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+ servings
Half pint jars of pear jam; whole pears arranged to side
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5 from 12 votes

Pear Vanilla Jam| Low Sugar

If you've never had pear and vanilla jam before, you're in for a real treat!
Course: condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: low sugar jam
Servings: 5 half pints

Equipment

  • potato masher
  • maslin pan, or other heavy bottomed pot

Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder (from box of Pomona brand pectin)
  • Approximately 3-1/4 pounds ripe pears (4 cups mashed)
  • 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup cane sugar
  • 3 teaspoons Pomona brand pectin

Instructions

  • If you plan on canning this recipe, prepare your jars, lids, bands, canning pot, etc. following an approved canning practice such as outlined by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
  • Put 1/2 teaspoon of calcium powder into a small jar with 1/2 cup of water. Shake until combined and set aside. You will only use 1/2 teaspoon of this prepared calcium water for this recipe; the rest can be refrigerated for another day of making jam.
  • In a small bowl, stir the sugar and pectin powder together. Set aside.
  • Peel, core, cut up, and mash each pear. I find it is easier to mash them on my cutting board.
    You need 4 cups of mashed pears for this recipe.
  • Add the measured mashed pears, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon of calcium water to a maslin pan, or other heavy bottomed pot; stir well.
    Place over medium-high to high heat; stir often. When it reaches a rolling boil, stir in the sugar/pectin mixture. Keep stirring until the sugar/pectin dissolves and it returns to a boil, then remove from the heat.
  • Boiling water bath
    Follow an approved canning procedure and process for 10 minutes. Add 1 minute additional processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.
    Freezing
    You can freeze jam in half-pint or pint jars. Only fill to the "fill line" etched into the mason jars. This headspace allows for expansion. Alternatively, use a vacuum sealer to prepare flat packages for your freezer. I created another post, complete with video demonstration, explaining how to freeze liquids using a vacuum sealer.

Notes

  • If you are freezing this jam, you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice (or bottled). If you are canning this jam stick with the bottled lemon juice as previously explained.
  • You can mash the pears fully or leave them a bit chunky.
  • Store the leftover calcium water in the refrigerator to be used for future jam making.