Small batch Keto Berry Jam

Quick keto sugar-free berry jam, for canning or just enjoying from the fridge with NO DEXTROSE!

I’ve been making and canning sugar-free jam for a few years now, but only now have I tried it using a mix of raspberries and blackberries. One of these days, I’ll have to also post my recipe for holiday-spiced cranberry & pepper jelly. 

Most of the time when I make jam, I harvest or hoard berries all summer long and wash, trim & freeze them to capture their flavors, then in fall when things cool down, I can a dozen or so half pints of jam when it’s no longer hot and not so busy during the same late summer, which is the same time I have been canning other things like crazy (pickles, salsa, etc.). I also do this with tomatoes when I have gotten a LOT of them.

Quick rant for you diabetic and keto folks…

Have you gotten tired of looking for a homemade jam recipe that can be preserved and does not use trash ingredients like (Sure-Jell which has DEXTROSE in it) and claim to be sugar-free or low sugar? 

One thing you might know about me is my sheer hatred for the kinds of fake ingredients marketed to diabetics and other people who want to keep their blood sugar at a normal level, but wind up having blood glucoses spikes and other problems due to consuming things that they were told were “safe for diabetics” or “keto-friendly,” I’m sorry, but anything that is designed for or has the potential to raising blood sugars is NOT keto friendly. 

End rant… 

INGREDIENTS

2 1/3 cup Allulose
2 tsp Pomona’s Universal Pectin powder
6 cups frozen blackberries & raspberries (5 cups, if using fresh)
2 tsp Pomona’s calcium water
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 tsp citric acid (or 4 tablespoons bottled lemon juice)

DIRECTIONS

Canning Prep:

(if not, skip these steps)
Prepare jars for canning by checking all the rims for chips or cracks. Do not use these jars for canning. Use for something else, like storing leftovers in the fridge or non-food items, using in crafts, etc. Next, wash jars with hot, soapy water (and lids, if not using new ones), rinse well, and keep them in hot water until you’re ready to fill them. Alternatively you can run them through a hot rinse cycle in the dishwasher (not the lids). 

Prepare a water bath canner with enough water to just cover each jar by 1 to 1 1/2 inches. I don’t start cooking my jam until the canning water reaches at least 175-180 F. Otherwise, my hot jam starts getting cold! (see Notes below)

Normal Prep (not canning):

In a medium bowl, combine the Allulose and Pomona’s pectin powder and blend well using a whisk.

In a pot, measure out the berries, then add the calcium water, vanilla, and citric acid. Stir to combine.

Heat the strawberry mixture over medium heat, mashing gently with a wooden spoon or potato masher as they cook, once starting to get soft.

Increase heat and bring strawberry mixture to a boil, and stir in the Allulose/pectin mixture. Stir gently for about 2 minutes or until Allulose/pectin are dissolved.

Once the Allulose/pectin is dissolved into the berries, it will come back up to a boil. Continue to boil for a full minute.

If canning:

Funnel hot mixture into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, then cover and process jars for 15 minutes in your standard water bath setup, then remove the jars to a towel-lined counter top and let them rest undisturbed for 12-24 hours. After they have rested, remove the rings and check your jars for a complete seal, and store in a cool, dark place. The jam will keep preserved for at least 1 year.

If not canning:

Let your jam cool down a bit and funnel it into containers or jars, and refrigerate. You can keep the jars refrigerated for up to 4 weeks.

Notes:

How much water do I need to put in the canner? 

I don’t know about you, but the thought of a completely-filled 21 quart canner of boiling water in my small apartment scares me, because I’m clumsy, and frankly, that takes a long time to boil. The level to fill the pot for canning depends on whether you’re using pint or half pint, though I prefer half pints for jam. It can be tricky the first time you do it, but you can figure it out after the first couple canning projects you do. I have placed canned goods or jars that already contain preserved goods in them into my rack and lowered it, then added enough water to cover those cans or jars, then removed them and began heating the water.  Note: If you have access to one, get a steam canner instead. They require much less water and can be a bit cheaper, plus, they take the same processing time and instructions as you’d follow for a water bath method.

Fixing foam:

Strawberry jam, once boiled, may become foamy (same with other jams, as well as salsas, tomato sauces, and relishes). That’s OK, because the foam won’t affect the taste, texture, or shelf life of your jam, just rises to the top of each jar, and can be mixed in to be unnoticeable once a jar is opened. .But if you don’t want foamy jam, you can add a teaspoon or so of butter or oil (olive, avocado, or coconut) to your jam while cooking it in the pot and stir it in completely. This small amount of oil will bring down the foam immediately but will not affect the taste or texture of the jam, and since it’s such a negligible amount of fat, will not make jam greasy or oily, either.

Do I need to de-bubble the jam?

To de-bubble means to eliminate any trapped bubbles in your jars once filled, by running a thin tool such as a butter knife, chopstick or thin dowel (or actual de-bubbling tool) around the center and inside of your jars’ contents before canning. I have never done this and never had an issue—some people do, some don’t.

Unsealed jars:

With any jars that did not seal, you can eat the contents of right away, or keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Otherwise, if no more than 24 hours have gone by after processing, you can reprocess the contents of unsealed jars for 10 minutes again using new lids and clean rings.

Jam not gelled to your likeness:

Give it 24 hours! If after that, your jam did not gel to the consistency you like, you can open the jars, empty the contents and reheat it, and can it again using the steps above. Make sure to use clean/new rings and re-cleaned jars.