Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
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I love jam and prefer it over jelly. Texture exposure is something we should all be partaking in. We have grown so distant from our roots and our foods. We trust the products that we buy so much, a lot of us (not I) forget to take a peek at the ingredients we are consuming. A vast majority of humans, with a huge percentage being United States citizens, consume heavily processed and heavily preserved food which contain ingredients that are absolutely unnecessary for our bodies. Where do you think allergies and intolerance comes from? We are not nurturing our bodies, and we are giving our bodies more poison and byproduct than they can handle.
I am not claiming to be the almighty health guru, who leads a perfect diet, with perfect, untouched, unprocessed food. I still shop at the grocery store and hope that I can trust the raw foods and ingredients that I’m buying. This is why I find it most important to be as healthy as I possibly can, within my means. Making homemade jam helps me accomplish this. By making this jam for my children, I am cutting out the corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, added pectin, and sodium citrate that is all in your store-bought jams (example below).
DISCLAIMER: I am not here to knock any jam and jelly brands, as they all make clean/natural versions of their jams and jellies. I am not here to discredit nor steer anyone away. This blog and recipe are meant for the home makers and people who enjoy learning to cook from scratch. The facts I present are to inform others about high fructose corn syrup and how it has the same effects as sugar, while also essentially being a sugar made from corn starch, therefore rendering it an added sugar.
You have to also be careful, because by these companies adding high fructose corn syrup, they are able to document a lower added sugar count. This particular label (above) reports 9 grams of added sugar per serving. This is because they aren’t reporting the sugar that is in the syrups (around 16g per tablespoon). There are not enough study results to suggest that high fructose corn syrup is any worse than your table sugar, but it does have similar effects on the body as table sugar. Most labels aren’t reporting how much syrup is in their recipe. When you make your jam at home, you know exactly what you are about to consume.
Another thing that’s great about homemade jam is the fact that you don’t even need to add sugar at all! Most fresh berries and fruits are sweet enough on their own with their natural sugars. My recipe involves adding sugar, because I like to use fresh frozen berries for my jams, and they tend to come more on the tart side. Whether you are using fresh or frozen berries for this recipe, the process will still be the same, excluding the need to thaw your fruit.
Alternative Methods
My way of making jam involves pureeing the fruit via blender or food processor. If you do not have these tools handy, or simply don’t want to clean appliances, set the whole fruit in your pot over medium-low heat. I like to set the knob right before medium. This gives a steam and juice boil without burning the fruit. Allow the fruit to heat up while you mash it. the more it heats up, the easier it will mash. Be sure to stir as you go to avoid burning the fruit and to ensure even mashing.
If you want a smooth jam, with minimal seed and chunk, there is a way to accomplish this. First, you will need to puree your fruit. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, it’s time to invest, ask for a gift, or borrow from a person who trusts you. Throw those berries in and pulse until you reach a puree. This next process can be tedious, frustrating, and time consuming, but doable. Slowly sift the puree through a sieve that can catch the tiny seeds. You may run into frustration with a lot of the puree wanting to hang around with the seeds. Simply flush it through with water, then sift out the water using the same process, by catching the puree in a sieve and quickly dumping it into a bowl or pot.
Ingredients
- Fruit – blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries (fresh or frozen; I use the frozen triple berry blends that have zero added sugar and preservatives) – around 6-7 cups whole usually make a 4-cup puree
- Fresh lemon – enough to squeeze 3 TBSP of lemon juice
TIP: I use half regular sugar and half light brown sugar for my jam. I love the turnout, as well as my children; they LOVE it!
Instructions
If you are using frozen fruit, thaw your berries first. You can speed up the process with rinsing, but do it carefully, as you may lose some of the juices in the process.
Take your berries and toss them into your blender or food processor. Pulse until they are pureed.
You can make more or less, but I find that 4 cups of puree make the perfect amount of jam for my household.
Pour the fruit puree, lemon juice, and sugar into a medium-large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Bring it up to a boil while stirring occasionally (the sugar will eventually melt).
Once your fruit puree starts boiling, stir constantly for a minute, then adjust the heat to the lower side of medium (medium-low).
Continue to boil for an hour while stirring frequently.
TIP: You may want to keep a cover nearby, as the jam will thicken and may splatter while boiling.
You will notice the jam thickening up as time goes by. You will feel a bit more resistance with each stir.
That’s it. Transfer your jam into a jar or sealable container and set it in your refrigerator to cool and thicken.
Enjoy your delicious triple berry jam.
About This Recipe
Sugar Comparison
On the label of most affordable jam jars, you will see around 10 grams (9 of those are added) of sugar per serving. In a standard jar, of around 42 servings, that makes a total of 420 grams of sugar per jar. The 1 cup of sugar that I use adds around 200 grams of sugar to this jam. Remember, you can reduce the amount of added sugar or add NONE at all, to your jam.
Children’s Choice
I have a house full of picky eaters, minus my oldest, who’s palette is more open. Every single one of my children approve of this jam. Need I say more?
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