Blackberry Jam

A smooth, seedless blackberry jam made with nothing more than berries, sugar, and lemon juice. No pectin just a classic homemade preserve that’s simple, glossy, and full of berry flavor.

Course Breakfast, Condiment, Preserves

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberry jam, blackberry jam without pectin, homemade blackberry preserves, seedless blackberry jam

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings cups

Calories 50kcal

Equipment

large pot Tall sides prevent boil-overs and scorching.
large fine mesh sieve Strains out the seeds for a smooth glossy finish.
long-handled wooden spoon Keeps hands safe from hot splatters.
kitchen scale Makes sure of the exact sugar-to-fruit ratio.
canning jars and lids For storing in fridge, freezer or processing in a water bath.
clip thermometer Makes it easy to track the temperature.

Ingredients

2 lbs ( ~6 cups / 900 g) fresh blackberries
granulated sugar equal weight to strained juice and pulp (1:1 by weight; see Step 5). Example: if you have 480 g juice/pulp, add 480 g sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Place a small plate or bowl in the freezer for the wrinkle test.
Rinse the blackberries gently and drain well. Add them to a large heavy-bottomed pot and lightly mash with a potato masher or fork. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries release their juices.
2 lbs ( ~6 cups / 900 g) fresh blackberries
Remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice and pulp as possible. Work in batches so the sieve isn’t overcrowded.
Place a clean jug or bowl on a kitchen scale and press zero/tare. Pour in the strained juice to get the exact weight, preferably in grams. Make a note of this number.
Wash out the pot to remove any seeds. Place the pot back on the scale, zero it again, and pour the juice back in. Press zero once more before adding an equal weight of granulated sugar. For example, I ended up with 481 g of blackberry juice so I added 481 g of sugar to it.
granulated sugar
Stir in the lemon juice. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and reaches 220°F (104°C) on a thermometer, usually 10–20 minutes.
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
Test for doneness by spooning a little jam onto the chilled plate. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then push the edge of the jam with your fingertip. If the surface wrinkles and a clear line stays where your finger moved it, the jam is ready. If the line disappears and the jam flows back together, cook a few minutes longer and test again.
Remove from the heat and let the jam cool for 10 minutes. Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch (6 mm) headspace. Seal and cool completely.
Spread over toast, English muffins, or layered into cakes. Serve on a charcuterie board for a sweet element.

Notes

Sterilize jars if you want to store jam outside the fridge. Hot jars from the dishwasher or oven are fine for refrigerator jam, but for pantry storage they need to be processed in a boiling water bath.
Always weigh the juice and pulp after straining instead of going by the starting berry weight. Every batch of berries is different, so this is the only way to keep the sugar ratio correct.
The one-to-one ratio of fruit to sugar is what makes this jam set and last. If you reduce the sugar, keep it in the fridge and eat it sooner.
A large, heavy-bottomed pot with tall sides helps prevent scorching and gives the jam plenty of room to foam up while boiling.
Use both a thermometer and the wrinkle test to confirm doneness. The plate test tells you what the finished texture will really be once cooled.

For optimal outcomes when preparing this blackberry jam, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

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