Canning Jam With Stevia

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    This is my personal opinion….I don’t like it.   I’ve been trying to get ready for the Canning 101 Strawberry Jam post, but all the strawberries in my freezer got me experimenting first.
The first batch of jam was with strawberries, lemon juice, Stevia in the Raw, and low sugar pectin.  I followed the Ball recipe and used 2 cups of stevia instead of sugar..  It was so sour it was inedible. The second batch was with strawberries, lemon juice, 4 1/2 cups of Stevia in the Raw, and low sugar pectin.  Not as sour, but just lacking a good strawberry taste.

    Here is my beef…..I can’t get the after taste out of my mouth!  Is this what they mean by bitter tasting? (that’s what most authorities say canning with stevia tastes like) So, second batch inedible!  I am of the opinion it is better to can the jam without sugar using low sugar pectin, and then add the stevia after you open it up.  That’s if you need to go sugar-free.   Using low sugar pectin and about 1/2 the sugar most recipes call for, is probably the direction I will be going.  Sugar actually brings out the flavor of the jam and helps preserve the color.  No one around here is eating gobs of it.



      I also had a terrible time with foaming and floating fruit.  There’s no way I’d try to sell these at the Farmer’s Market.  Has anyone else out there tried canning with Stevia?  What were your results?

…..dr momi