How to Make Honey-Sweetened Jam
Ali Segersten
Homemade jam is usually so full of sugar, but it doesn't have to be! Using Pomona's Pectin, you can make low-sugar, honey-sweetened, or fruit juice-sweetened homemade jam. This particular pectin comes from citrus peel. The jelling is activated by calcium water (monocalcium phosphate), which comes with the pectin. It’s so easy to make jam from all of your freshly picked fruit of the season. Making and canning jam is one of the best ways to preserve the harvest!
Last year, I experimented quite a bit with some of the hundreds of pounds of fruit we harvested. I made an awesome Vanilla-Plum Jam sweetened with coconut sugar, a Honey-Sweetened Blueberry Jam, Spiced Peach Jam made without pectin and with coconut sugar, Blueberry-Lemon Jam made with a small amount of pureed unripe, immature apples as the pectin source (unripe apples are high in pectin), a tart Italian Plum-Agave Jam, and Cherry-Peach Jam sweetened with grape juice concentrate. Let me tell you—homemade jam makes for many wonderful Christmas gifts!
Honey-Sweetened Jam
Use this recipe to preserve part of your summer fruit harvest! It’s barely adapted from the detailed directions and variations provided in the package insert of Pomona’s Pectin—a brand made from citrus peel instead of corn. You should be able to find this pectin at your local co-op or health food store. I use a Vitamix to quickly mash the fruit—not to completely purée it, but just enough to keep it slightly chunky with some texture. This recipe works well for strawberries, raspberries, cherries, currants, and gooseberries. If you're using other fruits, you'll need to add a specific amount of lemon juice; follow the directions provided with the pectin for best results. The two jams pictured here are Strawberry-Honey and Strawberry-Raspberry-Black Currant-Honey. For the latter combination, I used equal parts of all three fruits.
- Boil your jam jars and lids in a large pot. For this recipe I use five 12-ounce jam jars. You could also use 8-ounce jam jars (you'll need about 8 of them). Turn off heat and let them stand in hot water until you are ready to use them.
- Fill your Vitamix to the brim with your fruit. Pulse and blend until you have 6 cups of ground-up, slightly chunky fruit. Pour into a large pot. Add the calcium water. Stir well. Bring the fruit mixture to a boil. Note: The Calcium Water is made by mixing the powdered calcium with water. Directions are in the package.
- In the meantime, mix one cup of honey with the one tablespoon of pectin. I use a fork to do this. Add honey-pectin to boiling fruit and stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Bring back to a boil for a few more minutes.
- Carefully lift your jars out of the pot with a pair of tongs, empty out any water, and set onto a towel on your counter.
- Pour jam into each jar, leaving about 1/4-inch of space at the top. Wipe any excess from the rim using a moist clean towel. You need to make sure the rim is completely clean so you get a good, solid seal.
- Lift the lids from the hot water with the tongs, gently shake off excess water, and place onto the jars. Screw on lids.
- Place jars into a boiling water bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and let cool on counter. After 24 hours all lids should have sealed. They usually seal within the hour. You'll hear a loud "pop."
*Pictured above is my recipe for Oatmeal-Banana Pancakes spread with the Strawberry-Raspberry-Black Currant Jam.
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About the Author
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN
Alissa Segersten, MS, CN, is the founder of Nourishing Meals®, an online meal-planning membership with over 2000 nourishing recipes and tools to support dietary change and better health. As a functional nutritionist, professional recipe developer, and author of The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Nourishing Meals, and co-author of The Elimination Diet, she helps people overcome health challenges through food. A mother of five, Alissa understands the importance of creating nutrient-dense meals for the whole family. Rooted in science and deep nourishment, her work makes healthy eating accessible, empowering thousands to transform their well-being through food.Nourishing Meals Newsletter
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