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Monday, July 6, 2020

Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Low Sugar No Pectin

How to make Instant Pot strawberry jam that is low sugar and has no pectin.  This is an easy three ingredient recipe, and it tastes delicious on toast or in desserts.  This three ingredient strawberry jam is sure to be a family favorite!

My kids eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like it's their job.  They are homeschooled, so they eat them for lunch all year round.  

I have been making my own jelly and jam for over 10 years now.  Once you make homemade jam, you'll never want to buy it from the store again.



Homemade jam tastes so fresh, and you'll love how easy this recipe is.  With just your Instant Pot pressure cooker and three ingredients, you can have fresh jam with hardly any work in about two hours.

This is a low sugar strawberry jam.  It uses about much less sugar, and I've even used a sugar substitute to test it.

Don't have an Instant Pot?  Don't worry, I'll include stove top directions too.

Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Low Sugar No Pectin


How to Make Strawberry Jam Without Pectin


Pectin is a natural fiber that's found in certain foods.  Pectin creates a bond with the acid from the fruit and the sugar to form a gel, which turns it into a thick jelly or jam.

Pears, apples, plums, and oranges all have high amounts of natural pectin.  Strawberries and other soft fruits have small amounts of natural pectin.

Since this Instant Pot strawberry jam is made with no pectin, I added an acid: lemon juice.  When you add an acid and cook the jam, the natural fruit juices cook down and evaporate.  

When it cools, you'll have a thick jam.



Choosing Your Strawberries


Freshly picked strawberries are the best for making homemade jam.  If you can get them either by picking them or from the store, use those.  They are often more expensive, but they are oh so worth it!

Sugar


I use regular white granulated sugar to make my low sugar strawberry jam.  My neighbor wanted homemade strawberry jam.  I use Splenda for baking when I bake for him, so I used that in his batch.

Splenda for baking is a blend of sugar and sucralose.  It's a lower calorie sweetener, and it tastes more like sugar since it has sugar in it.  

I don't use sucralose, so I could taste it.  He uses sucralose often, and he said it tasted amazing.  If you want to further cut the sugar in this recipe, this will work for you.



Lemon Juice


Fresh lemon juice gives the best results.  That said, I used bottled lemon juice.  You may have to cook it a bit longer to get it to thicken up.

I always have bottled lemon juice, but I rarely have lemons.  If you don't have fresh lemons, use the bottled lemon juice.

Don't skip the lemon juice completely though.  The acid in the lemon juice helps balance the sweetness of the sweet strawberries.

But you also need lemon juice to lower the pH of the jam.  Since strawberries are low in natural pectin, the lemon juice helps what pectin there is gel to make a jam.



How Long Does Strawberry Jam Last?


Your low sugar strawberry jam should last in the fridge up to four weeks.  Be sure to keep it stored in the fridge and don't let it sit out on the counter longer than necessary.

You can also freeze this Instant Pot jam.  It's recommended that you freeze it for up to two months, but I've frozen them for up to a year.  I do use freezer containers to store mine in to help them last longer.

I do not can this recipe since it's low in sugar.  I do not know if it is safe, and I can't find a recipe from a trusted source for canned low sugar strawberry jam.

I can a lot of foods, but strawberry jam isn't one of them anyway.  I prefer it fresh or frozen because I think it brings out the sweetness more than canning does.

First, I'll give you the Instant Pot method.  After that I'll give you the stove top method and some tips and tricks.

Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Recipe Ingredients


  • 1 pounds fresh strawberries, about 4 cups
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions


Step #1


Rinse the strawberries and drain.  Remove the stems and cut in half.  Place in the Instant Pot liner.

Step #2


Add sugar and lemon juice to the berries.  Stir to mix.  



Step #3


Close the lid and let sit for 30 minutes.  Do not turn the Instant Pot on for this step.  This just helps the natural juices release from the berries.

Step #4


Stir the berry mixture.  Close the lid and seal.  Pressure cook for 1 minute at high pressure.  Let naturally release for 15 minutes.  Manually release the pressure and open the lid when the pressure is fully released.

