Sugar and Pectin when Making Preserves

[Shel_B]

This year, I want to learn to make preserves, I read somewhere that sugar and pectin are not needed when making preserves - that pectin can be had from the skins and seeds of fruits and that, for some tastes at least, sugar is not needed.  Can somebody knowledgeable elaborate on this?  Thanks!

Edited March 10, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[sparrowgrass]

Here ya go!  http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/usda/GUIDE%207%20Home%20Can.pdf

[Chris Hennes]

Great link, sparrowgrass: there's a lot of good info in there about making jams and jellies without pectin, but I'm still curious about the "rules" regarding added sugar. They've got a recipe for "PEACH-PINEAPPLE SPREAD":
 

4 cups drained peach pulp (procedure as below)
2 cups drained unsweetened crushed pineapple
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
2 cups sugar (optional)

So the sugar is listed as optional, but I'd be very curious about what the final texture was like without added sugar. I think of jams and jellies as having a texture that is closely tied to a sugar syrup cooked to a particular temperature, so I don't quite understand how these work if you are relying purely on the sugar in the fruit itself. Has anyone tried making any conventional jams without adding sugar?

I see that in the past we've discussed "Modern Jams" that are made less sweet than traditional jams, and of course there's the Preservation Basics eGCI course, but they are always adding at least some sugar.

[FauxPas]

You can exclude the sugar and pectin, but the result will be more of a fruit spread rather than a jam. And you'll have to cook it longer to thicken it. Here's an example that uses a bit of arrowroot powder to help with the thickening:

 

http://livinghealthywithchocolate.com/desserts/truly-sugar-free-strawberry-jam-2806/

 

Sugar is a preservative, so if you make low or no-sugar spreads, you'll probably need to keep them in the fridge. 

 

I make small batches of fairly low-sugar jams. My fave is a mixed berry jam and I use about 1/2 cup sugar for 3-4 cups of berries, plus a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. 

 

ETA:  I don't use any pectin in this jam, I use a wide, fairly shallow pan to cook the jam which helps with evaporation.

 

If you want a non-commercial pectin, you've probably already discovered that you can make your own from apples or just add high-pectin fruit. 

Edited March 16, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[FauxPas]

Fruit butters are traditionally made with very little sugar and you can use honey instead if you just want to avoid processed sugar. Or you can make them without any added sweeteners. Of course, if you want the fresh fruit flavour and bright colour of a good jam, butters aren't the best substitute.

 

Here's an example recipe for Strawberry-Apple Butter:

 

http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2012/12/stop-buying-jelly-and-make-your-own-fruit-butter-instead-recipe-included/

[djyee100]

I suggest you check out June Taylor's class on making preserves. She keeps the sugar amts low and doesn't use commercial pectin. Actually, she makes her own pectin, when necessary, from citrus fruit peels. For most of her fruit preserves, she doesn't use pectin at all. If you've ever tasted any of the preserves she has on sale around here (Pasta Shop, Cheese Board) you'll get a better idea of what the class is about. I attended this class many years ago and I found it very useful--I still follow June Taylor's methods for making preserves.

 

The 2014 schedule hasn't been posted yet. You'll have to email for details.
http://www.junetaylorjams.com/events/events.htm

 

Amanda Hesser's article on the website is worth reading for Taylor's methods.
http://www.junetaylorjams.com/misc/nytjams.pdf

[Shel_B]

I suggest you check out June Taylor's class on making preserves.

 

I've already signed up to be notified of classes and events.  Thanks for the pointer ...

[FauxPas]

Here is an example of an easy jam/spread. I bought 6 Ataulfo mangoes from Costco and I knew I wouldn't eat them all before they were over-ripe, so I took 2 of them and made this today. It's just a couple of mangoes chopped, with a bit of lemon juice and a couple of tablespoons of sugar and simmered for about 15 mins or so. After the first few minutes, I mash them with a potato masher. It won't be a firm jam, but it will be spreadable and the fruit flavour will still be clear. It's enough to last us a few mornings on toast. 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[heidih]

Along the lines of what FauxPas mentions above I often do very small batches when there some excellent fruit. These have very minimal sugar - just enough to bring up and brighten the flavor and if a non citrus some lemon juice is added. Here is a example I previously posted with kumquat http://forums.egullet.org/topic/104742-kumquats-any-ideas/#entry1875730

[jmacnaughtan]

Can anyone explain why people avoid commercial pectin?  It's still made from citrus peel and apple cores (refuse from the juice industry), is convenient, effective and gives no taste issues.  I don't understand why you wouldn't want to use it, unless you're going for an extremely soft-set jam.

 

It also means you can reduce the sugar and cooking time for the same set.

[FauxPas]

Can anyone explain why people avoid commercial pectin?  

 

I wonder about that also. With regular commercial pectin, you have to use a lot of sugar so that is why some people started to avoid it. But low-sugar pectins are available. Maybe some people feel it's 'cheating' to achieve the right flavour and set by relying on a commercial product?

 

I don't completely avoid the commercial stuff, I just don't use it unless I feel I need it. If I were going to make a port jelly or something, I absolutely would use regular pectin. I used to use it more when making larger batches and wanting to make sure that everything turned out right. Some fruits/recipes don't need extra pectin, of course. 

 

Mostly I do small batches these days - far too small to bother opening a package of pectin. I don't mind a softer set in some cases and I use enough sugar so that I don't have to cook the fruit too long. 

 

The commercial pectins are made from apple and citrus but the commercial production methods may be a turn-off to some people. But I've rarely run across people who actually know what that process entails. 

 

 

 

Pectin is obtained by aqueous extraction of the appropriate edible plant materials, mainly from citrus peel and apple pomace, followed by a selective precipitation using alcohol or salts.Pectin produced by the normal extraction process contains more than 50% of methoxyl groups and is classified as high methoxyl (HM) pectin.Modification of the extraction process, or continued acid treatment, will yieldconventional low methoxyl (LMC) pectin with less than 50% methoxyl groups.Some pectin can be treated during manufacture with ammonia to produce amidated low methoxyl (LMA) pectin with less than 50% methoxyl groups and from 5 to 25% of amidated groups.

 

From:

 

http://en.silvateam.com/Products-Services/Food-Ingredients/Pectin/What-pectin

[jmacnaughtan]

I wonder about that also. With regular commercial pectin, you have to use a lot of sugar so that is why some people started to avoid it. But low-sugar pectins are available. Maybe some people feel it's 'cheating' to achieve the right flavour and set by relying on a commercial product?

 

 

It's possible, but if commercial pectin is the same chemical that's naturally contained in fruit, I don't see how you'd be able to adjust the sugar content (for HM, not LM).  Besides, I use commercial pectin fairly regularly and can get it to set with relatively little sugar- around a third of the weight of the fruit, if I remember correctly.  There are no worries about preservation either if you sterilize the jars.

 

Plus, I really enjoy not needing to boil my jam to death.