectin - either a 'no-sugar-needed' pectin or a natural brand like 'Pomona Universal Pectin. Strawberry jam can be made without pectin, but you need to use a lot of lemon juice and lemon peel for its pectin power, which alters the pure taste of the strawberries, or you have to cook the jam for so long that it also changes the flavour. With a 'no-sugar-needed' pectin (like Bernardin®), I can keep the sugar amount reduced to taste, yet get that beautiful, softly-set jam loaded with intense strawberry flavour.
This is the jam I use to fill a mouthwatering Victoria Sponge Cake for afternoon tea. It's also fantastic with biscuits, on pancakes, in these Jammy Berry Bars, stirred into yogurt, or even as a topping for ice cream.
What You'll Need for a Luscious Batch of Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
How to Make Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
I make my low sugar strawberry jam a little bit different than the package directions - I don't use fruit juice, but instead use extra strawberries for a more pure strawberry flavour. I also put everything in the pot together and it works great.
When using 'no sugar needed' pectin, you can use other sweeteners, like honey or sugar substitutes. I recommend using the instructions in the package directions for how to substitute them. I have found that 2 cups of sugar to 5 cups of mashed berries makes a great ratio - just enough sweetness to taste like a jam with a slightly tart edge, but with lots of pure strawberry flavour shining through.
To start, hull the strawberries and quarter them if they are large. Then mash them in single layers in a dish or pan. Measure out the amount you need, including any juices the berries produce.
Dump the mashed berries, sugar, pectin, and lemon juice into a large, heavy-bottomed pot (the pot should be large enough to allow the jam to plop and bubble as it cooks). Bring the berries to a boil, then adjust the heat to cook them at a full rolling boil (one you can't stir down) for three minutes.
That's it! Now ladle the hot jam into hot, sterilized jars (see instructions below). Seal them, and let them cool, or water-bath-process them for extra insurance against spoilage. If they're properly sealed (the snap lid doesn't move when you press it in the center) they should be good for a year or longer. (If the lid loses its seal, then they shouldn't be used.)
HOW TO STERILIZE CANNING JARS (4 different methods):
- run jars through the hottest cycle of the dishwasher. Leave them in there when done to keep them hot, and remove a few jars at a time to fill
- wash jars in hot, soapy water, rinse them, and boil then in a large pot of water, completely submerged, for 10 minutes. Lay a clean dish cloth in the bottom of the pot before adding the jars, to keep them from bouncing around as they boil.
- wash jars in hot soapy water, rinse them, and set them, still wet, upright onto a cookie sheet in the oven at 225°F (110°C) for 20 minutes or more. Keep them in the oven to stay hot and remove a few jars at a time to fill them.
- for individual jars, wash in hot soapy water, rinse, and set the jar, still wet, into the microwave. Microwave one jar at a time for 60 seconds on high.
HOW TO PROCESS JARS IN A BOILING WATER BATH:
Set the filled, sealed jars into a canner with a rack or into a large deep stock pot with a clean dishcloth laid flat in the bottom. Put in only as many jars as will fit easily. You may need to do several batches. Pour hot water into the pot until it covers the jars by about 1 inch (2.5cm). Bring to a boil. Cover the pot, and turn the heat down a bit so the jars continue to boil vigorously but don’t boil over. Boil them for the required time. Then remove the jars with canning tongs and set them onto a towel on the counter. (The towel prevents the temperature shock that come from hot jars set onto a cold counter.) Don’t disturb them until they are completely cool. Check the seals: if the jar lids have been sucked down so they don’t move when you press a finger into the center of them, the jars are sealed. If the lids are still slightly bulged upward and you can move them up and down when you press with a finger, they didn’t seal and should be stored in the fridge to use up within the next month or two.
Note: Processing time is generally stated for sea level. For every 1000 feet above sea level, add 1 minute of processing time.
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Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 5 cups (1.2 kg) mashed strawberries (9-11 cups hulled, quartered strawberries)
- 1 package (49 g) no-sugar-needed pectin (powdered)
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or rosewater
Instructions
- Prepare 6 half-pint (250 ml) canning jars (or 3 pint/500 ml jars) - see instructions in the recipe post above. Heat the snap lids in a pot of water set over low heat on the stove.
- Mash the berries in batches in single layers in a shallow pan using a potato masher or fork. Measure out 5 cups (1.2 kg) of the mashed berries with their juices.
- Place the mashed berries in a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot or soup pot together with the sugar, pectin powder, and lemon juice or rosewater. Stir to dissolve the sugar and pectin.
- Bring the jam to a rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Boil it hard for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam that has accumulated around the edges of the pot (save this and use it for your toast tomorrow morning).
- Fill the sterilized jars to within ¼-inch (.6 cm) from the top - use a canning funnel and soup ladle, if you have them. Wipe the top rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth. Add a snap lid to the top of each jar and screw on the bands until they're finger tight (as tight as you can get them only using your thumb and forefinger).
- Set the jars to cool on a tea towel laid on the counter. Once cooled, check to make sure the lids have been sucked down (they don't move when you press on them). They will keep for up to a year. If any jars don't seal, keep them in the refrigerator and use them within 2 months.
- For added insurance against spoilage and for a longer shelf-life (unrefrigerated), process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (add one minute for every 1000 feet/300 metres above sea level). See instructions in the recipe post, above.
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli
We got to taste this strawberry jam with fruit scones and clotted cream (what a fantastic combination!) and as the filling of a luscious Victoria Sponge. Absolutely delightful!
Margaret
Aw, thanks so much, Nicoletta! It was a pleasure to share it with you. ❤️ Nothing better than sharing tea and scones (or cake) with friends.