There are those of us out there who take pride in making jelly without pectin. I've tried it on several occasions with several different fruits and have ended up with everything from fruit juice to pancake syrup to ice cream topping, but never before this recipe have I had a jam that really jelled well without pectin.

Now, be advised . . . a pectin-less jam recipe WILL contain sugar. There's no way around it. (If you're looking for sugar-free, you need to check out last week's post on Pomona's Strawberry Jam.)

Begin with about 1.5 quarts firm berries. Combine them with 5 cups sugar and let stand in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 hours. Then, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Add 1/3 c. lemon juice and 1 tsp. butter (to reduce foam). Cook rapidly until berries are breaking down, then help them further by mashing with a potato masher. Total boiling time should be 10-12 minutes. Pour into a glass 9x13 baking dish or other shallow pan and let stand uncovered in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Shake the pan occasionally to distribute the berries through the syrup. Heat the mixture (I kept it in the 9x13 and just popped it in the microwave) and pour hot preserves into hot, half-pint canning jars. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

This recipe has been modified slightly from the original, but still credit is due to the Cooperative Extension of the University of Georgia for their "Strawberry Preserves Deluxe" recipe in So Easy to Preserve.

Has anyone tried any other recipes minus pectin that have jelled well? Perhaps using different fruits?