Get ready to ditch the freezer and say hello to shelf-stable peachy goodness! This low sugar jam recipe is a game-changer, and it tastes like sunshine in a jar!
For years I've only made freezer jam, because all the pectin I found all required cups and cups and cups of sugar to work right. (I'm talking like 8 cups of sugar to a few cups of mashed fruit.)
Who needs a sugar overload when you can have amazing flavor with less? This recipe lets you enjoy the taste of peaches without the guilt trip.
I used to just make freezer jam, which is WONDERFUL... But I run out of freezer space around harvest time!
Pomona's Pectin is made for canning jams and it has solved the problem! Pomona's Pectin can be made with very little sugar (¾ cup sugar to 4 cups of mashed fruit) or NO SUGAR AT ALL! It works because it uses a citrus pectin that is activated by calcium water, which it also comes with! Pomona's pectin does not need sugar to gel like all the other pectins do! And it tastes so good... Woohoo!
Low Sugar Peach Jam Canning Recipe Ingredients:
Note: You can double, triple, or quadruple this recipe in one batch too! The basic recipe calls for:
4 cups mashed peach fruit - Wash, peel and pit peaches first then slice and mash.
¼ cup lemon or lime juice - I use lemon juice with peaches, but the lime juice would be an interesting spin on it!
½ cup honey OR ¾ cup sugar - I'm using the ¾ cup of sugar, just because I have a child that does not like the flavor of honey.
Pomona's Universal Pectin Box which includes: 3 teaspoons Pomona's Citrus Pectin - This powdered citrus pectin comes in a pouch in the Pomona's Pectin box. 4 teaspoons calcium water - The calcium water is something you make with a packet of calcium powder that also comes in the Pomona's Pectin box.
How to Make Low Sugar Peach Jam
1. First, wash and rinse your jars, and let them stand in hot water. Wash your lids and bands. Prep your water bath canner by adding the appropriate amount of water, and heating on low heat as you make your jam. The water in your canner will need to cover your jar lids by at least an inch.
2. Then, prepare your peach fruit. Wash peaches, peel skins off, and slice then mash peach fruit to whatever consistency you like. I leave mine a bit chunky, but smooth would be good too. Add your mashed peaches to a large pot, and add the lemon juice.
3. Make the calcium water: mix ½ teaspoon of the calcium powder with ½ cup of water in a small mason jar. Put a lid on the jar and shake it. Shake it before using too, to make sure that the calcium is evenly distributed in the water. Label and store leftover calcium water in the fridge for later use.
4. Add calcium water (4 teaspoons for every 4 cups of mashed peaches) to the pot of mashed peaches.
5. Measure sugar or room temperature honey into a small bowl. Add the pectin powder and whisk well till it's thoroughly mixed into your sugar or honey.
6. Bring your pot of mashed peaches (with lemon and calcuim water) to a full boil, then add sweetener and pectin mixture, and VIGOROUSLY whisk to mix well for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the pectin as the fruit come back up to a boil.
7. Remove fruit from heat, and Fill jars leaving ¼ inch headspace at the top of each pint jar. Wipe your rims clean. Place clean lids on top and screw on bands to finger tight.
Canning Peach Jam
8. Place hot filled jars of jam in a water bath canner. make sure water covers the lids by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and process jars for 10 minutes. Add 1 more minute for each 1000 feet elevation above sea level.
9. After processing time has elapsed, use a jar lifter to remove hot jars from water to a cutting board or towel spread on counter. Let your jars cool completely, then check the lids to make sure they sealed. Remove bands and store for later enjoyment!
Recipe Card
Low Sugar Peach Jam Canning Recipe
This thick and delicious low sugar peach jam canning recipe makes the BEST tasting peach jam with only ¾ cup of sugar or ½ cup honey!
Ingredients
- 4 cups mashed peaches
- ¾ cup sugar or ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons Pomona's pectin (in Pomona's Pectin Box)
- 4 teaspoons Pomona's calcium water (in Pomona's Pectin Box)
Instructions
- Wash and rinse your pint jars, lids and rings. Prep your water bath canner according to manufactures instructions.
- Prepare your peaches by washing them, peeling them, and mashing them.
- Make the calcium water by mixing ½ teaspoon calcium powder from Pomona's Universal Pectin box with ½ cup of water in a small jar. place lid on top and shake well.
- Add calcium water to mashed fruit.
- Measure sugar or honey, and add the pectin powder to it and whisk till well blended.
- Bring fruit mixture to a boil in a large pot. Add sweetener and pectin mixture whisking vigorously to blend in pectin, and bring it back to a boil to dissolve pectin.
- Fill how clean pint jars leaving ¼ inch empty headspace at the top of each jar. Wipe rims clean. Place clean lids on top, and screw on bands to finger tight.
- Place filled jars into prepared water bath canner. Add water to cover lids by at least 1 inch.
- Bring to a full boil, and process for 10 minutes + 1 minutes for every 1000 feet above sea level in the elevation.
- Remove hot jars from the canner to a towel on counter and cool completely.
- Then, remove bands and check seals.
- Store, and Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe can be doubled, tripped of quadrupled without any problems;)
You can make this peach jam WITHOUT any sugar at all! For sugar free jam, bring ¾ cup water to a boil. Put it in a blender, add the pectin powder (vent lid) and blend for 1-2 minutes until all the pectin powder is dissolved! Use this mixture instead of the sugar pectin mixture in the recipe. Just make sure to bring your mashed fruit to a boil and vigorously whisk in your water pectin mixture. And follow the rest of the recipe,
Nutrition Information
Yield 40 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 34Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 1mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 0gSugar 9gProtein 0g
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!