Tag Archives: jam

Traditional Raspberry Jam – no pectin added

Homemade Jam
Traditional Homemade Raspberry Jam

Oh, the treat of homemade Raspberry Jam! This is a traditional cooked Raspberry Jam with no pectin added. This method of jam making is sometimes referred to as “long boil jam” because it is cooked on the stovetop until the jam has cooked down and thickened. Continue reading Traditional Raspberry Jam – no pectin added

Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam Recipe

Jars of Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

This Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam boasts wonderful flavour and is very quick and easy to make. Because it is to stored in the freezer, it does not require a long cooking time or the hot water canning process.

Like any freezer jam, this Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam is a softer jam than most that are cooked for many minutes on the stove in the traditional jam-making way. I know some recipes for freezer jams don’t require any cooking at all but I personally feel that, if the fruit has not had some cooking, it’s really just a sauce, not a jam. I think the heating of the product brings out deep flavour notes in the jam.

Open jar of Freezer Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

This jam will appear to be somewhat watery and runny when it first comes off the stove. However, it will thicken some as it sets up.  For this reason, be sure to let the jars sit, undisturbed, on the counter for a full 24 hours to set before freezing.  Resist the urge to pick up the jars and tilt and twirl them to see if the jam is thickening – just let them be.

And, just know that this jam is unlikely to become as thick as traditional jams that are cooked for many minutes on the stove.  In my view, the easy procedure and speed with which this jam can be made, along with its wonderful combination of rhubarb and strawberry flavours, more than make up for the lack of a thick consistency.

My preference is to freeze the jam in sterilized glass jars. Even though the jam is going to be frozen, I still simply like to know the jars are sterilized before placing my jam in them. Plastic freezer containers can be used but the jam will need to cool before placing in the containers.

Jars of Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

Because this jam has not been processed via the hot water canning method, it is not considered shelf-stable at room temperature so be sure to freeze the jam, after the 24-hour setting period, to preserve it.  Once opened, store the jam in the refrigerator for up to about a month (if it lasts that long).

Breakfast featuring Strrawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

Whether you are an experienced jam maker or a novice making your first batch, this is a great jam to make because it is quick and easy and requires no hot water canning.

Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam on a Toast Point
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

[Printable recipe follows at end of post]

Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

Ingredients:

1¼ lb strawberries, hulled, washed, and sliced (or quartered, if small berries)
¾ lb rhubarb, sliced ½“ thick
1½ cups granulated sugar

1½ cups granulated sugar
2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp orange juice

Method:

Place strawberries and rhubarb in medium-sized stockpot. Add the first 1½ cups sugar, stir into fruit, and let stand for 5 minutes. Place pot over medium high heat to bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil hard for 4 minutes, starting the timing when the mixture reaches a rolling boil. Stir frequently.

Add the remaining 1½ cups of sugar, stirring to blend it in. Return mixture to a rolling boil, continuing to stir frequently to prevent it from scorching. Boil mixture briskly over medium-high heat for 4 minutes (starting the timing when the mixture reaches a rolling boil again), continuing to stir mixture often.

Remove jam from heat and stir in the lemon and orange juices. Skim off, and discard, any foam that remains. Jam will appear runny but will thicken somewhat when set. Fill sterilized jars, leaving about 1” headroom to allow for product expansion when freezing. Apply heated lids and jar bands to jars. Let jars stand on counter for 24 hours, without disturbing, to allow the jam to set before freezing.

Yield: Apx. 4 half-pint jars

Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

This Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam boasts wonderful flavor and is very quick and easy to make.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword freezer jam, Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam
Servings 4 cups
My Island Bistro Kitchen My Island Bistro Kitchen

Ingredients

  • lb strawberries, hulled, washed, and sliced (or quartered, if small berries)
  • ¾ lb rhubarb, sliced ½“ thick
  • 3 cups granulated sugar (divided in half)
  • 2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp orange juice

Instructions

  1. Place strawberries and rhubarb in medium-sized stockpot. Add 1½ cups of the sugar, stir into fruit, and let stand for 5 minutes. Place pot over medium high heat to bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil hard for 4 minutes, starting the timing when the mixture reaches a rolling boil. Stir frequently.

  2. Add the remaining 1½ cups of sugar, stirring to blend it in. Return mixture to a rolling boil, continuing to stir frequently to prevent it from scorching. Boil mixture briskly over medium-high heat for 4 minutes (starting the timing when the mixture reaches a rolling boil again), continuing to stir mixture often.

  3. Remove jam from heat and stir in the lemon and orange juices. Skim off, and discard, any foam that remains. Jam will appear somewhat runny and watery but will thicken somewhat when set. Fill sterilized jars, leaving about 1” headroom to allow for product expansion when freezing. Apply heated lids and jar bands to jars. Let jars stand on counter for 24 hours, without disturbing, to allow the jam to set before freezing.

