How to Turn Any Fruit Into Jam In 45 Minutes—No Canning Required

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How to Turn Any Fruit Into Jam In 45 Minutes—No Canning Required

Sarah Carey’s easy method transforms a few simple ingredients into jars of summer goodness you can enjoy all year.

By Sarah Carey

Published on September 3, 2024

https://www.marthastewart.com/how-to-make-jam-8704189

In This Article

My Basic Jam Recipe

The Process

Storing Jam

How to Use Jam

Did you know?: Truffles

several fruit jams on toast from basic jam recipe

Photo:

Christopher Testani

Everyone should make jam. I love making it for so many reasons: the flavor, the process, and the fun of sharing what I’ve made. When I make jam, I feel like I’m saving the summer—and it takes me back to making jam with my mom when I was a kid. It also means that none of the peaches I picked at the farm (too many peaches every time!) go to waste. The jam I make is fruit-forward, not overly sweet, and only takes 45 minutes to make—who said jam was an all-day project? All you need is fruit, sugar, lemon juice, and clean jars. If you want to give jam-making a try, you’re in the right place.

How to Turn Any Summer Fruit Into a Crumble—No Recipe Required

My Basic Jam Recipe

This recipe is the best place to start, and it’s a recipe you’ll use over and over because it’s so versatile. Start with peaches, then try plums or mixed berries and go on from there.

It includes the basic formula you can use with just about any fruit—a ratio of 2-to-1 fruit to sugar (by weight). I almost always use this formula, with a few exceptions—such as for sour cherry jam. It results in a fruit-forward flavor that I find really pleasant. I look for a soft “set” instead of a firm one. I don’t use commercial pectin, not because I don’t like it, but because I don’t want my jam to be too firm, and I prefer the lower sugar content. Commercial pectin usually requires a 1-to-1 ratio of sugar to fruit.

Other things to know:

Don’t bother peeling fruit for jam; it’s a waste of time. Peach and nectarine skins dissolve as they cook. With fruit like plums, the skin is tougher, but it rolls up into pieces, and you can remove them with a fork or chopsticks if you want.

Always add a pinch of salt. As in all cooking, salt enhances the flavor of the final product.

This recipe makes 5 to 6 cups of jam, which is 5 to 6 jars if you use half-pint jars (they are my go-to). That’s not a massive amount, but if it’s too much, you can halve the recipe for 2 1/2 to 3 cups of jam.

The Process

My method for making jam is very simple; it’s also pretty quick.

Combine all the ingredients in a large, wide pot (I use an All-Clad 8-quart pan). Make sure the pot is only about half full, as the fruit mixture will boil up a lot in the beginning.

Cook, stirring frequently, so the mixture doesn’t stick. I tend to cook at a boil the whole time, whereas some jam recipes call for cooking low and slow for as long as an hour or more. My method is faster, the jam only needs to cook for 10 to 12 minutes after it comes to a boil.

Foam will form on top of the jam. Nothing is wrong with that; most of it will cook away as the jam cooks. If you don’t like the appearance of the foam, spoon it off before transferring the jam to jars.

How do you know it’s done?

Since I make jam that usually doesn’t gel because I don’t use pectin or as much sugar, this is how I test for doneness: I look for a thick texture that sticks to a spoon when lifted out of the pot, then forms two droplets that fall off the spoon slowly.

Storing Jam

What discourages many people from making jam is the canning—but jam doesn’t have to be processed in a hot water bath. I prefer to freeze my jam for preservation. I think the flavor and color hold better when it is frozen rather than when it is traditionally canned. If you plan on canning, I recommend you go to Ball Mason for helpful, FDA-approved methods. They are a terrific resource.

Freezer Jam

If you plan on freezing your jam, transfer it into clean freezer-safe containers such as Ball jars. You could use a funnel but I don’t bother. Instead, I ladle the jam into a 1 or 2-quart glass measuring cup and pour it into the jars. Leave about ½-inch headroom when you fill the jars, and let cool completely before covering and storing in the freezer.

Refrigerator Jam

You can also make refrigerator jam, storing it in the refrigerator rather than the freezer. I prefer the freezer as my fridge is small, and freezer jam lasts longer than refrigerator jam. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says freezer jam will last up to 12 months; after that the quality may diminish.

How to Use Jam

This is never a problem! Try it spooned on top of plain yogurt or spread into the bottom of a tart shell before filling it with cream and fruit. Spread some on top of a cheesecake—or simply enjoy it on toast.