Zero Sugar Strawberry Jam, Real Fruit Real Set
A real zero sugar strawberry jam, set with pectin instead of chia seeds, gelatin, or gum. Fresh strawberries crush into a loose, spoonable set, with black pepper riding through the cook and a bright splash of orange liqueur and extract stirred in at the end for a finish that holds up even cold.
Servings: 24
Ingredients
Calcium Water:
- ⅛ tsp calcium powder
- 2 tsp water
Jam:
- 2 cup strawberry, hull, crush and dice
- ½ cup allulose
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Pomona's pectin powder
- 1 tsp calcium water
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp triple sec
- ¼ tsp orange extract
Instructions
Calcium Water:
- Combine calcium powder and water in small jar, shake well.
Jam:
- Hull strawberry; crush ¾ with potato masher, dice remaining ¼.
- Combine allulose and pectin powder, to prevent clumping.
- Combine allulose-pectin mixture, calcium water, lemon juice, and black pepper with strawberry.
- Bring to rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.
- Hold at rolling boil 1-2 min to confirm full boil, stirring constantly.
- Test set on cold plate or spoon; remove immediately once jam mounds and holds.
- Off-heat, stir in triple sec and orange extract.
- Cool and refrigerate.
Notes
Strawberry is the trickiest fruit to set, naturally low in pectin and acid. These amounts follow Pomona's guidance for low pectin fruit. If the batch sets looser than desired after the overnight rest, bump the calcium water by ½ tsp next time before touching the pectin. Small moves.
Pomona's pectin sets on contact with calcium, not from sustained heat, so once the jam reaches a real rolling boil the set reaction is essentially immediate. Hold at a rolling boil for a minute or two to confirm it is boiling throughout, then test right away rather than boiling longer. Continuing to boil past that point cooks fruit pieces down into the base and drives off fresh strawberry flavor, leaving a stiffer, flatter jam.
The jam also keeps firming for hours after the jar leaves the stove. If it looks fully set while still hot, it has already gone past the point to pull. A properly timed batch looks loose and barely holds on a cold-plate or cold-spoon test while warm, then reaches its real set overnight in the refrigerator.
Crush most of the fruit, dice the rest. Crushing distributes fruit and pectin evenly through the batch; dicing a portion keeps real strawberry pieces intact instead of dissolving completely into the base.
If boiling jam foams, drop in a pat of butter and keep stirring to settle foam.
Cold jam tastes flatter than hot jam off the spoon, and acidic Zing options can read more tart once fully chilled. This is not a flaw, just how cold mutes flavor, build a little extra boldness in while hot rather than relying on warming the jam before eating.
Buy one 1 lb container of whole strawberries per batch.
Leftover prepared calcium water keeps refrigerated for months. Shake before use, and discard if it develops mold, an off smell, or unusual cloudiness beyond normal settling.
Expected refrigerator life is approximately 2-3 weeks. Freeze for longer.
Other Zing options, in place of the triple sec, orange extract, and black pepper: balsamic vinegar with black pepper for a tangy, savory edge; bourbon with black pepper for a warm, caramel-toned finish; black pepper alone for a simple peppery backbone with no liqueur at all.
Pomona's Universal Pectin isn't typically stocked in stores. Order online in advance.
Canning: Want to can a batch instead of keeping in the fridge? Canning is its own process with real safety steps. Follow the tested method from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Nutrition Summary (per serving)
Net Carbs 1g
Carbs 1g
Fiber 0.2g
Calories 5kcal
Sugar 1g