How to Make a Super Easy Old-fashioned Berry Jam

About ten years ago my husband gave my mother 5 or 6 raspberry canes for her birthday. It was certainly a surprise—she lives on the top floor of an apartment building. His plan was to plant them in our garden and he would do the work maintaining them so she could pick all the berries that she desired. Her love of fresh berries in her morning cereal cemented the idea.

a raspberry—ripe for picking

Those original canes have grown into two nice rows of beautiful raspberry bushes. They produce much more than mom could ever use. During the harvest, whenever she comes over to the house for dinner, she heads to the garden and picks one, maybe two pints. She will be picking again today.

We are having a banner year with 70 pints (and counting) frozen and numerous more in our bellies and the bellies of our friends and family via six fresh raspberry pies to date.

The peak picking has passed. The berries are smaller—perfect for a super easy old-fashioned berry jam.

In addition to the raspberries, we had a nice crop of strawberries. Plus, I purchased blueberries and peaches from the wonderful Tree-Ripe people. Some of each fruit will be made into jam. Sometimes I cook up a large batch to process in a water bath so I can keep it on the shelf. Sometimes I make a single pint to keep in the refrigerator. Either way, I like to use fruit and sugar, nothing more. This method tastes most like my aunt Phoebe’s wild berry jam from the family farm in Hancock.

The first time I tried this method my mother and I were with my daughters up north in Copper Harbor. The girls were role-playing at Fort Wilkins for the afternoon, so Mom and I decided to walk to town following the trails along Lake Fanny Hooe. The bilberries were in season. We picked berries, ate berries, walked, talked, and picked some more, and ate some more. It wasn’t until we stopped that we looked at each other. It is amazing how a few bilberries can stain your teeth. We decided to forgo the walk into town and chose instead to pick enough berries on the way back to the cabin for jam on the next day’s toast. It was super easy and delicious to simply cook down the berries with some sugar. What a treat the next day! (Afterward, everyone was sure to find their toothbrush.)

For a quick and easy pint of jam:

I use my large enamel skillet because it has lots of surface area to boil down the fruit quickly. The berries are layered an inch or two deep in the pan and sugar is scattered across the top. The sweetness of the fruit determines the amount of sugar. I bring it to a rolling boil, starting on medium high heat and turn it to low as the fruit breaks down and releases its juice, thickening with the added sugar. I stir the mixture just about the whole time. The jam is done when the berries part after dragging my spoon through the middle and the white of the enamel pan shows for a short time. It’s all a matter of taste. How sweet do you want your jam? How thick? Do you want crushed berries or whole?

It doesn’t take long to get the feel for this super easy process and personalize the jam for your own taste.

I like blueberries and peaches partially mashed for jam. Raspberries break down right away. I leave small strawberries whole in my jam. Not only does it remind me of aunt Phoebe’s wild strawberry jam preserves, but I also like the visual of that whole berry intact on my toast.

It simply shouts homemade at you, and I happen to think that is a good thing.

So try it. Cook some fruit up with some sugar. Put it in a jar in the refrigerator and enjoy your super easy old-fashioned jam on your favorite toast.

Also, if you want to dress up your canning jars, I am offering free canning labels to download. Check it out here.

Note:  Epicurious has a similar method in their berry jam recipe using warmed sugar if you prefer more specific directions. 

To see my clip art inspired by berries, click on the images.