Cherry Jam Recipe – Sustainable Chefs

Canning Cherry Jam is a scrumptious, low-sugar, and fresh-tasting unfold for toast, yogurt, or dessert recipes. This selfmade cherry jam recipe is an excellent approach to keep the harvest and is a deal with for the entire circle of relatives.

This low-sugar cherry jam recipe is precisely how selfmade jam will have to style – no longer too candy and tasting of clean fruit and no longer sugar!

This submit may be very detailed as a result of I’ve filled it filled with knowledge, pointers, tips, and hacks I’ve realized over 19 years of canning. I’m telling you EVERYTHING you want to understand to achieve success at making selfmade cherry jam for your very personal kitchen.

You’ll all the time click on “bounce to recipe” in the event you’d like, however I extremely suggest a read-through at least one time to be sure you absolutely perceive the method.

Learn how to use low-Sugar Pectin

This recipe is in particular designed to make use of low-sugar pectin. That provides you with fresh-tasting jam as a substitute of cherry sweet.

Maximum industrial pectins are added to fruit at the side of bonkers quantities of sugar to create a “gel” that makes jam, neatly, jam. Most normal recipes name for no less than a 1:1 ratio of fruit to sugar. That suggests for a recipe that makes 4 jars of jam, you’re having a look at desiring 5-7 cups of sugar. MAKE IT STOP.

Low-sugar pectin, (like Pomona’s) is activated by means of calcium (no longer sugar) and wishes only a contact of sugar to paintings. :confetti: This recipe makes 4 (8 oz.) jars the use of simply 3/4 cups of sugar. Pomona’s may be gluten-free, vegan, qualified kosher, and GMO-free.

the way to make cherry jam

*I’ll stroll you by way of it right here with some footage and pointers, and also you’ll additionally discover a printable recipe card on the backside of the submit with actual measurements, and so on. You’ll additionally click on “bounce to recipe” to skip down.

Canning prep

Get ready your water bathtub canner by means of filling it with water, and atmosphere it at the range. Flip the burner to top. As soon as it reaches a boil, scale back it to simmer. You need to stay the water sizzling in order that the entirety is able when the jam is.

Wash and sanitize your jars. You’ll need to stay them heat to steer clear of having them crack when positioned within the canner. You’ll fill them with sizzling water, or position them on a tray within the oven at 170˚F.

Wash your lids and set them apart in a clear position. You now not wish to simmer lids in water to stay them sterile. Woot!

Chop the cherries the use of a chef’s knife and a reducing board, or a pastry cutter, or pulse them in a meals processor. You don’t need to mix them; visual chunks are splendid.

Warmth the cherries in a heavy-bottomed saucepan (I exploit my Dutch oven) over medium warmth till the juices begin to bubble. Stir frequently to forestall sticking, and shortly the herbal juices within the cherries will probably be launched. Be affected person!

In a small bowl, mix 1/2 tsp calcium powder (this comes within the field of low-sugar pectin) with 1/2 cup cool water.

In a separate bowl, mix sugar and pectin. Put aside. To forestall clumping within the fruit, Pomona’s will have to be blended together with your sweetener earlier than being added to the fruit.

Upload the bottled lemon juice and calcium water to the pot with the cherries, and stir.  Upload the sugar/pectin combination, and convey the entirety to a rolling boil. Stir the mix continuously for three mins, turning down the burner to medium if the jam begins popping.

Professional tip: if truth be told set a timer and stir for the total 3 mins. The consistent stirring prevents the jam from burning, and the cooking time is vital to lend a hand the jam set.

Professional tip #2: a rolling boil way no quantity of stirring will forestall the effervescent. Use an extended spoon or spatula to steer clear of any sizzling jam from popping onto your hand.

At this level, flip the burner below the canner again as much as top and get that water boiling once more.

Take away the jam pot from the warmth, and stir it gently for three extra mins. On the finish of the three mins, skim off any foam that is still.

The usage of a funnel and a ladle, upload the jam in your ready jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace on the most sensible. Headspace is the volume of room between the highest of the meals, and the highest rim of the jar.

The usage of a rainy clear rag, wipe the rim to verify there isn’t any sticky jam on there. 

Position a brand new clear lid at the jar after which a canning ring. Tighten the hoop to fingertip tight (tight sufficient that it gained’t come off, however no longer so tight that an ordinary individual couldn’t budge it).

The usage of canning tongs, upload your jars to the boiling water, and put the canner lid on. Professional tip: you will have to have a minimum of 1 inch of water over the tops of the jars for secure canning. Processing occasions will range in keeping with altitude. See the chart beneath.

As soon as the processing time is up, take away the canner from warmth, take away the lid of the canner, and let the canner sit down for five mins. Use canning tongs and take away the jars and position them on towels at the counter. You should definitely put them the place they are able to be undisturbed for 12-24 hours.

After the entirety has cooled, verify the seal by means of pushing down at the heart of the lid. If it doesn’t give means, it’s sealed. Label the jars, and retailer in a fab darkish position for as much as a 12 months. If the lid bows somewhat bit, put that within the refrigerator and use it inside of 3 weeks.

Not unusual Jam Problems

Can Jam be Doubled?

Sure, however jam is perfect when made in small batches. With that during thoughts, doubling the jam recipe is okay however tripling isn’t steered. You’ll need to double every of the components, together with the pectin.