How To Make Jam: 10/10 Easy Recipe

how to make jam

How to make jam is an easily searched term, but easy recipes for jam are hard to come by. This recipe is not only simple it’s made without adding pectin or sugar. Disclaimer: you will need a relatively large serving of time and patience. Making jam is not a slow process! Sticky fingers at the ready here’s how to make jam, as easily as possible!

Affectionately named ramblers jam, in our house. Not after a 1980’s MC (sounds like it should be), coined as I’ve made this batch from all the fruit the kids scrimped on our last country walk! It’s actually a really sneaky way to get them to feel like they own the jam and therefore feel obliged to eat it. To add another survey of pure sneaky mothering I’ve used easy to hide veg in this recipe, yep veg!

Whats In Jam?

Before we show you how to make jam, you’ll probs need to nip to the shops or scavenge in the cupboards. This easy jam recipe can be ammended to include pretty much any fruits (and even some veggies) that you fancy. Ours is packed with the following ingredients:

4 handfuls of Damsons: in season from Aug-Oct. Scrimped.

2 hand fuls of Sloe berries: in season Oct-Nov. Scrimped.

1 handful of Blackberries: just coming out of season Sept/Oct. Scrimped.

6 Crab apples: just coming out of season Sept/Oct. Scrimped.

The zest and juice of 1 lemon, bought.

The zest and juice of 1 orange, bought.

1 punnet of strawberries

1 pomegranate

1 banana, bought.

2 beetroots: Just coming out of season and taken from Grandpa’s allotment.

6 heaps table spoons of honey.

Damson tree

Serving Suggestion

Slap it on toast or dollop into a luscious portion of Greek yogurt for an instant vitamin hit! Although there’s definitely a large helping of precise science for most jam recipes, this how to make jam recipe is more chuck it in than specific measurements and timings! But there’s definitely a method to my madness. Because I didn’t want to add shop bought pectin, adding beetroot and banana help the jam to thicken and slightly jellify. The citrus fruits and honey help to take the edge off the tartness of the berries and even out the earthy tones of the beetroot.

Once you learn how to make jam and especially with this easy recipe, you’ll be able to tweak it with whatever mixture of fruit and veg you like. In fact a friend of mine uses this recipe and adds bacon! You read that right, bacon jam! How ever you end up making it, it’s so easy to batch cook and store in the fridge all year around!

Jam

Our Jam Recipe

So, let’s get on to the sticky bit. Here’s how to make jam as easily as possible. I start by soaking all my fruit over night in cold water with apple cider vinegar. This helps remove any bust or chemicals. Once rinsed I put a large pan of water on to boil. I normally fill the pan about half way with water.

Boiled fruit

I first boil all the berries, damsons and apples. once boiled down I take a second pan with a sieve and drain the water and juices into the new pan. Next I begin mashing and smooshing the boiled fruit through the sieve and into the second pan. Once done I then put the new pan on to boil and add the pomegranate, beetroot (peeled and diced) and banana (sliced). Now it’s a process of bringing the jam up to a boil and then simmering it down, continuously until it reduces into a nice thick jam. Next stir in your honey, you may have to repeat the last step a couple more times as the honey may dilute you mix slightly.

How to Jar

Make sure to sterilise your jars in boiling water before filling with them with the jam. They must also be bone dry. Then serve the jam into the jars and leave it to cool with the lid off. Once cooled down, screw on the lid and store in your fridge.

how to make jam

Tip

Up the yum by making cheats cheese cake. Take digestives, spread with cream cheese and then a layer of your jam; you’re welcome! Or add jam to our no bake Easter cake tutorial.

Enjoy!
Berrit x

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