Easy Homemade Jam

Name: Easy Homemade Jam
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 4 cups fruit, (roughly chopped); 1 whole lemon, (juiced); 1/2 cup sugar

Published: May 17, 2015

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Preparing jam in small batches is the best way to go, and if you feel the same way, then my Easy Homemade Jam recipe is for you! All you need are three ingredients, a little patience, and a craving for delicious homemade jam! With jam this easy, you can stock your pantry all year round!

John.e loves jam on his toast, and, from time to time, I like to indulge with homemade jam and a freshly baked scone. But, unfortunately, store-bought jam is full of preservatives and tonnes of SUGAR! And, really, who has the time to make homemade jam? Well, with my Easy Homemade Jam recipe, you do!!!

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SMALL BATCH RECIPE – MAKES 2 CUPS!

This Easy Homemade Jam recipe is so simple and easy; and needs very little of your attention. Canning is something I love, but storage is always an issue. Most of the jam recipes that I found online yielded 6-8 500ml jars. In most cases, I need to make just one or two jars. The recipe you see below will yield two cups of jam.

I like to place that jam into two separate jars because we don’t consume jam very quickly. Usually, it’s just on the weekends with a freshly baked scone.

Sometimes, during the week in the summer months, a little dollop of jam can be stirred into some good vanilla ice cream, but usually, that’s the extent of our jam consumption. Which, Dear Reader, is why I need small-batch recipes – like this one!

For any jam flavour you want to make – YES, ANY FLAVOUR – this will work with all fruit and fruit combinations. Depending on the fruit you use, the cooking process will vary. For example, I found that the blueberry jam was ready to be packed in jars in less than two hours of cooking time.

The blackberry jam, however, took a little longer. Closer to three hours to get to the consistency that I wanted. This, of course, is due to the amount of water in each different type of fruit. I assume it would also depend on how much natural sugar there is in the fruit as well.

If you use frozen berries instead of fresh berries, the cooking time will be longer. Before the jam starts to become thick, the water content in the frozen berries will need to be cooked off first.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

Berries or Fruit – This recipe will work with any fruit or berry, or even a combination of one or the other. If using stone fruit, remove the stones and discard them. Fruits with tougher skins, like plums, should have the skin removed and discarded as well.
Lemon Juice – You can use fresh lemon juice for this recipe. If you were canning the jam for long-term storage, you would want to use bottled lemon juice to ensure correct acidity levels.
Sugar – I have only ever tested this recipe with regular granulated sugar.

CANNING METHODS NOT NEEDED

As mentioned previously, you do not need to process this Easy Homemade Jam. Under no circumstances am I asking you to not do it, in fact, if you are making a large batch, then I would do the water bath canning method to ensure the jam would not spoil. I think the longer you store the jam, the more risk you have of the jam going bad.

For small batch jams though, you do not need to apply any canning methods at all. I have made up to four jars of jam at the same time with this recipe. I have not used the water bath method but simply made sure the jam was piping hot. Be sure that your jars are super clean and that you are using new sealing rings.

Pour the hot jam into the sterile jars, place on the sealing ring and screw on the cap. Let the jam jars sit – completely undisturbed! – for at least twelve hours. After the first 30-60 minutes, you’ll hear little pops coming from your kitchen.

This occurs when the temperature of the jam begins to cool, which condenses the air in the jar, which in turn, creates a vacuum, and pulls the lid down. The popping or dinging sound is the sound of your sealing rings telling you that your jam is secured and safe.

HOW TO MAKE EASY HOMEMADE JAM

This recipe is for small batches of jam only. If you double or triple the recipe to make a larger amount, you will need to employ a canning method unless you are sure you can consume all of the jam within a month or so. Here’s how to make the jam:

Add all of the ingredients to a medium-sized, deep saucepan and turn the heat to medium until the mixture begins to bubble. Then, reduce the heat to simmer and stir. Allow the mixture to cook and the fruit/berries to naturally break down. Be sure to stir every 20 minutes or so, even more frequently when the jam begins to thicken.

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When the jam has reached the consistency you desire, carefully pour the hot jam into clean and sterile mason jars. Make sure the rim of the jar is clean and jam-free, wipe the lid with a damp cloth, place on the seal and tighten the lid until a slight resistance is met.

Carefully place the jar on a kitchen towel where the jar will not be disturbed for twelve hours. Once the jam begins to cool, the seal will create a popping sound, assuring you that the jar is sealed. Refrigerate for immediate use or store in a cool dry place for up to six months.

HOW TO STORE JAM

Once completely cooled, be sure to store your jam jars in a safe, dry, cool place. I keep mine right in the back of the cupboard where it’s always dark. Using this exact method, you can be sure your jam will keep for up to six months. I have made jam this way for years and have never used a canner or the water bath method.

If, however, you are nervous about it, by all means, please go ahead and process your jars. You can find my water bath method instructions here in my Dad’s Canned Picked Beets recipe.

Lastly, in the photos, you will see that I have prepared Raspberry Jam, Blueberry Jam, Blackberry Jam, and Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, all of which used the same method and ingredient measurements.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!

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