I had found a great deal on red pears and had so many I decided to make jam with them. Added in some ripe Bing cherries, for a vibrant jam. This is a low sugar jam using our favorite Pomona’s Universal Pectin.
Pear and Cherry Jam
Ingredients:
- 6 cups pears*
- 2 cups bing cherries*
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 8 tsp calcium water*
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tsp pectin powder
Directions:
*Pomona’s Pectin is a little different from other pectin. To start, each box has 2 packets. The small one is calcium powder. Mix ½ tsp (basically the packet) with ½ cup filtered water. I do this in a small mason jar, seal and shake to dissolve. Store in refrigerator, it lasts for months. Just shake before using.
*Wash and dry the pears, peel, split in half and then core. Chop, then measure. Wash, dry and pit the cherries, then quarter.
Wash jars, with bands and new lids, in hot, soapy water. Rinse well, and drain on a clean kitchen towel. Add jars to the rack of a canning kettle, fill pot halfway, bring to a simmer. Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer, turn off heat, add in lids and rings, set aside.
In a large pot, add measured pears and cherries, lemon juice and calcium water. In a small bowl, stir dry pectin into the sugar, setting aside.
Bring the fruit to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Add in the pectin/sugar Stir well to combine, continuing to stir as it comes back to a full boil (it will take 1 to 3 minutes). If you see any blobs of pectin, smash with a silicone spatula while stirring. Once it returns to a boil, take off heat.
Drain jars, and place on a clean kitchen towel. Using a sterilized ladle, pour into jars. Run a sterilized chopstick or plastic bubble remover through the jam, adding more if needed. Fill up to ¼” of the top. Wipe rims with a slightly damp new paper towel. Put a lid on and a band, finger tight. Add jars to canning kettle, making sure jars are covered with water, bring water to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes (see the above link for higher altitude canning). Take out jars, let cool on a clean dry kitchen towel. Once cooled, check that lids are flat and sealed. If any are not, just refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.
Store jars in a cool and dark location, for up to 1 year.
Makes about 5 pint jars.
Notes:
The jam may appear runny for the first 24 hours or so, until it fully cools. It will then firm up.
If your pears are on the crunchy side, add them to the pot first with 1 cup water and the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes to soften. Then proceed.
Do not substitute other pectin brands, which require a lot more sugar.
