raspberry ‘fridge’ jam – Simple Meal Plans

raspberry ‘fridge’ jam
makes about 8 cups

A ‘fridge’ jam is a low sugar jam that needs to be kept in the fridge once it is opened. Great for people who prefer things to be less sweet.

Check the ingredients list of your commercial pectin. It should contain some sort of acid, usually citric. If it doesn’t, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the raspberries.

2kg (4lb) raspberries
1kg (2lb) sugar
100g (3.5oz) commercial jam setter (pectin powder)
1 knob butter

1. Pop 5-6 jars in the dishwasher to sterilise.

2. Place fruit, sugar and pectin in a large pot. Place on a high heat and squash the fruit to help release the juices.

3. Bring to the boil. Place a small plate in the freezer.

4. Boil for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat.

5. To test for setting, place about 1 teaspoon of jam on the small plate and return to the freezer for 3-4 minutes. Push jam with your finger, if it seems firm enough, you’re done. If not keep cooking and testing.

6. Stir butter in. Divide hot jam between warm jars straight from the dishwasher. Seal immediately.

shelf life?

Will keep in the pantry for a year, or longer. Once opened will keep in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

variations for fun

stone fruit jam -use peaches, apricots or nectarines as your fruit. Chop into quarters or eights before cooking. Because we’re using commercial pectin, you can use all ripe fruit for this jam.

blackberry jam – replace raspberries with blackberries.

strawberry jam – replace raspberries with strawberries.

different quantities – feel free to either halve or double or quadruple this recipe, the cooking time may need adjusting slightly with more or less in the pot.

frozen berries – feel free to use frozen berries to make you jam. They can be more cost effective than fresh, depending on the time of year.

budget – berries can be expensive. Feel free to replace some of the berries with cheaper fruit such as pear or apple. Best to grate the apple or pear before adding to the pot so it cooks down quickly and isn’t as noticeable.

problem solving guide

burning – remember to stir the jam to avoid burning.

too runny / not setting – setting all depends on your pectin powder. If you find the jam isn’t setting, check the directions on the pectin you used. You may need to add more. Cooking for longer can help as well. If you don’t have extra pectin adding lemon juice can also help.

too many seeds – it all depends on your raspberries. If you prefer less seeds you can pass the hot jam through a fine sieve and bringing back to the boil before bottling.

can’t find commercial pectin powder – in my supermarket it is in the baking section near the muffin papers and vanilla. You should be able to order it online if needed. Otherwise try the june’s jam recipe instead.

lacking fresh berry flavour – the longer you cook the jam, you’ll find less fresh flavour and more cooked or jammy flavours. Of course the longer you cook, the thicker your jam will be so it’s about balancing the two.

mould growing on the jam – this is a sign that something is wrong with your preserving system. It could be the jars weren’t cleaned enough in the dishwasher, the temperature of the jam wasn’t high enough when you bottled. Or the lids weren’t sealed properly. Another problem can be if the jars aren’t filled completely. For now best not to eat the mouldy jar. Next time be more careful or just store in the fridge.