Question: Fruit reduction - necessary to add sugar?

[Aerows]

Say you want to reduce strawberries for example, you have a bunch and don't want them to go bad so you cook them down to pulp. They are tangy, granted, but do you HAVE to add sugar?

[PoliticAverse]

1. The sugar acts as a preservative - it discourages things from growing. n/t

[Aerows]

2. Oh, well that makes sense

why I've never seen sugar free preserves, darn it. LOL. Thanks for the explanation.

[Major Nikon]

3. You don't necessarily have to cook them

To get more time out of fresh strawberries you can macerate them by stirring in 2 tbs of sugar per pound of sliced strawberries and leave them out at room temperature until a syrup forms (about 30 mins or so) then refrigerate.

[Warpy]

4. Sugar does a few things

First, it removes water from the cells as efficiently as salt would. Second, as the fruit reduces, it holds the flavor as it creates a syrup. Third, it will act as a preservative.

Some things require sugar to work.