Tag: sugar free

Image of pickled peppers in mason jars. Text says, "How to make and can pickled peppers!"

How To Can Pickled Banana Peppers

Pickled peppers are one of my favorite things to can! They’re fast, easy, and a delicious, shelf-stable topping for pizza and burritos! Canning pickled peppers doesn’t take a lot of prep work, and, because they’re acidic, they can be canned in a water bath canner.

As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

What Kind of Peppers Do I Need?

The good news is that pretty much any small pepper can be pickled and canned this way! Anything from jalapenos to banana peppers and Thai chilis to dragon roll peppers are perfectly suited for pickling.

How Many Peppers Do I Need?

This recipe makes enough brine to cover about 2.5 pounds of peppers, but you can double or even triple this recipe if you have enough peppers!

How Do I Keep My Peppers From Getting Mushy?

Pickled peppers are notorious for getting mushy once they’re canned because they have to be processed in a boiling water bath canner. To combat the mushiness, I recommend adding calcium chloride (also called Pickle Fresh by Hoosier Farms or Pickle Crisp by Ball) to your jars after adding the peppers and before adding the brine.

Just add 1/8 teaspoon to each pint-sized jar or 1/16 teaspoon to each half-pint-sized jar!

Recipe Video

Recipe

This recipe has been safely modified from the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s Pickled Yellow Pepper Rings recipe.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, combine apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, water, and salt.
  2. Heat over medium heat.
  3. While waiting for your brine to come up to a boil, cut your peppers into 1/4-inch-wide rounds.
  4. Once the brine has come up to a boil, fill a hot jar with peppers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
  5. If using seasonings or spices, add them now. You can add up to 1/2 Tbsp celery seed, 1 Tbsp mustard seed, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and/or 1/8 tsp calcium chloride to each pint-sized jar.
  6. Pour brine over peppers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
  7. Clean jar rim off.
  8. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  9. Put in water bath canner.
  10. Fill remaining jars until peppers are gone.
  11. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  12. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  13. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  14. Wash jars and store without bands on.
Image of strawberries and a woman taking jars out of a large pot. Text says "Sugar Free Strawberry Jam in the Ball FreshTECH Jam & Jelly Maker."

No Sugar Added Strawberry Jam

No sugar added strawberry jam is so easy to make! And it’s even easier if you own a Ball freshTECH Jam & Jelly Maker! I love my J&J Maker, but I was tired of being limited by the few recipes that come with the Jam & Jelly Maker, so I decided to experiment. The first recipe I tried is my husband’s personal favorite–no sugar added blueberry jam! It’s a Bernardin recipe and you can find my post about it here. Keep reading to learn how to make this strawberry jam in the Jam & Jelly Maker!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why Use the Jam & Jelly Maker?

The Jam & Jelly Maker is so easy to use because it stirs for you! It also doesn’t require that you use your stovetop, which is a bonus if you work full time and do all of your cooking, canning, and baking on the weekends like me! It is so nice to be able to keep a large burner clear for lunch, dinner, or whatever I’m meal-prepping!

Supplies to Make Strawberry Jam

If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!

I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

Will Other Berries Work in this Recipe?

Yes! According to the Bernardin website, the strawberries in this recipe can be replaced with raspberries, blueberries, sour cherries, gooseberries, or blackberries!

Recipe Video

How to Make No Sugar Added Strawberry Jam in Jam & Jelly Maker

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. First, mash 4 cups of rinsed strawberries.
  2. Prepare other ingredients–1 cup unsweetened fruit juice and 49 grams of Ball or Bernardin Low or No Sugar Pectin.
  3. Sprinkle pectin on bottom of Jam & Jelly Maker, spread strawberry mash evenly over the top, and add in fruit juice.
  4. Press “Jam” and press “Enter.” The J&J Maker will start stirring.
  5. After 4 minutes, the J&J Maker will beep. If you are adding any sweetener or butter, add it now, pouring the sweetener evenly over the top of the mixture. Put lid on.
  6. For the remaining 17 minutes, watch the J&J Maker carefully. If at any time it looks like the mixture may overflow, take the lid off and allow the mixture to cool.
  7. The J&J Maker will beep again when it is finished. Take the lid off and either store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    8. Canning Directions

  8. Fill clean, warm jars with jam mixture, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  9. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more jam, if needed.
  10. Clean rim off to ensure no jam is on it.
  11. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  12. Put in water bath canner.
  13. Fill remaining jars until jam mixture is gone.
  14. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  15. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  16. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  17. Wash jars and store without bands on.
Image of 3 jars on a black and white gingham towel. The jars are filled with raspberry jam.

