Instant Pot Mixed Fruit Jam Without Pectin

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Mixed Fruit Jam brings back memories to me. Especially the red coloured kissan fruit jam. Many of us would have either eaten it ourselves or would definitely have packed bread slathered with this jam and sent it in the lunch box of our kids. Does it bring back memories to you too?. I definitely remember sending it in my daughter’s lunch box much to her dismay. She strangely did not take a liking for the store-bought jam ever. However, my nephews loved to eat jam sandwiched between Marie biscuits too. Now does that bring back memories? Finally, I realised that when it is a homemade jam, Vibha was not fussy about enjoying it. I guess the absence of the preservatives makes a lot of difference. Way back then we cooked in an open pot and today I have cooked it in the instant pot. This Instant pot mixed fruit jam without pectin is a perfect recipe to make a homemade mixed fruit jam.

Why is homemade jam better than store-bought jam?

The general question which arises is about the necessity of a homemade jam. I feel the homemade jam is devoid of any preservatives and hence is definitely better than any other jam. We neither add the preservative to increase the shelf life nor do we add the artificial colour too. Hence even if you are feeding a kid with some homemade jam, you can do it without any second thought. Next comes in the cost point of view. If you just take the cost of the ingredients, the costing of the homemade jam would definitely be less than the store-bought one. However, when the fuel used for cooking and the labour is taken into account, the store-bought one will be economical. Having said this, the taste and goodness of the homemade jam is always better than the store-bought jam and this you can see when you make the instant pot mixed fruit jam without pectin.

Fruits that can be used in an Instant pot mixed fruit jam without pectin:

We can use a wide variety of fruits while cooking the mixed fruit jam. The most important factor that you have to take into consideration is fruits with high pectin. Choose berries, pears, banana which are high in pectin. I have used a generous amount of strawberry here. If you are able to procure other berries it would be good too. Then choose fruits which are pulpy. Fruits like papaya, apple, pear. These fruits will add body to your jam. I have used papaya, mango, apple, pear and banana. Adding black seedless grapes will add to the pectin and the colour needed for the jam. However, this is optional.

What are the different jams that can be cooked at home?

We can make absolutely delicious jams from a single type of fruits. I have made a very easy Instant pot strawberry jam without pectin. It is very easy to cook and very delicious. We can make jam from gooseberry, Yes this is a perfect spread for your bread and high in vitamin C-the need of the hour. We can make plum jam too which is very rich in colour. Peach jam is one of my favourites too. Check this peach jam for its lovely colour and flavour. All of these jams are best paired with homemade sandwich bread and of course, we can make chapati rolls too.

Preparation of Instant pot mixed fruit jam without pectin:

Here is the step by step process of making this simple yet very delicious jam in an instant pot.

INGREDIENTS

Mixed fruits       1000 gms

Sugar                     500 gms

Lemon                  3

PREPARATION:

1. Chop all the fruits into small cubes and weigh it. Here I have used Mango, papaya, Banana, Pear, Strawberry and apple.
2. Add half the amount of sugar to this and mix well and let it rest for 20 minutes. This ensures that all the juices are mixed well
3. Next close the lid of the instant pot, keep the vent in the sealing position and pressure cook it for 3 minutes
4. Let the pressure release naturally.
5. Open the lid and put it in Saute mode.
6. Squeeze the lemon juice into the cooked fruits.
7. Keep mashing with a masher and continue to cook till there is no moisture left.
8. It took 30 minutes for me. This time will depend on the fruits which you have used
9. Do keep stirring in between every now and then so that there is no charring at the base
10. Switch off the instant pot and let it cool completely
11. Once completely cool, transfer it to the sterilised bottle and keep it airtight
12. Since we do not add any preservatives, keep it in the refrigerator.