I am taking a quick break from Road Warriors, which will return to it’s regularly scheduled time in a few days in order to take care of some much needed business. Raspberry jam. If there is anyone out there with raspberry bushes like mine, they will know what I am talking about when I say I’ve got raspberries coming out my eyeballs.
This is a no pectin recipe that I also categorize as low sugar, but that needs to be clarified: low sugar is a relative term when it comes to jam. This recipe is low sugar when compared to other jam recipes, namely, any that use pectin. (One sentence in and I’m already making excuses for myself.)
I’ve been making this jam for years and I continue to tweak it. I’m sorry I can’t give absolutes, but the amount of time needed to cook the berries changes even as the weeks progress. I should do a video to show you the sound it makes when I consider it “done.” But maybe I can try describing it for now. Next time I’ll video it.
Here goes:
Use 8 cups berries to 4 cups sugar for a 4 1/2 – 5 quart heavy pan. A Le Creuset 24 is a perfect fit if you have it. I have a really big one (7.25 qt Le Creuset 28) and can fit 16 cups of berries in at a time, which I do quite often. There is a trade off for doing a big batch at once though, and that is that you end up having to cook it a bit longer than with a smaller batch. Some would argue that the longer the berries cook the less “fresh berry taste” you will have. I disagree. I even made a pectin batch to see if it had a brighter flavor, since you only have to boil jam made with pectin for a minute or two. It really didn’t taste any “fresher.” It was sweeter though. But that makes sense since you use only 4 cups of berries to 6 cups of sugar plus a packet of pectin. YOWZA!
I have also been experimenting with using less and less sugar. So far, so good. I’m down to 16 cups berries to 6 1/2 cups of sugar. We’ll see how that keeps on the shelf. But to be safe, stick with the 2:1 ratio.
I pour the berries into a bowl, or into the pot they will cook in, if that pot is available for most of the day. I put it in a sunny spot if it happens to be sunny out and stir it up every time I pass by. For whatever reason, I seem to always can jam at night, so the berries sit most of the day. This allows the sugar to dissolve and the berries to break up without cooking, which I think helps the flavor in the end.
When it’s time to cook it, I make sure I have clean and sterilized jars ready. I used to be gonzo mental about this. Now I just run them through the dishwasher and call it a day. I put the berries in a pot on a low to medium low heat. You can go ahead and put it on high, but don’t come crying to me when –within a matter of seconds — the liquid foams up and boils all over you stove and into your burners. Have fun with that one. It’s medium low for me. And I don’t leave the kitchen until it has been gently boiling for a few minutes.
Skim as much of the foam off as you can. Don’t be mental about it, it’s not that big of deal. More an aesthetic thing.
It will boil merrily along for a while and you can get some other stuff done. Just be sure to stir with a rubber spatula every few minutes. My latest recipes were this: After reaching a gentle boil, an 8 cup batch took 12 minutes to be done and a 16 c batch took 20 minutes.
You are looking for a change in consistency from a watery boil to a thick boil. Not a spluttering boil, where globs pop up at you when you stir, just a change in the sound and a visible consistency shift to thicker. If, however you go too long, it isn’t a disaster, it will just be thicker and darker and you won’t get as many jars out of the batch.
Then, while the jam is still hot and simmering, fill the jars to 1/4″ from the top, put the lids and bands on and screw tight. USDA will tell you that you need to process these in a water bath for 10 minutes. I used to do just that. Now I don’t. The jars are warm, the jam is boiling and I still get a nice, tight seal. I can vouch for the fact that my jam, when processed this way, is good for 2 years, as long as the seal is intact when opened. Obviously, store it in the the fridge once it’s been opened.
So far no one has died. And the jam looks and tastes so much better.
Rachel says
Thanks I will be making this soon! Sadly they are all purchased raspberries from the lady down the road. I aspire to grow my own. Have even gone so far as to 1/2 clear a “once was a garden” patch in my yard. http://tinyurl.com/lbbf7e If you are willing and have the time…. I would love to read your planting and growing raspberries post. How do you like that. Now its order your blog post….ding ding!!
