Bernardin offers a “no sugar needed” pectin for use in jams and jellies.
Normally sugar is required to get pectin to set, but this pectin requires no added sugar at all for the gel to happen.
Note: if you are in the States, this pectin is sold labelled as “Ball.” See here.
This pectin will give you a good old fashioned, hard set.
While some no sugar needed pectins will give a bit of a soft set, Bernardin’s gives a good, old-fashioned “an earthquake wouldn’t move it” set. Notice how you can’t even make the jam move by turning the jar upside down.
Nutritional information and ingredients. There are added preservatives to help keep your jam safe, plus citric acid to help ensure a safe, low pH. (The per ¼ teaspoon unit is bizarre, though.)
The back of the box gives a general guidelines recipe, which is helpful. It also gives nutritional information, and ingredients. Note that it lists dextrose (aka glucose) as its first ingredient, which is essentially a form of sugar (dextrose plus fructose = sucrose) so it could be debated whether the pectin itself is sugar-free.
It is not cheap, though, that’s for sure: at 4 bucks a pop per box, it could cost more than the fruit you are using for your batch of jam.
It is pricey, there’s no two ways around that.
Each box contains a limited recipe leaflet, and the actual packet of pectin. There’s a few more recipes on Bernardin’s web site, and nine more in the Bernardin 2013 guide, but that’s about it. For the most part, Bernardin’s recipe developers are pretty set in their old-fashioned, high-refined sugar ways. It would be nice if eventually all their jam and jelly recipes provided optional directions for using this pectin instead of their regular pectin which requires the added sugar.
There’s a glimpse of the leaflet above.
There’s the pectin.
There’s a close-up of the pectin. Notice the brown granules in it.
A photo of the sides of the boxes, showing their help line. Note that you can use reduced sugar, no sugar, or an alternative sweetener.
The pectin is made by Newell down in the States, presumably in the same factory as the Ball pectin whose ingredient list is identical, and then shipped to Canada for bilingual and metric packaging there.
Gloria Riesen
I have purchased Bernardin sugar free freezer jam pectin. There are no directions for use on or inside the packet.
Please provide instructions for sugar free raspberry freezer jam using the afore mentioned product.
Thank you
Healthy Canning
Hi Gloria, please contact Bernardin directly to ask them. https://www.bernardin.ca/en/contact-bernardin.htm
John Alexander Sitwell
I wish to make grape jelly using bottled grape jounce and Bernadine no sugar added pectin but cannot find a recipe.
Healthy Canning
Ask Bernardin directly. Here is the Bernardin Contact Form.
Lori
I have an expired pkg of the older sugar free freezer jam pectin pkg Here’s what it says:
Crush fruit, measure 4 cups fruit . Add sugar free jam pectin , stir 3 minutes
Ladle into clean jars leaving 1/2” headspace chill or freeze
Yield: approx 4-250 ml jars
Lori
I made my strawberry freezer jam per the instructions on the expired Bernardin package , I used a new pkg not the expired. The jam turned out perfect! Not sure why Bernardin couldn’t put the jam directions on their new packaging
Alma
Thank you for sharing the instructions, made the process much easier. Many thanks again…cheers A
Tina
Thank you Lori! You’d think they’d put the instructions on the pkg. They would sell more if people knew how to use it.
Mikaela
Hi!
The recipe for freezer jam that comes with the no sugar needed Bernardin pectin, calls for unsweetened cranberry or apple juice. All I have is sweetened cranberry juice. Will it still work?
Healthy Canning
Yes, that would still work.
Cheri Lauterio
Can I use the low sugar pectin in a regular recipe? I accidentally grabbed the wrong one when shopping until I prepared the fruit
Healthy Canning
How did it work out?
Stephanie
What kind of artificial sweeteners can I use with this pectin?
Healthy Canning
Any at all, or you can use natural sweeteners such as honey, stevia, etc.
mary graham
How can I buy it in USA?? Please advise
Healthy Canning
Hi Mary, in the States, the parent company (Newell) sells this same pectin under the Ball label: https://www.healthycanning.com/no-sugar-needed-pectins/#ball-bernadin
mary graham
How can I buy it in USA??
Healthy Canning
In the US, look for it being sold under the Ball brand name.
sr
Can you use the regular Bernardin no sugar added pectin for freezer jam instead of the sugar free freezer jam pectin?
Healthy Canning
Hmm, not sure, ask them directly via here: https://www.bernardin.ca/en/contact-bernardin.htm
Kathy Naharney
What stores in Canada carry your no sugar needed pectin?
Healthy Canning
Home Hardware and Canadian Tire are two of the stores that do.
Maija
Thank you!
I’ve been trying to find out if Bernardin No Sugar Pectin is MADE in Canada.
So, no, it’s not. It’s a little deceiving when you buy something “packaged in Canada”.
Oh well.. better than nothing, I suppose.
I’ve noticed it’s hard to find recipes other than the limited ones on the box.
I’m happy to pay the amount charged in order to make jellies and jams with much
less sugar. (none, in my case)
Thanks again.