If you’ve ever stared at a pile of fresh berries and wondered what to do with them before they go soft, let me let you in on a little secret: making jam is way easier than most people think. You don’t need a pantry full of specialty ingredients or even a box of store-bought pectin. With just fruit, sugar, and a little time, you can capture the taste of summer in a jar — and keep it for months to come.

Jump to Recipe

Why Make Your Own Jam?

First, let’s talk about the why. Homemade jam:

Tastes fresher than store-bought
Uses ingredients you control (less sugar, no preservatives).
Makes a thoughtful, delicious gift.
Helps reduce food waste by preserving fruit that’s about to turn.

No Pectin? No Problem — Nature’s Got You

One of the biggest myths about jam-making is that you must use pectin to get that perfect gel. Not true. Many fruits — especially berries — naturally contain pectin, particularly when they’re slightly underripe.

If you’re picking your own or buying from a farm stand, try to gather a mix of ripe and underripe berries. The underripe ones have more natural pectin, which helps your jam set without needing anything from a box.

We avoid added pectin due to what its made out of. Commercial pectin is typically made from the peels of citrus fruits, which are also one of the dirtiest crops when it comes to glyphosate (Round up) usage. Where is the highest level of pesticide concentration going to be? The peel… so no thanks. Thankfully its completely unnecessary!

Good fruits for pectin-free jam: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and stone fruits like peaches and plums — especially if you toss in a few unripe ones.

How to Can Jam (Yes, You Can!)

Canning might sound intimidating, but it’s really just about creating a vacuum seal to preserve your jam safely on the shelf.

You’ll need:

Glass canning jars with new lids and rings. These are what I like to use.
A large pot for boiling water. Here is a great canning pot that comes with everything you need!
Special Tongs or a jar lifter. If you already have a pot, this is a great inexpensive canning kit!

Steps:

Sterilize the jars: Wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Then simmer them in hot water or run them through the dishwasher on the sterilize setting.
Fill the jars: Carefully ladle hot jam into the warm jars, leaving about ¼ inch of headspace at the top. Wipe the rims clean and screw the lids on fingertip-tight.
Process the jars: Place them in a boiling water bath with at least 1–2 inches of water covering the tops. Boil for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed).
Cool and store: Carefully lift the jars out and let them cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. You’ll hear a satisfying pop as they seal. Check the seals before storing. Any unsealed jars should go in the fridge.

Final Thoughts

Jam-making is a joyful, sensory process — the smell of bubbling fruit, the vibrant color, the satisfaction of lining up filled jars on the counter. And once you’ve done it once, you’ll realize just how simple and satisfying it really is.

So the next time you see a bounty of berries (or even a deal at the grocery store), grab them. With a little effort today, you’ll be spreading sunshine on your toast all winter long.

Happy jamming!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Raspberry Jam (May substitute other berries)

Serving Size 6 8 oz jars

Ingredients

10 Cups Fresh Raspberries
4 Cups Organic Cane Sugar
¼ Cup Lemon Juice
Handlfull Not quite ripe berries for pectin

Instructions

Sterilize your mason jars and lids
Once your jam is ready to put in the jars, you will want the process to move pretty quickly until the jars have been processed. You want you jam hot as the jars go into the boiling water, and your lids need to be hot to create an adequate seal. I suggest having your water for processing boiling by the time you are ready to fill the jars and your lids need to have boiled and must be kept hot until the process is done.
Step 1. Mash raspberries with a potato masher or food processor. You can use the whole berry for a jam that contains all of the seeds, or strain to remove some of the larger pieces. This is purely a personal preference.
Step 2. Place berries in a stainless steel or cast iron pot, and add sugar and lemon juice. Heat to a rolling boil and then reduce to medium and simmer till mixture has reduced by about 1/4
This will take about 20 min. If you double this recipe it will take much longer. The more you reduce the mixture, the thicker your jam will be. Stir as little as possible, just enough to keep the bottom of the pan from scorching.
Step 3 Remove mixture from heat, and using a jar funnel, fill as many jars as you can fit in your pot of boiling water. Make sure to leave ½ inch head space.
Step 4. Wipe the rims of the jars with a wet cloth or paper towel, making sure to remove any food residue. Place hot lid on jar and screw tightly.
Step 5. Place jars in boiling water for 10 min (set timer). Make sure water is at least 1 inch over the tops of the jars.
Step 7. Remove jars from boiling water and let rest for 24 hours. Then they will be ready to be put in your pantry and enjoyed over the next year!