Strawberry Cherry Low Sugar Jam Recipe
The strawberry patch is reaching the end of production for this year. It’s been an OK year – so far we have gotten about 18lbs of berries. Not bad but nowhere near the 55lbs we brought in one year. Some went in the freezer, I made a strawberry pie (it’s not summer without this pie for me!), a strawberry buckle and a chocolate strawberry bundt cake (recipe coming soon.) We ate many spinach and strawberry salads and I paired the small rhubarb harvest to make a strawberry rhubarb custard tart. I had one last goal for this year and that was to add some more low sugar jam to the pantry. When I didn’t have enough strawberries to make a batch of jam I added in some of the cherries I had frozen last year to make strawberry cherry low sugar jam! The result was so good this jam will be an annual event.
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Low Sugar Strawberry Cherry Jam
Makes 4 1/2 to 5 pints
- 6 cups chopped strawberries
- 4 cups chopped cherries
- 3 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 box low sugar pectin
- 1 tsp butter (optional)
- Have your pint jars clean and sterilized and the canner ready.
- Cut the strawberries and cherries into small pieces and add them to a heavy bottomed, non reactive pot.
- Put the sugar in a bowl and remove 1/4 cup.
- Mix the 1/4 cup of sugar in another bowl with the pectin.
- Add the pectin/sugar to the fruit in the pot. If you would like add the teaspoon of butter to help keep foaming down.
- Heat over medium high heat, stirring constantly to a full rolling boil – one that you cannot stir down – and add the remaining sugar.
- Return to a rolling boil – boil for one minute and remove from heat.
- Carefully add the jam to the prepared jars. Leave 1/2″ headspace. Use a non reactive spatula to get out any air gaps. If you need to add more jam, do. (if you are new to canning, a canning kit is very helpful)
- Dip the canning lids in hot water to soften. Dry
- Wipe the rims of the jars to remove any jam that might have spilled.
- Place the lid, then the rim and twist hand tight.
- Process for 15 minutes. If you are above 3,000 follow the directions for higher altitude canning.
- Turn off the heat. Leave the jars in the canner for 5 minutes with the lid on the canner.
- Remove the jars and let them sit for 24 hours then check the seals.
- Store as you do your other jams and jellies.
How Was the Strawberry Cherry Low Sugar Jam Recipe?
As I mentioned above this is about the best jam I think I have ever made. It’s great when a what am I going to do moment leads to something so wonderful. Last year I had a similar situation with apricots; I ended up making Apricot Strawberry Jam. It is very tasty but no where near as good as this is.
I have been enjoying it for lunch on crackers with some peanut butter. It really sings. I have a feeling it is not going to last long. Next year I will make more.
I am sorry to see the end of the fresh strawberries but as they say, all good things must come to an end.