No Sugar Added Raspberry Jam

No sugar added raspberry jam is so easy to make! And it’s even easier if you own a Ball freshTECH Jam & Jelly Maker (J&J Maker for short)! I LOVE my J&J Maker! But I was tired of being limited by the few recipes that come with the Jam & Jelly Maker, so I decided to experiment. The first recipe I tried is my husband’s personal favorite–no sugar added blueberry jam! It’s a Bernardin recipe and you can find my post about it here. Keep reading to learn how to make this raspberry jam in the Jam & Jelly Maker!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why Use the Jam & Jelly Maker?

The Jam & Jelly Maker is so easy to use because it stirs for you! It also doesn’t require that you use your stovetop, which is a bonus if you work full time and do all of your cooking, canning, and baking on the weekends like me! It is so nice to be able to keep a large burner clear for lunch, dinner, or whatever I’m meal-prepping!

Supplies to Make Raspberry Jam

If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this recipe easier!

I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

Will Other Berries Work in this Recipe?

Yes! According to the Bernardin website, the raspberries in this recipe can be replaced with strawberries, blueberries, sour cherries, gooseberries, or blackberries!

Recipe Video

How to Make No Sugar Added Raspberry Jam in Jam & Jelly Maker

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. First, mash 4 cups of rinsed raspberries.
  2. Prepare other ingredients–1 cup unsweetened fruit juice and 49 grams of Ball or Bernardin Low or No Sugar Pectin.
  3. Sprinkle pectin on bottom of Jam & Jelly Maker, spread raspberry mash evenly over the top, and add in fruit juice.
  4. Press “Jam” and press “Enter.” The J&J Maker will start stirring.
  5. After 4 minutes, the J&J Maker will beep. If you are adding any sweetener or butter, add it now, pouring the sweetener evenly over the top of the mixture. Put lid on.
  6. For the remaining 17 minutes, watch the J&J Maker carefully. If at any time it looks like the mixture may overflow, take the lid off and allow the mixture to cool.
  7. The J&J Maker will beep again when it is finished. Take the lid off and either store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    8. Canning Directions

  8. Fill clean, warm jars with jam mixture, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  9. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more jam, if needed.
  10. Clean rim off to ensure no jam is on it.
  11. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  12. Put in water bath canner.
  13. Fill remaining jars until jam mixture is gone.
  14. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  15. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  16. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  17. Wash jars and store without bands on.
Image of jar filled with apple butter and a spoon with apple butter on it.

How to Can Apple Butter – No Added Sugar

This apple butter is absolutely delicious and the best part is that it doesn’t contain any added sugar!

As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product following my link, the price will not change, and I only recommend products that I use and love.

Supplies to Make Apple Butter

If haven’t read my post about my favorite canning supplies, I recommend taking a look for items that will make canning this apple butter easier!

I also highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker, if you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it. I use it exclusively for anything I water bath can. The best feature of this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

Recipe Video

How to Make Apple Butter with No Added Sugar

Recipe adapted from the National Center for Home Food Preservation recipe.

Instructions

  1. Core and slice 9 pounds of apples.
  2. Add apples and 2 1/4 cups apple cider or apple juice to a roaster or slow cooker and cook on medium high heat.
  3. Once apples are very soft and falling apart, strain using a food strainer.
  4. Add apple mixture to roaster or slow cooker.
  5. Add 1 cup sucralose (optional), 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 teaspoon ground allspice to apple mixture in roaster or slow cooker.
  6. Cook until apple butter is a deep brown and the sugars have caramelized.
  7. Add additional apple cider or apple juice if needed to thin mixture.
  8. For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to blend the apple mixture.
  9. Store apple butter in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    10. Canning Instructions

  10. Fill clean, warm jars with apple butter, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  11. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more apple butter, if needed.
  12. Clean jar rim off to ensure no apple butter is on it.
  13. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  14. Put in water bath canner.
  15. Fill remaining jars until mixture is gone. About 10 half-pint jars.
  16. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  17. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  18. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  19. Wash jars and store without bands on.

