After being given several flats worth of almost over-the-hill raspberries, I made it my afternoons work to make a stock pile of freezer jam. (Freezer jam is real jam, it is just skipping the step of processing it in heat and instead using a freezer to preserve the jam and keep it safe to eat.)
The nice part of making freezer jam rather than canning, is that it is fast and less messy. If you are worried you won’t have the time to can a bunch of jam this can be a fabulous substitute.
I usually follow the rule of thumb to use equal parts fruit and sugar. I don’t typically add pectin, which means the jam will be a bit sloppy, but I like it that way. Simmer down the fruit and sugar for at least 20 minutes; though you can go a little longer and the jam will become thicker. I sometimes add a dash of spice or orange zest. My favorite spices to use are cardamom, nutmeg or allspice though cinnamon is a good one too. Depending on the fruit and how juicy it is, you may need to add a splash of water to avoid burning the bottom of the pot. Note, too much will make soupy jam that doesn’t hold at all.
Pour the jam into clean mason jars leaving half an inch of head-room. Twist on the cover and let cool. Place the unopened jars in your freezer and keep opened jam jars for use in the fridge.
The jam will last quite a while. I looked up specifics and this link said up to a year in a freezer and once thawed about 3-4 weeks.
Hope summer is wrapping up well for everyone!
Cheers ~
Marica
Your young'uns are so lucky, Marica!
Thanks Sonia 🙂 Hope your new home is as wonderful as you dreamed it would be! Can't wait to see pictures!
Your homemade jam will bring you happy breakfast in the coming autumn.
I love raspberry jam, but have never made it myself. This looks pretty simple, so I'll give it a try. Do you think it would work using agave as a sweetener?
Hi Susan, that's a good question. Although I have never tried it, I am going to guess it will come out just as tasty, but somewhat thinner. Sugar thickens the jam as it cooks down, where as agave may stay pretty syrupy. Luckily, as it is going to be immediately refrigerated or frozen rather than canned, you don't have to worry about whether the agave preserves the fruit.
Please let me know how it comes out!
Cheers,
Marica