The correct proportions of fruit, pectin, acid, and sugar are essential for gelling. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, sugar is a preserving agent that contributes flavor and aids in gelling. Cane and beet sugar are the usual sources of sugar for jelly or jam. Corn syrup and honey may be used to replace part of the sugar in recipes, but too much will mask the fruit flavor and alter the gel structure. Use tested recipes for replacing sugar with honey and corn syrup. Do not try to reduce the amount of sugar in traditional recipes. Too little sugar prevents gelling and may allow yeasts and molds to grow.”
Honey
Some people use honey in place of sugar in food preservation recipes. This does not reduce the sugar content of preserved foods. Two types of sugar – fructose and glucose – are the major components of honey. Be sure to use light, mild-flavored honey if you don’t want noticeable flavor changes in your preserved products.
Oregon State University Extension Service states that honey can replace up to half of the sugar in jelly recipes without adding pectin. With added pectin, two cups of honey can replace two cups of sugar in most recipes. One cup of sugar can be replaced by one cup of honey in recipes that yield small batches of five to six glasses.
Some commercial pectin companies have honey-only jam and jelly recipes. Contact the pectin companies to request recipes.
Additional Information
To learn more about making jams and jellies, refer to the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2015 revision at https://nchfp.uga.edu/resources/entry/guide-part-7-jams-and-jellies. Also, refer to https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/make-jam-jelly/jams-jellies-general-information/general-information-on-canning-jams-jellies-and-marmalades/.
Adjust for Elevation (Altitude) to Ensure a Safe Product
When canning, you must know your elevation. Water boils at lower temperatures as elevation increases. In other words, as elevation increases, the boiling point decreases. Water will boil at temperatures well below 212°F at elevations greater than 1,000 feet above sea level.
Recommended processing times and canning methods for home canning are research-based. They depend on many factors. The heat process must be sufficient to destroy harmful microorganisms. You must increase the processing time or canner pressure to compensate for lower boiling temperatures.
Use publications based on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved guidelines to select the proper processing time and canner pressure for your altitude.
The adjustments are already figured in the charts accompanying each recipe if you use the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Complete Guide to Home Canning – 2015 revision.
Please refer to page 9 of the 2024 Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, 38th edition, for the altitude chart on boiling water and pressure methods.
It says: “Boiling-Water Method. The processing times given in this book for high-acid foods are based on canning at 1,000 feet above sea level and lower using the boiling-water method. When processing at altitudes higher than 1,000 feet above sea level, adjust the processing time according to this boiling-water canner chart.” The chart shows that those of us who live at 1,001 to 3,000 feet in altitude should increase the processing time by 5 minutes. If 3,001 to 6,000 feet in altitude, increase the processing time by 10 minutes. If you are at 6,001 to 8,000 feet, increase the processing time by 15 minutes. For those boiling-water canning at 8,001 to 10,000 feet, increase the processing time by 20 minutes.
We Are Here for You!
To me, it is fun to problem-solve what happened in your preservation and to understand the why so you don’t repeat the ‘oops.’ Please call your Community Vitality and Health Extension Educator so we can find the answer to your question together.
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Community Vitality and Health Extension Educator
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