More Posts For You

The Best Ways to Use Extra Jam and Jelly!

If you’re anything like me, then you have a refrigerator full of half-empty jars of jam and jelly, maybe even a preserve or two! After all, you can only eat so much toast with jam before you get tired of it!

If you have a large family, maybe this isn’t an issue. But, with just my husband and myself, we’re always finding ways to use our preserves in unique ways! Below is a list of my favorite uses for jam or jelly for when we’re tired of it on toast.

Image is a closeup of a hand holding a jar of what appears to be orange marmalade. The lettering says, "5 no waste ways to use leftover jam and jelly, JamminandCannin.com".

Do you have a favorite way to use leftover jam or jelly? Please let me know in the comments!

1. Turnovers

You can find my sourdough turnover recipe here! A turnover is basically a little pie, and extra jam and jelly is perfect for making turnovers because each turnover only needs a couple of teaspoons of filling! I typically make 4 turnovers at a time, so, if I open an entire jar of home-canned pie filling, some of it will likely go to waste. Turnovers are a great way to use up a couple of half-empty jam and jelly jars!

2. Sweet Rolls

Sweet rolls are basically cinnamon rolls with a different filling. Using leftover jam and jelly gives you a ton of options to personalize your sweet rolls! My family’s favorite fillings are blueberry jam and chocolate cherry preserves, but the possibilities are endless!

3. A Mix In

My personal favorite way to use extra jam and jelly is as a mix in for yogurt! Plain yogurt is absolutely delectable with a little swirl of my sugar free jam, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of granola! You can get my sugar free blueberry jam recipe here and my sugar free blackberry jam here! If you haven’t tried my sourdough granola yet, you must! It is heavenly!

4. Vinaigrette

One of the newest ways I have started using jam and jelly is in vinaigrette! It adds a delicious flavor and a hint of sweetness to the vinaigrette–it’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted! You can find my blackberry vinaigrette recipe here. It contains instructions on how to make it your own!

5. Poptarts

These are similar to turnovers in the sense that they only use a tablespoon or two of filling each. And, unlike Poptarts that you’ll buy in the store, when you make them yourself, you control every ingredient that goes in them! I love making poptarts with sugar free jam and jelly for a healthier version!

Image of hand holding jam in a jar.

No Sugar Added Blackberry Jam

1 Comment

No sugar added blackberry jam is so easy to make! And it’s even easier if you own a Ball freshTECH Jam & Jelly Maker (J&J Maker for short)! I LOVE my J&J Maker! But I was tired of being limited by the few recipes that come with the Jam & Jelly Maker, so I decided to experiment. This recipe is a Bernardin recipe and you can find the link here. But, if you want to learn how to make it in the Jam & Jelly Maker, keep reading!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why Use the Jam & Jelly Maker?

The Jam & Jelly Maker is so easy to use because it stirs for you! It also doesn’t require that you use your stovetop, which is a bonus if you work full time and do all of your cooking, canning, and baking on the weekends like me! It is so nice to be able to keep a large burner clear for lunch, dinner, or whatever I’m meal-prepping!

If you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it, I highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker! The awesome thing about this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

What Do I Need to Can?

The simple answer is that you need jars, lids, bands, and a large pot that will allow water to cover your jars by 1-2 inches. However, I do have some favorite canning tools that make life easier. You can find the list here, and below is a list of the tools I use in the video.

