No-Pectin Fruit Jam
from https://www.thechoppingblock.com/

Although we are not adding commercially-made pectin to our jam, all fruit has naturally occurring pectin in it. Different fruits have varying levels of natural pectin, blueberries are low in pectin but apples are high. The fruits that are highest in pectin are apples, lemons, currants, grapes, sour cherries, cranberries, quince and lingonberries. Did you notice what these fruits all have in common? They are all tart or sour, which is an indication of high pectin in the fruit.

Peaches, pears, strawberries, apricots and blueberries are generally pretty sweet, therefore they tend to have a lower pectin content. All fruit pectin levels will vary at times. I’m sure you have had a peach that wasn’t very sweet and one that was at some point. The peach that was really sweet has a lower level of pectin than the not-so-sweet peach. The not-so-sweet peach is likely less ripe and therefore less sweet and which would mean it has a higher pectin content.

Concorde grapes are a great example: you will generally have a mixture of ripe grapes and less ripe grapes mixed together. The combination of the two give you both the ripe fruit taste and the increased pectin level that the jam needs to set.

If you simply take fruit and cook it with some sugar to sweeten it a little, it will get thick enough to turn into jam by the naturally occurring pectin in the fruit and the process of reduction. Reduction occurs when we simmer the fruit, and the liquid turns to steam and evaporates, which thickens the jam.

Although we are not adding powdered pectin, we will add citric acid or lemon juice to the jam. This gives an additional pop of pectin but also some acidity that balances the sweetness of the jam. By adding citric acid to the jam, we are increasing the pectin in the jam which allows the jam to set more quickly. The reason I want my jam to set more quickly is so I don’t have to cook it as long. When you don’t have to cook your jam for long, you will yield more jam. Secondly, when the fruit is cooked less it can maintain more of its shape and more of its freshness of flavor. Fruit cooked for a long time can get rather murky and dull.

The other ingredient we are using is sugar. The less sugar you add to your jam, the less shelf stable it is. Sugar is an amazing preservative. The lower sugar variety here lasts for 6 months on the shelf, compared to a full year if I added the traditional amount of sugar. You can also refrigerate your jam after canning and it will last a year.

Also, the sugar binds to the water in the fruit, which otherwise would prevent the jam from thickening. The sugar essentially prevents this water from getting in the way, so what you’re left with is a nicely set jam rather than a thin and runny one.

In responce to a question about making grape jelly: "Jam contains the pulp of the fruit, jelly is made with the juice of the fruit. Grapes are generally made into jelly, not jam since they do not contain as much flesh as other fruits. For grapes the easiest way process them is to puree the fruit and strain all the seeds and skin out. This recipe is really geared towards jam, not jelly, so I am not sure that it will set properly. Grapes to have a lot of pectin, especially if you included some green grapes in with the ripe grapes. I also find pureeing the grapes extracts more pectin from the seeds and the skins so try that method. I'll be very curious to see if the grape jelly sets so please let us know how it comes out."

No-Pectin Fruit Jam

FMM: The amount of sugar per fruit here is very low. Usually, they say to use a pound of sugar for every pound of fruit.

3 pounds of fresh fruit
1 pound of sugar
1 tablespoon of citric acid or 3 Tablespoons Real Lemon juice

Prepare your fruit by washing it thoroughly and removing any blemishes, stems, pits and seeds. Remove skin if desired and dice.

Prepare your canning jars and lids buy washing and rinsing them thoroughly. Place them in a 200-degree oven for at least 20 minutes. They can sit in the oven until you need them.

Place fruit, sugar and citric acid in a non-reactive 6 to 8-quart stock pot.

Turn the heat on medium low and allow fruit to warm and sugar to dissolve.

Once sugar has dissolved, turn heat up to medium. Stir regularly over a low boil for approximately 10 to 20 minutes.

Take a chilled plate out of the freezer, put a teaspoon of jam on the plate and run your finger through it. If it leaves a trail it is done. I would suggest starting this test at about 10 minutes and then check every 5 minutes after. Once you are a pro and know what the cooked fruit should look like when it is done, you may choose to skip this step all together.

Note: If you find the jam not sweet enough, it is very easy to adjust at this point. Simply sprinkle some additional sugar in the jam until it suites your taste. Cook it long enough to dissolve the sugar and you are ready to go.

Pull your lids and jars out of the oven and fill them with jam just below the threads of the jar. Put the lid on and set aside at room temperature. The lids will pop when they have sealed. You will know this has happened when you push down on the lid and it doesn’t bounce back. Give the jars at least 30 minutes to complete this process.

Yield: 6 1/2 pint jars of jam