Sure-Jell Less Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
My mom has always loved to make freezer jam. I blame her for the fact that I am a total jam snob. Once you’ve had fresh strawberry or raspberry freezer jam, there’s just no going back.
A few years ago she decided, against her better judgement, to try the less sugar recipe instead of the full sugar recipe. (She was trying not to eat as much sugar at the time and thought, “What the heck? It’s just one batch.”)
First you prepare your jars and set them aside.
Next, clean the berries and remove the stems, I have this little strawberry huller. I think it is from Pampered Chef, someone gave it to me and I love it because it helps reduce waste. It just grabs the little stem and leaves, leaving you more strawberry, then a knife does. After all 4 pts of berries are clean, mash them or pulse them in a food processor until they are the consistency you desire. It will turn out to be about 4 cups of smashed or chopped berries.
Next, measure out the exact amount of sugar into a large sauce pan. Stir in 1 box of Sure-Jell Less or No Sugar needed Recipes Fruit Pectin.
Add one cup water and while stirring constantly, bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Once mixture is boiling, boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Quickly add crushed or mashed berries (all four cups) and stir for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.
Pour into prepared containers, leave at least 1/2 inch space at the top of container to allow for expansion during freezing.
Let stand until completely cooled. Put lids on and then leave containers be for 24 hours before putting them in the freezer.
Jam can be kept in the fridge for up to three weeks or frozen for up to a year.
I hope you will give the less sugar recipe a try. We love it!
- 2 lbs of strawberries (4 pints)
- 1 box Sure Jell Less or No Sugar Recipes Fruit Pectin
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- Prepare and clean your jars. You will need 3-4 pint jars or a combination of jars that will allow for 6-7 cups of jam between them.
- Clean strawberries and remove the stems. Mash or chop them in a food processor until they are the consistency you desire. (I like mine very finely chopped) This should be approx 4 cups of smashed or chopped berries.
- Exactly measure three cups of sugar into a large sauce pan. Add the box of Sure-Jell Less or No Sugar Recipes Fruit Pectin and stir well until thoroughly mixed.
- Add one cup of water and stir and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly.
- Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly, remove from heat and quickly stir in the smashed berries (all four cups at once)
- Stir until thoroughly mixed. Quickly pour into prepared jars making sure to leave at least ½ inch of space at top of container to allow for expansion during freezing.
- Let jars sit without lids until completely cooled.
- Once cooled clean tops and add lids, then allow jars or containers to sit out for 24 hours before freezing the jam.
- Jam can be kept in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or frozen for up to 1 year.
Enjoy!
Keep it Real!!!
Maria
KD
June 6, 2015 at 3:07 pmThis is awesome! I am totally sharing it on Facebook!
Maria
June 6, 2015 at 7:28 pmThanks Kelly!
rachel henry
June 11, 2015 at 6:53 pmI don’t know how soon you’ll get this. I’ll JUST made this jam! It’s cooling now. I used some strawberries that were very ripe, and I don’t want them to get even older over night if the jars sit out. Can i let them sit in the fridge overnight before freezing?
Thanks!
Maria
June 12, 2015 at 9:54 amHi Rachel,
Now that they are preserved in the pectin they will not continue to ripen so you don’t need to worry about that. I do, however, think it will be fine if you put them in the fridge too, if that makes you more comfortable.
Brittany
May 16, 2016 at 9:15 amIs it necessary to boil the jars after filling them? I read on another recipe where that needs to be done to create the proper seal. I assume it’s not needed since you didn’t mention that, but I wanted to make sure!
Maria
May 17, 2016 at 2:49 pmBecause it is freezer Jam, they do not have to have a seal. So no, you do not boil them.
Donna Caughran
April 22, 2017 at 8:13 pmHow can I make low sugar freezer jam with the regular Sure Jel? I have tried the recipe that is in the regular, it never sets up. I was given 12 boxes of the regular and I have wasted 4 on the jam I have tried…and ended up with syrup. Please help…I am wasting too much sugar.
Maria
May 2, 2017 at 5:54 pmHi Donna, unfortunately (to my knowledge) you can’t make the low sugar kind with regular sure jel. They have developed a special pectin recipe and sell it desperately. It is in a pink box. It tastes awesome, I like it better then regular (all sugar) jam.
Shannon
June 25, 2017 at 8:41 pmI had to make the regular recipe because I bought the wrong sure jell(The yellow box) . I didn’t see the pink bx at Walmart. Now I know next time I look. I look forward to trying your recipe soon.
Maria
June 29, 2017 at 12:32 pmYou’ll love it! I am starting to prefer the less sugar, I think it is even better then the regular!
Judy Cravens
August 23, 2017 at 12:39 pmMy friend had this issue and asked my help but I am just as puzzled. We live in Tennessee and make strawberry freezer jam yearly. She traveled to Florida to visit and was helping daughter-in-law make strawberry jam. It wouldn’t jell. Used regular sure jell jam recipe. Any suggestions?
Maria
August 23, 2017 at 9:49 pmI wish I had a suggestion. I don’t know why sometimes they work and other times they don’t.
Denise
August 22, 2018 at 3:02 amIs there any way you can use the pink low sugar box and use granulated Splenda? I’ve tried without sugar and I didn’t like it. Thanks for your help!
Maria
September 6, 2018 at 3:01 pmHi Denise, I am not sure, I have never used anything but regular sugar.