How to Make No Sugar Added Blackberry Jam in Jam & Jelly Maker

Instructions

  1. First, mash 4 cups of rinsed blackberries.
  2. Prepare other ingredients–1 cup unsweetened fruit juice and 49 grams of Ball or Bernardin Low or No Sugar Pectin.
  3. Sprinkle pection on bottom of Jam & Jelly Maker, spread blackberry mash evenly over the top, and add in fruit juice.
  4. Press “Jam” and press “Enter.” The J&J Maker will start stirring.
  5. After 4 minutes, the J&J Maker will beep. If you are adding any sweetener, pour it evenly over the top of the mixture. If you’re not adding any sweetener put the lid on.
  6. For the remaining 17 minutes, watch the J&J Maker carefully. If at any time it looks like the mixture may overflow, take the lid off and allow the mixture to cool.
  7. The J&J Maker will beep again when it is finished. Take the lid off and either store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    8. Canning Directions

  8. Fill clean, warm jars with jam mixture, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  9. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more jam, if needed.
  10. Clean rim off to ensure no jam is on it.
  11. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  12. Put in water bath canner.
  13. Fill remaining jars until jam mixture is gone.
  14. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  15. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  16. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  17. Wash jars and store without bands on.

No Sugar Added Blueberry Jam

1 Comment

No sugar added blueberry jam is so easy to make! And it’s even easier if you own a Ball freshTECH Jam & Jelly Maker (J&J Maker for short)! I LOVE my J&J Maker! But I was tired of being limited by the few recipes that come with the Jam & Jelly Maker, so I decided to experiment. The first recipe I tried is my husband’s personal favorite–no sugar added blueberry jam! It’s a Bernardin recipe and you can find the link here. But, if you want to learn how to make it in the Jam & Jelly Maker, keep reading!

Image of jar with dark filling. Lettering says "Canning Blueberry Jam, No Sugar Added, JamminandCannin.com".

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why Use the Jam & Jelly Maker?

The Jam & Jelly Maker is so easy to use because it stirs for you! It also doesn’t require that you use your stovetop, which is a bonus if you work full time and do all of your cooking, canning, and baking on the weekends like me! It is so nice to be able to keep a large burner clear for lunch, dinner, or whatever I’m meal-prepping!

If you are interested in another way to save stovetop space or if you have a glass stovetop and don’t want to put a heavy canner on top of it, I highly recommend purchasing either a steam canner or the Ball freshTECH Electric Water Bath Canner and Multi-Cooker! The awesome thing about this canner is that is can easily hold 12-14 half-pint jars!

What Do I Need to Can?

The simple answer is that you need jars, lids, bands, and a large pot that will allow water to cover your jars by 1-2 inches. However, I do have some favorite canning tools that make life easier! Here’s a list of the tools I use in the video.

Recipe Video

How to Make No Sugar Added Blueberry Jam in Jam & Jelly Maker

Instructions

  1. First, mash 4 cups of rinsed blueberries.
  2. Prepare other ingredients–1 cup unsweetened fruit juice and 49 grams of Ball or Bernardin Low or No Sugar Pectin.
  3. Sprinkle pectin on bottom of Jam & Jelly Maker, spread blueberry mash evenly over the top, and add in fruit juice.
  4. Press “Jam” and press “Enter.” The J&J Maker will start stirring.
  5. After 4 minutes, the J&J Maker will beep. If you are adding any sweetener, pour it evenly over the top of the mixture. If you’re not adding any sweetener put the lid on.
  6. For the remaining 17 minutes, watch the J&J Maker carefully. If at any time it looks like the mixture may overflow, take the lid off and allow the mixture to cool.
  7. The J&J Maker will beep again when it is finished. Take the lid off and either store jam in refrigerator or continue with canning instructions.

    8. Canning Directions

  8. Fill clean, warm jars with jam mixture, making sure to leave 1/4-inch headspace.
  9. Debubble and double-check headspace. Add more jam, if needed.
  10. Clean rim off to ensure no jam is on it.
  11. Put a clean lid on and screw on band until fingertip tight.
  12. Put in water bath canner.
  13. Fill remaining jars until jam mixture is gone.
  14. Water bath process for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
  15. Remove jars and set on towel or wooden cutting board to cool for 12-24 hours.
  16. Remove bands and check seals. If any jars failed to seal, store in refrigerator and use first.
  17. Wash jars and store without bands on.