Step #5


Use a potato masher to mash the strawberries.  They will be very soft and will fall apart quickly.  

Step #6


Turn the Instant Pot to saute and bring to a boil.  Let boil for 5 minutes to thicken the jam.  Turn off the Instant Pot.  Let the jam cool completely.



It is ready to eat when it is cool.  

This recipe makes about 11 ounces of strawberry jam or 1 1/3 cups.

You can use this on bread or toast, but I also use it to make desserts.  Any way you make it, it's delicious!



How to Make Low Sugar Strawberry Jam on the Stove Top


To make this recipe on the stove, use the same ingredients.  Wash and remove the stems from the berries.  Chop them in a food processor until you have small bits of berries.

Place the berries, lemon juice, and sugar in a Dutch oven on the stove.  Cook on medium high until it starts to thicken and bubble.  This takes about 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir frequently.  

Let cool completely and enjoy.

My Strawberry Jam Didn't Set Up


If your strawberry jam did not set up, it might not have been cooked long enough.  Don't worry; you can cook it a bit longer to get it to set up.

To save time, test your jam before you remove it from heat.  Place a teaspoon or so of the hot jam on a small plate.  

Put the plate in the fridge or freezer until it's very cold.  Test to make sure that has thickened.  (If you place it in the freezer, keep an eye on it because it will get cold quickly.)

Like this Instant Pot strawberry jam recipe?  You'll love these recipes:

instant pot, strawberry jam, strawberry preserves, low sugar jam, no pectin jam
Dessert
American
Yield: 20
Author: Cari @ Koti Beth
Print
Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Recipe Low Sugar No Pectin

Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Recipe Low Sugar No Pectin

Prep time: 15 MCook time: 1 hourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
Low sugar Instant Pot strawberry jam recipe made with no pectin.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pounds fresh strawberries, about 4 cups
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions:

Instant Pot Directions
  1. Rinse the strawberries and drain. Remove the stems and cut in half. Place in the Instant Pot liner.
  2. Add sugar and lemon juice to the berries. Stir to mix.
  3. Close the lid and let sit for 30 minutes. Do not turn the Instant Pot on for this step. This just helps the natural juices release from the berries.
  4. Stir the berry mixture. Close the lid and seal. Pressure cook for 1 minute at high pressure. Let naturally release for 15 minutes. Manually release the pressure and open the lid when the pressure is fully released.
  5. Use a potato masher to mash the strawberries. They will be very soft and will fall apart quickly.
  6. Turn the Instant Pot to saute and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes to thicken the jam. Turn off the Instant Pot. Let the jam cool completely.
Stove Top Directions
  1. To make this recipe on the stove, use the same ingredients. Wash and remove the stems from the berries. 
  2. Chop them in a food processor until you have small bits of berries.
  3. Place the berries, lemon juice, and sugar in a Dutch oven on the stove. Cook on medium high until it starts to thicken and bubble. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir frequently.
  4. Let cool completely and enjoy.

Notes:

This recipe makes 1 1/3 cups.

Calories

26.86

Fat (grams)

0.07

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.00

Carbs (grams)

6.83

Fiber (grams)

0.46

Net carbs

6.36

Sugar (grams)

6.12

Protein (grams)

0.16

Sodium (milligrams)

0.64

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00
Created using The Recipes Generator
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How to make Instant Pot strawberry jam recipe without pectin. This easy healthy homemade small batch lasts in the fridge for several weeks or put in the freezer. Make low sugar freezer jam with just 3 ingredient with this simple recipe. Make a quick batch of strawberry jam with fresh berries and without pectin. This recipe Instant Pot is making easy homemade strawerry jam pecin free and low sugar freezer jam. #strawberryjam #instantpot



3 comments:

  1. Mmm, love homemade strawberry jam and have to try your Instant Pot version soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yummy, instant pot strawberry jam recipe (with low sugar). Must try!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Does this recipe freeze well?

    ReplyDelete