How To Make Homemade Jam

November 12, 2018

by Jacqueline Parisi Our Recipes

This how-to will have you jammin’ in no time. With four simple ingredients, you’ll be all set to whip up some homemade jam and enjoy fruit-forward flavours all season long.

Warning for all toast lovers and breakfast aficionados… homemade jam will ~~likely~~ definitely ruin all other jams for you, but given how simple it is to make, we’re not complaining.

Most store-bought kinds contain pectin, which acts as a thickening agent, but it’s not a deal breaker for the homemade version. Jam can easily be made with just fresh fruit, lemon juice, sugar, and a pinch of salt. And let’s be honest, who actually has pectin lying around on, say, your average Tuesday?

Although jam sans added pectin may be a bit looser in consistency, this recipe will yield more rustic and homemade results (which is our preferred) and it’s no less delicious or spreadable. Plus, because berries contain small amounts of natural pectin themselves, they will thicken over time anyway. The secret to a good homemade jam is a low and slow boil to gradually extract the moisture out of the fruit.

Mixed Berry Homemade Jam

Here’s what you’ll need:

5 Cups Fresh (or Frozen) Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and/or cherries)
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Pinch Salt

Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Add berries to a heavy-bottomed pot with sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Mash with a large fork to achieve a slightly chunky texture.

2. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until jammy and thick, 20-25 minutes. An easy way to test if the jam is ready is to place a small plate in the freezer about 5 minutes. Once chilled, spoon a drop of the hot jam onto the plate, then return to the freezer another 2ish minutes. Touch the jam with your finger. If it feels wrinkly and gel-like, it’s ready. If not, keep boiling.