fresh nectarines and a slice of nectarine on a table

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

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10 Responses

  1. Leslie
    | Reply

    Could I use plums or another fruit instead of the cherries (can’t find fresh right now). Or .. frozen cherries???

    • Shelby Collings
      | Reply

      You can certainly use frozen cherries, they will just need to thawed before they are mashed and measured.
      Plums would also be just fine!

  2. Valerie
    | Reply

    Do you have an estimate of how many pounds of nectarines I will need to buy to get 3 cups of mashed?

    • Shelby Collings
      | Reply

      Probably between 2-3 pounds depending on how much “meat” there is on the fruit. Happy jamming!

  3. Keke
    | Reply

    What kind of cherries should I use for this? Sweet or sour?

    • Shelby Collings
      | Reply

      We used dark, sweet cherries 😊

  4. Penny
    | Reply

    What size of jars is this for? Is there a chart somewhere for processing times for different sizes of jars?

    • Shelby Collings
      | Reply

      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.

  5. Michelle
    | Reply

    Could I use peaches instead of nectarines?

    • Shelby Collings
      | Reply

      Hello Michelle,

      You sure can! Happy jamming 😊

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