Michelle says
Your jam is just sugar, raspberries, and TLC? Who would have thunk?
admin says
Sure. If TLC means that I’m swearing and thinking evil thoughts about all the raspberries and people who don’t return jars and how damn HOT IT IS all the while I’m doing it. Sure. Plenty of that TLC.
admin says
You know, if I weren’t such a MARTYR, as my family likes to remind me I am, I’d HAPPILY buy raspberries from the neighbor. I’d also stop struggling to keep chickens alive and stop pickling beans that no one eats. Don’t beat yourself up!! Let me know how it turns out. And as for the growing raspberries: here’s my advice. dig a hole and plant it. Water it. Then spend the next 10 years trying to keep the raspberries from growing everywhere else but in the hole you planted!
admin says
LAURIE READS MY BLOG? I AM HONORED…
Read comment above on no pics from hot springs. Were your kids shell shocked? I’m still laughing about that. You’d think with the naked family there would be no qualms at all, but I guess not…
Samantha says
This recipe tastes amazing but it did not set up firmly. I don’t actually mind but I would have like a little firmer consistency. Any ideas about what to do next time?
Jennifer Menke says
Hi Samantha,
I like a less firm jelly, so that is how I make it. To make it more firm, simply boil it longer. As I describe above, if you cook it until it sort of “snaps and sputters and pops” — or “snap! crackle! pop!” as you stir it, it will set up quite firm.
To give you an idea, if you tip my jar to the side, the jam will very slowly follow the direction of the tip. If you cook it to the Snap! Crackle! Pop! stage, it will not jiggle around in the jar at all. You do tend to get 1-2 less jars out of a batch, as you are simply cooking more water out of the pan.
Hope that helps,
Jennie
Jennifer says
This is awesome, thank you SO much, all the low sugar recipes that I was finding all required adding pectin, this is great thank you so much!!
admin says
Glad you to have you here! Let me know how it goes for you.
Lance says
Thanks for the great recipe.
I made it and the jam turned out great.
My daughter has diabetes so I’m always looking for lower-sugar ideas.
Going to experiment with lower amounts of sugar too.
Cheers from Canada!
jenmenke says
Hi Lance!
I’m pretty sure you can take the sugar down quite a bit more. You might have to cook it longer. Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
Jo says
Hi Jennie,
Made your Raspberry Jam recipe yesterday, because I didn’t have a lot ob berries I scaled it back using the same proportions. It turned out fantastic. My hubby who is anti-sugar gave it the tick of approval.
Thanks Jo
Lee says
Hi Jennie,
It’s my first time making jam and it was a huge success. I can’t believe how delicious it was. I was happy all night and send pictures to my sisters to tell them about it. Now I am hooked and look forward to having more homemade jam. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
JENMENKE says
Uncle LEE!!
That is so COOL! I’m so happy you tried it. NOW YOU KNOW HOW EASY IT IS! I’ll forward all requests for raspberry jam to you. Please be to my house in late September every day to pick the blasted things…
Lynn says
Thanks for the directions. My berries and sugar are sitting. Have been experimenting with making no pectin jams this year with less sugar than commercial recipes. It’s nice to learn from someone that’s done it before. Glad I’m not the only one that doesn’t strain the seeds out.
Reen says
How big are those jars that you use? and how many of those do you fill with this recipe? 🙂
Susan says
I am so sorry to say but my husband and I used 14 cups of our own fresh raspberries with 7 cups of sugar. We followed step by step your instructions. The result: RUNNY JAM! Even after letting it boil and boil and boil. It never did thicken up. Now we are to the point of pouring it all out, heating it back up again, adding pectin and doing it the way other recipes said.
admin says
Susan, I am sorry it didn’t work for you. I’m not sure why other than a higher water content in your berries? The bigger batches do take a long time… Sometimes mine cook down in 15 minutes and other times it takes more than 30. I’m curious: how long did you let them cook?
With that said, I have had to redo jam too (my apple jelly is much more temperamental) and it is a giant pain in the ass, but it does work. Again, I’m sorry this didn’t work. I use these proportions every year. For your next attempt, test the gel before canning (google that to see how to do it).
