Easy Blueberry Jam (No Pectin)

Close up of labelled blueberry jam jar, jam in a bowl and a piece of jam topped baguette.

No ratings yet

This tried and tested easy blueberry jam recipe has only 3 ingredients and one simple method. No pectin, no hassle, only a little time and you can enjoy this delicious homemade preserve at your next breakfast.

Course Breakfast, Jams, Preserves

Cuisine British, International

Keyword blueberry jam

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 20

Servings 324ml (11.5oz) jars

Calories 820kcal

Author Jo Allison

Equipment

Preserving Pan or any large stainless steel pan (stock pot)
Wooden Spoon*
2-3 small plates/saucers for "wrinkle" test
3-4 jam jars with lids I used 3 x 324ml(11.5 oz) jars and had some extra jam left which I put in a small bowl to have for breakfast.

Ingredients

1 kg blueberries fresh or frozen
700 g granulated or caster (fine) sugar
4 tablespoon lemon juice or more, see notes

Instructions

Place 2-3 small saucers in the freezer for "wrinkle" test (set test) later.
Sterilise the jars. Refer to 🫙 Sterilising Jars above.
Start by washing and sorting your blueberries, removing any stalks that might be attached and discarding any mushy ones.
Put prepared blueberries in a large pan and give them a little mash with potato masher to break them down slightly and release their juices a little quicker (optional).
1 kg blueberries
Add lemon juice and sugar and give the mixture a good stir.
700 g granulated or caster (fine) sugar, 4 tbsp lemon juice
Put the pan on a low-medium heat and simmer gently (stirring from time to time) until all the sugar has dissolved.
It might take anything between 10-15 minutes and even longer if using frozen berries.
Once the sugar has dissolved, bring jam mixture to rolling boil for approximately 15 minutes.
Do watch it but try not to stir it during this phase which will lower the temperature of the mixture and might also encourage crystallisation (formation of sugar crystals in the jam which affects its texture).
***Quick Tip*** You can of course gently stir it once or twice to make sure it's not burning at the bottom but don't overdo it.
Once 15 minutes is up and if you have digital thermometer you can check whether your jam has reached setting point by checking its temperature.
You are looking for 105°C/221°F or higher, anything below continue boiling for another 5 minutes and check again (every 5 minutes) until you reach desired temperature.
***Quick Tip*** Even though these days I always use my digital thermometer when making jam, I still use the "wrinkle test" on a cold plate to double check the jam is indeed set. Better to be safe.
If you don't have a thermometer, take the pan off the heat to do the "wrinkle test" by placing small amount of jam on the saucer straight out of the freezer. Put it into the fridge for 1-2 minutes and once out push the jam gently with your finger. If it "wrinkles" and stays in place it’s ready. If it doesn’t then continue boiling your mixture and check it every 5 minutes until you get the set.
When making this particular batch it took me approximately 35 minutes to reach setting point.
Once your jam is ready, transfer it as soon as possible (whilst still hot) into hot, sterilised jars. Screw on the lids and leave to cool.
You will hear the clicking noise as your jars seal and there will be no bubble in the lid as you press it which is as it should be. It may take some time for it to happen from the moment you put the lids on so don't worry if it doesn't happen straight away.
Let the jars cool completely before applying any labels.
This particular batch of blueberry jam made with 1kg fruit yielded 3 x 370g (324ml) jar + a little extra which I didn't bother putting in a jar and kept it in a small bowl for next day's breakfast.

Notes

Nutritional information is per jar based on 4 x 324ml (11.5oz jars), is approximate and should be treated as a rough guideline only.
I used lemon juice in ratio of 1 tablespoon per 250g of blueberries. You can use more than that but don't use less as it will affect set.
The recipe can be scaled up or down but keep the ration of sugar and lemon juice.
The jam will keep in a cool(ish) place away from direct sunlight for months (providing you sterilised the jars and they sealed properly. Once opened keep in the fridge and use within a month.

Clean and go through your blueberries. You don't want any stalks or other debris to contaminate your jam. Also make sure to discard any mushy ones that are past their best.

The wider your pan the better. And this is why using purpose made preserving pan is beneficial. The reason being that there is more surface area allowing for quicker evaporation of extra liquid. There is also enough height for jam not to boil over.

Make sure all the sugar has dissolved before cranking up the heat. This first stage is really important as undissolved sugar will cause jam crystallisation when it cools down which affects its consistency. Low and slow, stirring often is the key.

Sugar ratio. I have reduced the amount of sugar from the standard 1:1 fruit to sugar ratio and used 1kg blueberries to 700g sugar. The jam is still very sweet but I wouldn't recommend reducing it any further unless you're not fussed about the shelf-life of your jam as sugars acts not only as a sweetener but also preservative.

Always take the pan off the heat when checking for set (doing the "wrinkle test"). You don't want to overcook your jam (oh yes it's possible).

If reusing jars and lids give them a good check. Most of the time glass jars will be fine and can be reused for years. As far as lids go, they do deteriorate with time and if reused numerous times they might get deformed and not create a proper seal. Replacement lids in different sizes are readily available online.

Don't panic if your lids don't pop or click straight away. It takes time for it to happen and sometimes it's quick and sometimes it takes longer. As long as you filled hot jars with hot jam and your lids aren't damaged or dented it will happen.

Sterilise more jars and lids you think you'll need. If however you run a bit short or have a very small extra amount left that doesn't warrant a jar, simply pop it in a bowl or any small dish and have on toast for breakfast.

Nutrition