Make homemade jam and marmalade from berries and fruits

Making jam and marmalade from berries and fruits from the garden is a tradition for many, but also surprisingly easy if you have never tried before. Here we go through the process step by step.

Do you have berries or fruit in your garden, you can make tasty jams and marmalades that add an extra touch to breakfast, waffles or dessert. Homemade jam is also great gifts, and a reminder of the summer flavors in the cooler months of the year.

What can you make jam and marmalade out of?

Most fruits and berries can be used to make jam and marmalade. Here are some popular examples:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blackcurrants
Redcurrants
Blueberries
Blackberries
PlumsIt is also possible to make more exotic marmalades, such as fig or chili marmalade.

Here is how you make jam and marmalade

You can make jam in a regular pot. All you need are berries and a little sugar. And you can make jam and marmalade anytime of the year, as long as you pick and clean the berries at the right time and freeze them (if you're not going to make the jam right away). An important thing to note is that the juicier the berries are, the thinner and more liquid the jam will be. Therefore, you should pick the berries before they become too ripe and full of water. If you pick them earlier, they contain less water and more pectin (a type of dietary fiber that attracts and holds onto water), which is beneficial for the process. This is the opposite when making juice, as then you want the berries to be juicier and have less pectin.

The difference between jam and marmalade

The biggest difference between jam and marmalade is the consistency, where marmalade is thicker than jam. Some marmalades, like orange marmalade, contain citrus peel and are used as spreads. Other marmalades can be made from vegetables, such as onion or tomato, and used as accompaniments to main dishes.

The process of making jam and marmalade is about the same. You cook the berries, fruits, or vegetables with sugar and test the consistency by performing the jam and marmalade test (more on that below). The difference when making marmalade is that you use a larger amount of sugar and longer cooking time to make it thicker and firmer.

The difference between cooked and stirred jam.

Regular jam is cooked, the process for this is described in detail below. Stirred jam consists only of berries and sugar stirred or mashed together, without cooking or heat treatment. The shelf life of stirred jam is therefore very short, but stirred jam is great to freeze - in that sense, it can also last for years.

Jam sugar or pickling spice

Please feel free to use jam sugar when making jam. Jam sugar containing pectin helps you achieve the right consistency in just a few minutes. You can also use regular sugar, but then you must add pectin powder and/or let it simmer a little longer to achieve the same result.

Jam and marmalade test

There is a simple trick that allows you to quickly check how thick your jam or marmalade is. Place a plate in the freezer to make it really cold.When you think the jam or marmalade is ready, place a small spoonful of it on the plate and put it back in the freezer for a few minutes. It also works well in the refrigerator, but it takes a little longer.

Then take a spoon and drag it through the jam to see how well it separates. If the jam (or marmalade) flows back together, it is still too thin. If you get a line where you dragged the spoon through, it is thicker. If it is too thin, it needs to cook longer.Repeat the process until you get a jam or marmalade with the consistency you want.

Making homemade jam - step by step

Jam-Making Process

1. Clean the Jars

Wash the jars you will store the jam in to increase their shelf life by reducing the risk of bacterial growth. If you have airtight jars with rubber seals, boil the rubber seals as well.

2. Heat Up the Jars

Since you will be pouring hot jam into the jars, they should be warm. Preheat the oven to 125 degrees Celsius and let the jars sit in there for about 20 minutes.

3. Clean the Berries

Remove any debris from the berries. Check for mold and rinse them if necessary.

4. Add Sugar

Mix the berries with sugar, preferably jam sugar, to achieve your desired sweetness.

5. Cook

Pour the berries into a pot and bring them to a boil. You do not need to mash them at this stage, as they will break down during cooking.
The cooking time depends on the type of sugar used:
- For jam sugar with pectin, cook for just over five minutes.
- For regular sugar, add jam powder (follow the instructions on the package) or experiment to achieve the desired consistency.

6. Remove the Foam

Foam often forms on the top during cooking, so it's best to remove this. Use a spoon or slotted spoon to skim off the foam.

7. Test the Consistency

Perform the jam and marmalade test when you think the jam is done.
Place a plate in the freezer to cool.
Take it out, put a dollop of the jam on the plate, and return it to the freezer or refrigerator for just over five minutes.
Run a spoon through the jam to see if it holds together.

8. With or Without Pieces

Once the jam has reached the right consistency, check how many pieces remain in it.
Some people prefer a completely smooth jam, while others like it with some pieces.
Fruits like black currants and raspberries break down naturally, while cloudberries have stems, so many opt to use an immersion blender.
Depending on your desired consistency, use an immersion blender for smooth jam or a potato masher for chunkier jam.

9. Fill the Jars

Now, gather your jars and a funnel.
Fill each jar, leaving about 1 cm at the top.
Ensure a tight seal by wiping away any spills and keeping the edges clean.

Water bath canning

Water Bath Canning for Jam Preservation

1. Prepare the Pot

Bring out a large pot and fill it with water. Make sure there is enough water to cover the jam jar, ideally around 3-5 cm above the jar.

2. Heat the Water

Heat the water to the same temperature as the jam and the jar, just below the boiling point.

3. Place a Kitchen Towel

Place a kitchen towel in the pot. Then, set the jar on top of the towel. This prevents the jar from standing directly on the bottom of the pot. Without the towel, the jar may start jumping when the water boils.

4. Boil the Water

Bring the water to a proper boil. Allow it to boil for ten minutes to effectively preserve the jam.

Durability of homemade jam

Shelf Life of Jam

Unopened Boiled Jam

Storage: Several years at room temperature (if unopened).
Tip: Store in a dark place; the cooler, the better.

Opened Boiled Jam

Storage: 1-3 months in the refrigerator.

Stirred Jam

Storage: 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Jam in the Freezer

Storage: Several years when frozen.

Important Notes

Glass jars of boiled jam should be airtight and completely clean to maximize shelf life.
The taste may diminish over time, so it’s best to consume within a year.
Stirred jam, which is not heat-treated, has a short shelf life. Store it in small plastic containers for freezing in suitable portions.