Recipe Notes

Yield: Apx. 4 half-pint jars

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Jars of Homemade Freezer Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam

 

For other great jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:

Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam
Gooseberry Jam
Zucchini Jam
Pumpkin Jam
Rhubarb Marmalade
Green Tomato Marmalade
Peach Marmalade
Crabapple Jelly

Gooseberry Jam

My grandmother had two small fruit-bearing bushes at the edge of her garden – a black current and a gooseberry.  Both were good producers despite their relatively small size and age.  I remember helping her to stem and tip the berries before they were made into jam. Every year, she would make a small amount of black current jam and the same of gooseberry, both of which would be very judiciously produced at the table throughout the year as these were considered very special jams.  One did not eat these jams at the same rate as the more common strawberry and raspberry jams were consumed! I loved her black current and gooseberry jams!

Gooseberries are not altogether commonly found on PEI. However, if you are fortunate enough to have gooseberry bushes, or have a source of them, the beautiful blush-colored gooseberries make a stunning deep red-colored jam that has an almost translucent texture.

Gooseberries

Gooseberries

The only deterrent to gooseberries is that they have to be “tailed and stemmed” meaning both tips and stems have to be removed before doing anything with them. While this is a bit of a tedious and time-consuming task, it’s a small price to pay for a berry that yields such a tasty jam! Because of their small size, it takes a lot of berries to yield any amount of jam so that’s why jams such as black current and gooseberry are more rare and are thus often referred to as specialty jams. These jams are typically made in small batch quantities.

As a general rule of thumb, in a berry jam, it is cup-for-cup,  sugar to berries.  However, with gooseberries, I find that the resulting jam is quite sweet so I reduce the sugar amount by a third of a cup.  This small reduction is not enough to make a difference to the jamming ability of the berries but it does reduce the sweetness just a bit. While my grandmother would never have put a splash of liqueur of any kind in her jam, I do add a couple of tablespoons of orange-flavoured liqueur in mine to deepen the flavour.  This is an optional ingredient but, nonetheless, good. The idea, of course, is moderation so only a couple of tablespoons will do and it’s not so much that you can taste the orange liqueur in the jam as it is the complexity and depth of flavour the liqueur subtly contributes to the jam.

Gooseberry jam is a thick jam and it is very easy to overcook it and end up with a jam that is so thick, it is hard to remove it from the jar.  Therefore, take care when cooking not to over cook it.

To test for jam “setting”, I recommend using the “chill-and-wrinkle” test.  Place 2-3 saucers in the freezer and, as the jam is nearing the end of its expected cooking time as indicated in the recipe, remove a saucer from the freezer and place 1 – 2  teaspoons of the jam on it.

Let the jam sit, untouched, for about a minute then gently push the jam with your finger to make a line through the center of the jam.  If the jam wrinkles slightly and stays in place (i.e., does not run back together after the finger has been removed), the jam is set and ready to bottle. This test may need to be done 2-3 times during the cooking process. Just remember to remove the pot of jam from the heat while conducting the test. If the first “chill-and-wrinkle” test is negative, return the jam pot to the heat, continuing cooking, and test again in about 3 minutes time or so.  Continue doing this until the jam passes the “chill-and-wrinkle” test.

I love this jam on toast, biscuits, scones, and croissants.  A dob of the jam on warm custard also makes a great dessert. Gooseberry jam also works well as a filler in thumbprint cookies or in anything where a sweet, showy red jam is desired.

I think my grandmother would be plum-delighted to know that I am continuing on with her tradition of making the cherished gooseberry jam…..even if I do add a splash of liqueur to the recipe!

Gooseberry Jam

2 lbs gooseberries (apx. 4 cups)
3 ⅔  cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp Cointreau

Wash gooseberries and remove tips and stems from the berries.

Place two or three saucers in freezer for use later in “chill-and-wrinkle” testing to determine if jam is set.

Place sugar and water in large pot. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Then, add the gooseberries and Cointreau. Return mixture to a boil and cook rapidly, uncovered, and stirring occasionally for about 25* minutes or until mixture reaches the setting point.

To determine if jam is set, remove jam pot from heat and place 1 – 2 teaspoons of jam on cold saucer and swirl saucer around. Let jam sit, untouched, for about a minute, then gently push your finger through the jam. If the jam ‘wrinkles’ slightly and holds its shape (i.e., does not run back together after the finger has been removed), it is set and ready to bottle. If not, continue to cook mixture, repeating the “chill-and-wrinkle” test about every 3 minutes or so (always removing the pot from the heat while conducting the chill test) until the jam passes the “chill-and-wrinkle” test. Do not overcook as it will result in a very thick jam. Remove from heat and skim off any foam that may still remain. Pour jam into sterilized jars, leaving about ¼” headroom in each jar. Seal.

