Cherry Jam Without Pectin | Instant Pot Cherry Jam
A delicious homemade cherry jam made in Instant Pot without any pectin. Perfect for toasts, bagels, and sandwiches. Simple cherry jam, which is much better than a store-bought one!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Pressure building and releasing time30 minutesmins
3lbcherryafter pitting I got about 2.86 pounds, pitted and halved
¾ to 1lbsugaradjust as per cherry sweetness
3tbsplemon juice
1tbspcornstarch
1tbspwater
Instructions
Add all the pitted cherries into the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
Add the sugar, lemon juice and mix and well. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
The cherry and sugar will ooze out water like below. We don't need to add any extra water.
Place the inner pot inside the Instant Pot. Close the Instant Pot. Make sure the sealing ring is in place and set the vent to the sealing position. Press the pressure cook / manual button and set the cooking time as 2 minutes at high pressure. When the cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally. Carefully open the Instant Pot. There will be some foam-like below. You can remove it or mix it with the jam. I just mixed it with the jam.
Now using a potato masher, mash the cherries. The jam will be runny, and it's perfectly fine.
Now set the Instant Pot in saute mode and let it simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water. Add this slurry to the jam.
Mix well and simmer again for 6 to 8 minutes and turn off the heat. Let it cool for atleast 5 to 6 hours before transferring it to a jar. As the jam cools and when you refrigerate, it will set and thicken further. (More on troubleshooting tips in the notes section)
Make sure you store the cooled jam in a clean and dry jar. I don't follow any specific canning process. Enjoy it with toasts or bagels!
Notes
Adjust the sugar as per the sweetness of the cherries. I had a mix of sweet and sour, so I went with 1 lb of sugar for 3 lbs of cherries, and it was perfect.
Do not simmer the cherry jam for more than 20 minutes. Also, let it cool and give the jam 24 to 48 hours to thicken fully.
I used a mix of dark sweet cherries and some sour red ones.
Please don't forget to read the troubleshooting tips section on the blog post.