Sue Smith says
Jennifer this is the second summer I have made your jam and the results once again fabulous. THanknyou for freeing me from pectin!! Went way down on sugar this time; about 12 cups berries to 5 cups sugar. Cooked for almost an hour but great constistancy and delicious. I have also tweaked it for strawberries, summer plums and blueberries and find you can really cut down in the sugar as long as you are patient at the stove:) Always small batches. This summer I took your advice and did not give them a heat bath afterwards. I have had several jars that didn’t seal. Once they have cooled can I just pop them in a heat bath? Or do you think I have to recook the whole thing? In the meantime lots of croissants and jam….
jenmenke says
Really?? they didn’t seal! I’m so sorry for the misguided info. I’ve never had that problem. Of course the jam has to be smoking’ hot when you add the lids, but huh. Weird. So: assuming your seals are clean (you might want to check each of them just to make sure), then yes, pop them in a hot water bath and seal as normal. You will need to add some extra time to bring the contents up to temperature — an extra 5 minutes maybe?
Herbal jo says
My Mom’s recipe for strawberry jam is similar but after boil 5 mins I place in roasting pan & cover with towel allow to rest over night stirring occasionally
Will make yours tonight
Thank you
Herbal jo says
Made your recipe of jam yesterday! Work out splendid. 8C berries to 4-1/2C sugar.
Took 50 minutes to set. My stove may work a tad different plus my pot might be the reason.
The last 20mins I periodically removed a spoon full to set & cool. Once cooled I then could tell if it set or not. Plus I had a taste early. 😉 All jars sealed perfect.
Now to work on my raspberry latch to tame it slightly
Again Thsnk you as the berries continue. I will keep making jam & freezing
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Lee Longo says
I can’t wait to make this. My granddaughter is type 1 diabetes and my crop of raspberries is crazy this year. The quantity of sugar with a pectin jam always turns me off. Thank you. If anyone has made this for a type one and has had great luck for the proportions of sugar, please reply. How low can I go with the sugar?
janet says
I have made your jam a few summers now and just today making another batch. I have about 500 raspberry plants and we sell raspberries at the farmers Market and to a local restaurant. BUT always LOTs left over. Looking forward to todays batch. Best wishes
admin says
I never thought I’d say this but… I’m jealous you have so many raspberries!! The drosophila fly/worm has been a huge problem for me. So sad. I did get one batch made tho.
Bea says
This is the best low sugar jam I have ever tasted. I wish I had frozen more berries last year so I could make more.
Janet Bates says
Here I am again making your jam, but wanting to try strawberries as well, might mix them?
wendy says
I make this same recipe myself and I have type 1 diabetes, substituting 1/3 of the sugar with stevia works well . just don’t use all stevia as the sugar is important in the thickening process.
Sandy Brennan says
I just found your site and cooked 12 cups of my raspberries into jam.
Seems good, but it took a lot longer for me to get the berries thickening enough to put into the jars. Not sure why. You said 12 mins fr 8 cups? I did 2 batches , 6 cups each and it took more like 45 mins (or more). Anyway, maybe it tends to thicken in the jar as it cools…..
Thanks for the less sugar recipe- I really appreciate it.
jenmenke says
Sandy, yeah – that can happen sometimes. I’ve boiled mine for that long too. I think it depends on the sugar content of the berries and how much sugar you are adding – the less there is, the longer it takes.
Julie says
I’ve made this for the last three years. This year I increased the raspberries to 9 1/2 cups and kept the sugar at 4 cups. It took almost twenty minutes for it to begin to thicken. So I’ll just have to see how it turns out.
I want to thank you for this recipe. I can’t bear the ones with so much sugar. This one is perfect.
jenmenke says
My pleasure Julie!!
Emily says
Thanks for this recipe – it was my first time trying a no-pectin jam and I’m really happy with the result and the flavour is so much more fresh. I don’t think I’ll ever go back!
Amanda says
Did you ever decide on if the lower sugar ratio worked ? 😁
Jenmenke says
Amanda- yes it works, but you have to cook it longer to get to the gel point. I’m not sure if, in the end, it’s any different? I would need to ask a food scientist!