I thought I would share one of my favorite pectin-free recipes with you all today. I stumbled upon it purely out of necessity. I had purchase some beautifully ripe fruit at the farmer’s market and excitedly began preparing it to make jam. Little did I know I was out of pectin and quickly turned to the trusty internet and found a recipe using honey. I loved how the jam turned out and kids hardly noticed.
Honey is a wonderful sweetener to make preserves with. I like using wildflower honey when canning preserves, but feel free to use what you have on hand. This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to use your favorite fruits. I’ve made this with a combination of different berries like blackberry, strawberry and cherry, and have even used larger fruits like peaches and figs. The recipe is always delicious and makes a thick, spreadable jam that goes great with anything! Try it out and see what I mean.
Honey Sweetened Fruit Preserves
Makes 6 pints
- 6 pounds of your favorite fruit or berries
- 3 3/4 cups honey
- 1 1/2 unpeeled apples, grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Wash and sterilize canning jars. Boil the flat parts of the lids in a small pot and keep at a low simmer.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add fruit, honey, grated apple, and lemon juice. Allow mixture to come to a boil. Mash the fruit with a potato masher and skim off any foam that may form and discard.
- When mixture has come to a boil, lower the heat to medium and allow the mixture to continue to softly boil for 30 – 60 minutes. Tip: Stir regularly to ensure fruit is not sticking to the sides. The longer the jam cooks, the thicker the final product will be.
- Remove jam from heat and let sit for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. It will thicken slightly. Ladle jam into hot jars, then place a flat lid on jars, and add screw rings.
- Immerse jars in hot water bath, and boil rapidly for 8 min. Remove from bath and place on a towel on the counter to cool. If jars aren’t sealed within 12 hours then move them to the fridge and eat within 3 – 4 weeks.