Process filled jars in a hot water bath, following canner manufacturer’s directions.

Yield: Apx. 4 half pints

*Note that the 25-minute point is the stage at which the “chill-and-wrinkle” test should commence. It does not necessarily mean that the jam will be done in that timeframe. With jams, it is difficult to give a precise cooking time since various factors, including the pectin level of the fruit and heat level of stove, can vary significantly and may affect cooking and jam-setting times. This is why the “chill-and-wrinkle” test is the recommended method for determining jam setting.

If you have made this recipe and enjoyed it and/or wish to share it with your friends and family, please do so on social media but be sure to share the direct link to this posting from my website.

Gooseberry Jam

Yield: Apx. 4 half pints

A deliciously rich deep red-colored jam. Serve on toast, scones, biscuits or croissants, in custard, or as a filler in thumbprint cookies.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs gooseberries (apx. 4 cups)
  • 3 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tbsp Cointreau

Instructions

  1. Wash gooseberries and remove tips and stems from the berries.
  2. Place two or three saucers in freezer for use later in chill testing to determine if jam is set.
  3. Place sugar and water in large pot. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Then, add gooseberries and Cointreau. Return mixture to a boil and cook rapidly, uncovered, and stirring occasionally, for about 25* minutes, or until mixture reaches the setting point.
  4. To determine if jam is set, remove jam pot from heat and place 1 - 2 teaspoons of jam on cold saucer and swirl saucer around. Let jam sit, untouched, for about a minute, then gently push your finger through the jam. If the jam ‘wrinkles’ slightly and holds its shape (i.e., does not run back together after the finger has been removed), it is set and ready to bottle. If not, continue to cook mixture, repeating the chill-and-wrinkle test about every 3 minutes or so (always removing the pot from the heat while conducting the chill test) until the jam passes the “chill-and-wrinkle” test. Do not overcook as it will result in a very thick jam. Remove from heat and skim off any foam that may still remain. Pour jam into sterilized jars, leaving about ¼” headroom in each jar. Seal.
  5. Process filled jars in a hot water bath, following canner manufacturer’s directions.
  6. *Note that the 25-minute point is the stage at which the "chill-and-wrinkle" test should commence. It does not necessarily mean that the jam will be done in that timeframe. With jams, it is difficult to give a precise cooking time since various factors, including the pectin level of the fruit and heat level of stove, can vary significantly and may affect cooking and jam-setting times. This is why the "chill-and-wrinkle" test is the recommended method for determining jam setting.
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You may also enjoy these other jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen:

Jams
Strawberry Rhubarb Freezer Jam
Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam
Gooseberry Jam
Zucchini Jam
Pumpkin Jam
Small Batch Cherry Jam

Jelly
Rosy Rhubarb Jelly
Crabapple Jelly

Marmalade
Green Tomato Marmalade
Rhubarb Marmalade
Peach Marmalade

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Gooseberry Jam
Gooseberry Jam
Gooseberry Jam

 

Zucchini Jam

Zucchini Jam on Tea Biscuits
Zucchini Jam on Tea Biscuits

Zucchini is one vegetable that seems to grow prolifically.  Come fall and many gardeners have an abundance of zucchini they don’t know what to do with.  Zucchini is actually a very versatile veggie that can be used in cakes, cookies, muffins, and jams.  I like to keep grated zucchini frozen and ready for use in various tasty baking products over the winter.  Another recipe I like to use zucchini in is this one for zucchini jam.  It is quite easy to make and is a great spread on toast, biscuits, or as a dollop on vanilla custard.  Its bright orange color makes it a showy jam.

Zucchini Jam
Zucchini Jam

Zucchini Jam

Ingredients:

6 cups grated zucchini (peel and seed zucchini before grating)
5 cups sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple, with juice
1 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 (85g) orange jello
1 (85g) lemon jello

Directions:

Assemble ingredients.

1-DSC00692

Peel and seed zucchini.  Grate enough zucchini to make 6 cups, loosely packed.

Place zucchini and sugar in pot and boil, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in pineapple and the lemon and lime juices.  Bring to a boil.  Boil, uncovered, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Skim off, and discard, any foam that may form.

Add jellos, stirring until incorporated and jellos are dissolved.

Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼” headroom on top of each jar.  Seal.

Process the jam in a hot water bath, following the directions provided with your hot water canner.

Yield:  Apx. 7-8 half pints

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Jam
Zucchini Jam

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