Reduced Sugar Strawberry Jam

I've made more jam this year than any other. My family LOVES strawberry jam. I am not a heath nut but every recipe I've ever seen has as much or more sugar than fruit. I challenge this. A few years ago my sister shared with me a recipe her mother-in-law had shared with her. Instead of pectin Jell-o was used as a thickener. I tried it. It worked great. The recipe was for apricot jam but why wouldn't it work with any other fruit? So since cooking is an experiment, I did.

I like a looser jam so I often didn't use as much pectin as a recipe indicated anyway. This recipe works great for me giving me the consistency I desire with a lot less sugar.

This is also easy to make in a sugar free variety using a sugar substitute and sugar free Jell-o.

Adjust it as you like. If you like a really sweet thick jam this is not for you but it is for me!

Happy summer!!

 

Reduced sugar Strawberry jam (with Jell-O)

8 pounds strawberries hulled and washed

4 C. Sugar (or less to taste)

1 package (4 servings) Strawberry flavored gelatin

Cut strawberries into small pieces.  (I put mine in the food processor but you can just cut them if you like a chunkier jam. They do break down some while cooking.) Put in a large pot and stir in sugar. (This is where I taste it for sweetness. Remember that once the sugar and fruit cook together it will be sweeter.) Cook over high heat until boiling then turn to medium heat stirring occasionally. (use a really large pot or watch that it doesn't boil over. Big mess!)