# Pectin is sky high!



## kudzuvine (Aug 11, 2011)

Here in North Mississippi, the price of pectin is increasing dramatically. Wish I had bought more last year. We all know when most items increase in price, they never come down. Has anyone noticed the price increase in your area? Wonder what else could be used for jellies/jams?


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I was blessed enough to find a bunch on clearance last Nov for a quarter a package.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Make your own.

http://portlandpreserve.com/HomemadePectinStock.pdf


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## my3boys (Jan 18, 2011)

mekasmom said:


> I was blessed enough to find a bunch on clearance last Nov for a quarter a package.


:clap: I did the same. I also found a place that sells in bulk and bought like 5 lbs of it.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

I buy Pomona's pectin by the pound on-line. If you've never heard of it, you should check it out. It is wonderful stuff! It uses calcium water instead of sugar to gel, so you can easily make low-sugar goodies without the nasty chemicals and aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. Fruit tastes like fruit! If you do check it out and it seems expensive, just know that a packet of Pomona's makes a lot more jam than does the normal brands.


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

I love Pomona's too, that's what we use most of the time so we can do low or no sugar. Pomona's costs about five dollars per box here though, and it makes about eight eight out jars of jam or jelly. Wonder if I am using too much? I think I am going to look into buying by the pound like you do, mammabooh. 

The Ball Book of Canning has some old style recipes that call for no pectin and a long boil, the recipe calls for a couple whole chopped up apples for their pectin content, I think.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

I prefer Pomona's as well because I like naturally sweet or honey, and I also use it thicken some savory dishes. I normally get 5 half-pints of jam for 2 tsp of Pomona's, and a lb ($50 direct) usually yields 60 batches/300 half-pints.

I can get Sure-Jell Low Sugar (pink box), Ball Low Sugar, and Mrs. Wages Lite for about the same price as Pomona's, but found that the total yield is 1/2 to 2/3 of Pomona's.

ETA: One 1oz box of Pomona's normally yields 12-18 half-pints (depending on recipe) and avgs $5. One 4.75oz jar of Flex Batch Low Sugar can yield *up to* 22 half-pints and avgs $6. Using the same recipe with the Flex Batch recipe converter, I only got 14 half-pints to Pomona's 15 -- so I spent $1 more and got 1 jar less. YMMV


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

blynn said:


> I love Pomona's too, that's what we use most of the time so we can do low or no sugar. *Pomona's costs about five dollars per box here though, and it makes about eight eight out jars of jam or jelly. Wonder if I am using too much?* I think I am going to look into buying by the pound like you do, mammabooh.
> 
> The Ball Book of Canning has some old style recipes that call for no pectin and a long boil, the recipe calls for a couple whole chopped up apples for their pectin content, I think.


Yes, I think you might be doing something wrong. A 1 oz box of Pomona's normally yields me about 15-24 half-pints. 1oz = 6 tsp and most of my recipes call for 2 tsp which yields 5 half-pints.

One 1.75 oz box of Sure*Jell Low Sugar yields about 6 half-pints.


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

blynn said:


> The Ball Book of Canning has some old style recipes that call for no pectin and a long boil, the recipe calls for a couple whole chopped up apples for their pectin content, I think.


I made crabapple jelly a couple years with no added pectin. It jelled a little soft, but I think my apples were too ripe. The firmer the fruit, the more pectin is left in it. It breaks down in ripening.


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## MuskovyMom (May 31, 2012)

I just discovered Pomona's last year and it's the best for something tart like oregon grape jelly that I don't want to have to oversweeten. Does anyone know how to balance the amounts so the product doesn't weep? I know it has something to do with the amount of calcium in the fruit, but I'm too lazy to experiment - when stuff has to get done, that's all I've got time for! But any tips would be appreciated!!


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