In addition to granola, jam has always been something I’ve wanted to try my hand at. I’ve made apple butter but that always seemed easy compared to jam. Jam felt like one of those things that you have your grandmother teach you. The process of cooking and canning felt like something that is passed down from generations.
It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that there was a no cook pectin that you could freeze. This seemed like a good introduction to making jam. I researched some recipes to try to find one I liked. My only requirement was that it had no sugar. Any way that I can eliminate sugar, I do. So here’s my berry jam recipe that I’m sure will undergo more changes and modifications as I continue to explore the art of jam making.
3 1/2 pints fresh blueberries OR 36 oz. raspberries OR 36 oz. frozen strawberries or 4 lbs. fresh
3/4 – 1 cup agave nectar*
1 package (1.59 oz) no cook pectin
I just rinsed the berries and then put them into the blender. After the berries were blended, I added the agave and blended just a little bit more. You can use agave (or the sweetener you choose) to your desired sweetness. After everything is blended, transfer to jars and let set in fridge for 24 hours. This recipe makes about 6 half pint jars of jam so you might want to freeze some. They can freeze up to one year and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
*I absolutely love agave nectar so I try to use it in the place of sugar. However, I know it’s not readily available everywhere (I’ve never seen it in S. Africa). If you can’t find it, you might try apple juice instead. That is, if you’re trying to avoid processed sugar like me. I like to reference the site, Pick Your Own, when I have questions on canning, jam making, and sugar/juice ratios.
Oh, and if anyone has any jam making tips for this novice, I would welcome them!
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