You really should get yourself a copy of the blue book. The recipes are pretty complete in there, and they have helpful hints in the margins. Often when someone posts a recipe here, they leave out some of the basic info - instead assuming you know to peel, core and chop your pears.

Also - youtube really isn't the best place to be getting reliable canning information.

That being said - do you have a particular question about this jam? Or are you just commenting on your experience making it.

Better yet get the Ball Complete Book. It has all the recipes found in the BBB and many more. Including the Carrot Cake Jam recipe and yes, it really is 1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped ripe pears regardless of what someone on YouTube said or did and the juice is supposed to be the liquid from the undrained pineapple. Most recipes call for using the liquid pectin and liquid pectin and dry pectin are not interchangeable.

So you made several changes in the original recipe. It is supposed to be very thick but it wouldn't look or taste the same as the original with all those changes.

It honestly isn't advisable to keep picking recipes to try that are obviously quite sweet to begin with when it's clear that that sweetness doesn't appeal to you. Trying to make all sorts of modifications in them usually only leads to very poor results. So if low-sugar is your primary consideration then why not stick with all the low sugar recipes?

Dave

Does not sound like it follows the original very well.

1.5 cups finely grated peeled carrots
1.5 chopped cored peeled pears
1.75 cups canned pineapple, including juice

6.5 cups sugar

So that gives you 4.75 cups of fruit, which is about normal. (I'm leaving out all the other stuff)

The Ball complete calls for powdered pectin. I've been converting most of the jam I make to powdered, and so far it's working. Keep in mind the way you add sugar changes.
I have over 30 types of jam on the shelves right now.

I've made this several times, and find it turns out a bit on the runny side. Last time I added a bit more pectin and it firmed up nicely. (I buy pectin in bulk).

One big difference with this recipe from many pectin added ones is that you cook it for about 20 mn so the carrots soften and everything juices up quite a bit. Most you just bring to a boil.

I happened to have some open. And since I'm making stew for lunch, I put it next to some canned carrots for comparison.

It does not turn this color until it's been cooked a while and the carrots juice up.