{"id":7682,"date":"2017-07-29T10:09:35","date_gmt":"2017-07-29T14:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/?p=7682"},"modified":"2023-12-03T13:52:58","modified_gmt":"2023-12-03T17:52:58","slug":"cherry-jam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/growagoodlife.com\/cherry-jam\/","title":{"rendered":"Low Sugar Cherry Jam Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"

This chunky, low sugar cherry jam is delicious slathered on toasted homemade bread, swirled in yogurt, or drizzled over ice cream. Less sugar lets the natural fruit flavor shine.<\/p>\n

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Tips for Making Cherry Jam<\/h2>\n

Fresh cherries are the first stone fruit of the season. Cherries are divided into two main categories, sweet cherries and tart or sour cherries. Both types will work for making this low sugar cherry jam, but you may want to add more sweetener if you are using tart cherries.<\/p>\n

Early varieties of sweet cherries begin appearing in our grocery stores in starting in June. These come from warmer climates where the trees bloom and the fruit ripens earlier than our local cherries.<\/p>\n

Tart cherries are not usually found in the grocery store because they don’t ship well and tend to deteriorate quickly after harvesting. Sour cherries are what I will find at our local farmers’ markets because this is the type that will grow in our cold climate without danger of late spring frosts killing the blossoms.<\/p>\n

Selecting Cherries<\/h3>\n

Choose cherries that are in season with shiny skins, good color, and green stems. The fruit should feel firm, with no soft spots, wrinkles, or blemishes.<\/p>\n

If you are harvesting your own cherries, pick mature fruit that is fully colored for the variety. Cherries are ripe when the stems pull away easily from the tree. Grip the stems and twist to separate it from the branch. Leave the stems on the fruit, so it will stay fresh longer.<\/p>\n

How to Store Cherries<\/h3>\n

Store fresh cherries in the refrigerator to keep the fruit cool. Sweet cherries will last up to two weeks before they begin getting soft. However, tart or sour cherries won’t last as long and should be made into jam within several days, or washed and frozen for later.<\/p>\n

To freeze cherries, wash well under fresh clean water, air dry on a kitchen towel, place in freezer containers, and store in the freezer for up to 12 months. If you plan on making jam later out of frozen cherries, weigh the cherries with a kitchen scale before freezing so you have the correct amount for your recipe.<\/p>\n

Pomona\u2019s Universal Pectin<\/h3>\n

This recipe uses Pomona\u2019s Universal Pectin<\/a> instead of your regular boxed pectin. Pomona’s is a citrus pectin that uses calcium powder to gel instead of lots of sugar.<\/p>\n

The benefit is you can use less sugar or honey allowing the natural fruit flavor shines in your jellies and jams rather than the sweetness of the sugar. The recommended sweetener range for 4 cups of crushed fruit is 3\/4 to 2 cups of sugar, or 1\/2 to 1 cup honey.<\/p>\n

You can find Pomona’s Universal Pectin<\/a> in stores with the other canning supplies or online. The package comes with full instructions and recipes for making jams, jellies, and preserves.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Have a Water Bath Canner?<\/h3>\n

No problem! You can use a large sauce pot to process the jars as long as the pot is tall enough to cover the tops of the jars by a few inches, plus two or more inches of space to prevent boiling water from splashing out of the pot. Place a rack in the bottom to elevate the jars up away from direct heat, so they won\u2019t break, and process in several batches if necessary.<\/p>\n

Steps for Making and Canning Cherry Jam<\/h2>\n

If you are new to canning or haven\u2019t canned in a while, it may be helpful to review this article on water bath canning<\/a> at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.<\/p>\n

A more detailed printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but these are the general steps for making and canning low sugar cherry jam with Pomona’s Universal Pectin<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Step 1: Gather Your Equipment<\/h3>\n