How to Make Blueberry Jam (no pectin recipe) (2024)

FAQs

How do you get jam to set without pectin? ›

The secret ingredient to making jam without pectin is time. The fruit and sugar need plenty of time to cook and thicken. A long, slow boil drives the moisture out of the fruit, helping to preserve and thicken it at the same time. Fruit varies in water content as well, and some fruits may take longer to jam up.

If I want a thicker consistency, I use cornstarch since I always have it in my pantry. If using, dissolve the cornstarch in water first and make sure your blueberry mixture is simmering or you'll end up with clumps of cornstarch in your preserves.

Blueberries have natural acidity and pectin in abundance. And yet, adding lemon juice helps break down the skin. Low-sugar – Fresh blueberries are naturally soft and sweet, so you don't need to add a lot of sugar to this jam.

Over-ripe or damaged fruit is not ideal - the jam will not set well and is likely to deteriorate rapidly. The amount of sugar you need to make jam depends on the amount of pectin in your chosen fruit, but generally the fruit-to-sugar ratio for traditional jams is 1:1 (ie. 450g/1lb sugar to 450g/1lb fruit).

Lemon is crucial to balancing those sweet flavors, but it also helps the pectin to firm up the jam. It can be added at the start of the cooking process or towards the end, but what must be taken into account is that adding liquids to the jam mixture will inevitably require the jam to cook for longer.

Sadly, sugar plays a huge role in set. If you cut the amount in the recipe and you don't compensate with a pectin designed for low sugar preserving, your jam may well be runny. Did you check for set while the jam was cooking? Any time a recipe gives you a cooking time, it's simply an approximation.

To make jam, we combine fruit, sugar, and lemon juice, and slowly bring the mixture to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Then we cook the jam rapidly until we reach the gelling point. If we're impatient and skip the first step, the jam quickly overcooks.

If jam comes out too stiff, it is often caused by overcooking fruit or the fruit spread having too much pectin. Pectin is naturally found in fruit and creates the gel and thickens jams and jellies.

The tartness of lemon provides a bright and zesty contrast to the sweetness of blueberries. Lemon can enhance the flavor of blueberries by adding a touch of acidity that brings out their natural sweetness. Both lemon and blueberry are versatile flavors that can be used in a variety of dishes, from sweet to savory.

What is the difference between blueberry jam and blueberry preserves? ›

Chunky preserves contain even more fruit than jam and use either whole pieces (blueberries) or large chunks (like peaches or strawberries), typically with the seeds. A marmalade is simply a preserve made with citrus—the whole fruit, rind and all.

Sources and production

Pears, apples, guavas, quince, plums, gooseberries, and oranges and other citrus fruits contain large amounts of pectin, while soft fruits, like cherries, grapes, and strawberries, contain small amounts of pectin.

5. Do Not Stir Once Mixture Is Boiling. Once your jam/marmalade it has reached a rapid rolling boil do not stir it. Stirring it will alter the temperature of the jam/marmalade meaning it will take longer to reach the setting point.

Making jam without pectin is easy, you just have to cook it longer. This recipe produces a very thick, rich tasting jam, but if you like your jam a bit looser, cook it 5 minutes less than the suggested cooking time.

Pectin, naturally found in fruit is vital to make your jam set. With low-pectin fruits like strawberries, help them along by either mixing with pectin-rich fruit like gooseberries or by using jam sugar (with added pectin and citric acid).

You can try to rescue the jam by putting it back into a saucepan with the juice of 1 or 2 lemons then boiling again, and testing for a set as described above.

Pectin, naturally found in fruit is vital to make your jam set. With low-pectin fruits like strawberries, help them along by either mixing with pectin-rich fruit like gooseberries or by using jam sugar (with added pectin and citric acid).

Cornstarch is a common thickening agent for jams, sauces, soups, and glazes. It's also a viable option for jam recipes with less added sugar or ones that feature fruits with naturally less sugar or pectin.