Making Unsweetened Jam

[Sunshine Bellon]

I have been experimenting with unsweetened jams. For me, unsweetened means truly unsweetened, no sugar and no synthetic sweeteners. I have been able to successfully make a few varieties of freezer jam by simply cooking down whichever fruit I like, and sweetening it by adding a peach or an apple, and it has been working OK... Often times I have to cook the fruit down way more than I actually want to cook it, in order to get a decent thickness, and sometimes this throws the flavor off. I have considered using pectin, but all the pectin I have been able to find has added dextrose, which will not work for the dietary needs of the people I cook for.  I am thinking of trying gelatin as a thickener, but I don't know if I can preserve anything made with gelatin. I have heard that I can preserve gelatin products in my pressure canner, but I have also heard that you can't preserve jam that has been made with gelatin, however none of the sources I have found say why you can or can't. 

Is there anyone who can clarify this for me? 

 

[Kami]

I found this https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/avoid-pectin-home-canning/ 

I've Also heard adding chia seeds can help...no personal experience with that however. Good luck!

[Sunshine Bellon]

This was exactly the kind of information I was after, thank you!

Kami said:

I found this https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/avoid-pectin-home-canning/ 

I've Also heard adding chia seeds can help...no personal experience with that however. Good luck!

[Linda Ziedrich]

Pomona's Pectin has no dextrose, but keep in mind that no-sugar-added jam is not in itself a preserved food; it must be refrigerated after opening and used up quickly. Figs and Italian plums contain enough sugar to make a decent jam without added sweetening, but most other fruits don't.You might try making cider jelly or apple or pear butter instead of jam.

[Pat Johnson]

I’ve been using “Agar Agar” to thicken canned goods. It’s a seaweed based product that can be found in any Asian grocery. The powdered form is easiest to use and the most common. It requires boiling temperature to activate the thickening properties but can be cooled and reheated again and again. The ideal part is that unlike gelatin that melts at a very low temp the Agar Agar won’t melt until 175-180 degrees. Use it sparingly or you’ll end up with gummy bears. I stir in about 1/3 teaspoon of the powder to a pint of standard liquify salsa and when it’s canned it thickens to almost a ketchup texture that won’t drip off your chip.