Balsamic Vinegar Jams are low-sugar or low-honey cooked jams contributed by Becky Hoff of Harmony, Minnesota, and made with Pomona’s Universal Pectin. Pomona’s Universal Pectin contains no sugar or preservatives and jells reliably with low amounts of any sweetener. Becky says: “I have jammed exclusively with Pomona’s Pectin for many years, but just this past year I’ve begun experimenting with adding balsamic vinegar to my batches of jam. The tartness of the vinegar subtly balances the flavor of the jam, bringing out the complexities of the fruit. Balsamic Vinegar Jams are not a sour or overly acidic finished product, simply a well-rounded, delicious batch of jam!”“I do tend to use the higher recommended amount of sugar when jamming with balsamic vinegar. Plain or infused balsamic vinegars can both be used successfully. Try plain balsamic vinegar in your blueberry or raspberry jam, both are delicious!”“For flavored vinegars, Lavender Balsamic Vinegar paired beautifully with strawberries. Blackberry-Ginger Balsamic Vinegar in Peach Jam is definitely a winning flavor combination!”“A word to the wise: dark balsamic vinegar added to light colored fruit will make brown jam. In hindsight I would have used a white balsamic vinegar in my peach jam if I’d had some readily available.”
Servings 5 cups
Ingredients
- Follow the basic recipe on the Direction and Recipe sheet that comes with the pectin for whatever fruit you want to work with to create a Balsamic Vinegar Jam.
- You will be adding 1 Tablespoon or less of balsamic vinegar for each cup of mashed fruit in your recipe. Select a good quality balsamic vinegar — either plain balsamic or a flavored balsamic, like Lavender Balsamic, Fig Balsamic, or Blackberry-Ginger Balsamic.
- If your recipe calls for lemon or lime juice be sure to add the full amount of lemon or lime juice in addition to the amount of balsamic vinegar you choose. This is to be absolutely sure the jam is acid enough to be safe for water bath canning. Even if your balsamic vinegar is at 5% acidity, balsamic vinegar is less acid than lemon or lime juice.
Instructions
- Wash jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small sauce pan; cover and heat to a low boil. Turn off heat and keep lids in hot water until ready to use.
- Put measured amount of mashed fruit into sauce pan.
- Add calcium water, lemon or lime juice if called for, and balsamic vinegar, and mix well.
- Measure sugar or room temperature honey into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into sweetener. Set aside.
- Bring fruit mixture to a full boil. Add pectin-sweetener mixture, stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin while the jam comes back up to a boil. Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.
- Fill hot jars to ¼” of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level). Remove from water. Let jars cool. Check seals; lids should be sucked down. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
Alyssa Brodsky
Wooooow! I just made strawberry balsamic jam and I am so amazed. I am not a serious balsamic user so I was worried it would have too much balsamic flavor but not at all. Just so much deeper of a flavor. Thanks for sharing!
scott bishop
Good morning!! I want to make Balsamic Onion Jam. I was wondering how to add onion to this recipe? I would use sugar substitute (allulose) with the recipe.
Shelby Collings
Hello Scott,
We would recommend using our recipe, HERE, as long as your balsamic vinegar is 5% acidity. Happy jamming!
Debbie
Today I made Blueberry Maple Jam, I used Maple Balsamic vinegar from my vinegar specialty store. Very yummy and added a maple depth to the jam.