Nectarine-Cherry Jam
Nectarine-Cherry is a low-sugar cooked jam made with Pomona’s Universal Pectin. Pomona’s Universal Pectin contains no sugar or preservatives and jells reliably with low amounts of any sweetener.
Servings 5 cups
Ingredients
- 3 cups mashed nectarine
- 1 cup mashed cherries
- ¼ cup lemon juice bottled
- 4 tsp calcium water see step #1
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tsp Pomona’s Universal Pectin mixed with sweetener
Instructions
- Before you begin, prepare calcium water.To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well.Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
- Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Wash lids and bands and set aside.
- Measure mashed nectarine and cherries into sauce pan.
- Add calcium water and lemon juice and mix well.
- Measure sugar into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into sugar. 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.
- Remove hot jars from canner and fill jars with (marmalade/jam/jelly), leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims and put on lids and screw bands, tightening bands only to “fingertip tight” (until resistance is met, and then just the tiniest bit more).
- Place jars in the hot water, on the rack inside the canner. (Make sure jars are upright, not touching each other or the sides of the canner, and are covered with at least 1-2 inches of water). Place the lid on the canner, bring the canner to a rolling boil, and boil for 10 minutes. (Add 1 minute additional processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.)
- Turn off heat and allow canner and jars to sit for 5 minutes. Then, remove jars from canner. Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Then, confirm that jars have sealed, then store properly. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
Hi. Could I use only nectarines if I prefer? I’d substitute out the cup of cherries and use 4 of nectarines.
I also see that this recipe calls for a different amount of calcium water and pectin (4 tsp/ 3 tsp), compared to many other fruit jam recipes I’ve followed on the site that use a 2 tsp / 2 tsp ratio (such as strawberry, blackberries, and blueberries). Why the different amounts for this one? Thanks in advance.
Could I use plums or another fruit instead of the cherries (can’t find fresh right now). Or .. frozen cherries???
You can certainly use frozen cherries, they will just need to thawed before they are mashed and measured.
Plums would also be just fine!
Do you have an estimate of how many pounds of nectarines I will need to buy to get 3 cups of mashed?
Probably between 2-3 pounds depending on how much “meat” there is on the fruit. Happy jamming!
What kind of cherries should I use for this? Sweet or sour?
We used dark, sweet cherries 😊
What size of jars is this for? Is there a chart somewhere for processing times for different sizes of jars?
Generally we recommend ½ pint (8 oz or 1 cup) jars for low-sugar jams and jellies. The ¼ pint (4 oz or ½ cup) are a good size also if you’re making the jam or jelly for gifts.
You can use 1 pint (2 cup) jars but it’s important to remember that a jar of low-sugar jam or jelly will last only about 3 weeks in the refrigerator once opened. So unless you and your family can eat 2 cups of jam in 3 weeks, it’s better to use the smaller jars.
The processing time for all three jar sizes of jam or jelly is the same.
Could I use peaches instead of nectarines?
Hello Michelle,
You sure can! Happy jamming 😊