Raspberries make lovely jams, jellies and sauces, and are delicious on baked goods. You can make a homemade raspberry jam with just four ingredients!
This recipe is for a small batch of jam so ideal for jam-making beginners.
Easy raspberry jam recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 40
What you will need
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A large heavy-based pot
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Spatula or wooden spoon
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Jam Jars with seals and lids
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Potato Masher
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Canning Funnel (optional)
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Sieve or jelly bag (optional): If you want to alter the number of seeds in your raspberry jam
Ingredients
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1 kg raspberries best to use fresh seasonal raspberries
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350 g sugar
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2 Tbsp pectin
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1 lemon, juiced
Method
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Start by mashing the raspberries in a large bowl using a potato masher, or similar tool. Next, mix the sugar and pectin in a separate bowl.
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In a medium heavy-based pan, add the raspberries, pectin, sugar and lemon juice. If you want to make raspberry jam with less of the seeds then first add just the mashed raspberries and lemon juice, simmer for a few minutes to break down, and then press through a sieve into a bowl.
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Then simply take 2-3 spoonfuls of the seeds to incorporate back into the raspberry mixture.
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Heat on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, to dissolve all the sugar (otherwise you could have a grainy jam/sugar crystals that may form on the jam). Then, bring to a boil and allow it to have a hard rolling boil for about 5 minutes *without stirring (although you can use a spoon just to check that it's not burning to the bottom of the pan - if so, stir and reduce the heat slightly. Stirring constantly will affect the cooking time).
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You can skim the foam from the top of the pan while boiling. Alternatively, add a very small amount of butter to the pan at the end of the boiling process to disperse the foam - this will make your jam clearer.
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Finally, remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool down for about 10 minutes. This will keep your fruit and seeds in the jam from separating away from the liquid, so it’s even throughout.
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In the meantime, sterilise all the utensils and containers/jars you will be using for the jam. Wash everything with soapy water and then place it in the oven for about 10 minutes at 160ºC/325ºF to completely dry it.
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Place the jar onto a wooden surface or tea towel (which is meant to stop it cracking when you pour in the warm jam) and transfer the jam to the jars. This process is easier with a canning funnel, but not necessary.
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Make sure not to touch the inside of the jar or jar lid at all with your hands and wipe away any spillage on the outside of the jar with a damp cloth, then seal the jars.
Recipe from___Alpha Foodie_
Notes
Without properly heat ‘canning’ your raspberry jam it will last in the fridge for up to three weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
You can also use a boiling water canner method (the hot water bath method) if you want to properly store your jam for long-term storage. That way your jam will last up to 2 years in a cool, dry, dark location.
To learn more about how to properly sterilise your mason jars see our article on how to make jam here.
As this is a small batch of jam, it won’t take long to reach the setting point. However, this can vary depending on your pan so you can test the setting point yourself either with a thermometer (it needs to have reached 105C/220F) or the fridge plate method.
You can also make raspberry jam without pectin, here's how:
When is the best time to go raspberry picking?
Raspberries are seasonal between July and September.
How long does homemade raspberry jam last?
The jam will have a long shelf life if it is processed properly with the canning method. If you do this, you can keep the jam in a cool dark place for 2 years. Otherwise, it will keep in the fridge for 3 months.
How do you thicken raspberry jam?
If you end up making your jam too runny, this can be cooked again to thicken up. It’s always better to undercook rather than overcook.
To thicken it dissolve 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornflour for every cup of the jam liquid in a small amount of cold water to make a slurry. Reduce heat and drizzle the mixture into the pot, stirring constantly. Gently simmer for 30 seconds and then pour it into your jars.
Are raspberries high in pectin?
Raspberries are a high pectin fruit, so you can reduce the amount of pectin added, based on how to set you like your jam to be. If you do not have any pectin you don’t need it as the lemon will help to set the jam too.
Can I thicken jam without pectin?
Raspberry jam can be made without pectin however a few tablespoons of chia seeds are another alternative as they have gelling properties.