Whether you are preparing a large or small batch, my Easy Homemade Jam recipe is for you! Three ingredients and no water canning method needed to keep your pantry stocked with jam 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!!!
This 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 extend 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 cook 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.
As mentioned previously, you do not need to process the jars in a water bath. Under no circumstances am I asking you to not do it, in fact, if you are making a very large batch – say 8 jars or more – than 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 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. I also made sure that my jars where super clean and that I was 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 beings 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.
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.
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Easy Homemade Jam
Whether you are preparing a large or small batch, my Easy Homemade Jam recipe is for you! Three ingredients and no water canning method needed to keep your pantry stocked with jam all year round!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Calories: 28kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups fruit, roughly chopped
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
- Toss all ingredients in a medium-sized, deep sauce pan and turn the heat to medium until the mixture begins to bubble. Then, reduce the heat to simmer and stir.
- Allow 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.
- When the jam has reached the consistency you desire, carefully pour hot jam into clean and sterile mason jars.
- Being 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.
Notes
It is very important to use a clean and sterile jar if you plan to preserve this jam for future consumption.
One tablespoon equals one serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 0g | Calories: 28kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1.8% | Vitamin C: 0.8% | Calcium: 0.1% | Iron: 0.5%
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