My Simple Blueberry Jam is made with just 3 ingredients and no added pectin. It tastes out of this world good, no wonder it’s so popular!
I have never made blueberry jam before but I’m thrilled to bring you my Simple Blueberry Jam recipe today after a freak bargain find at the weekend!
I managed to find 4 trays of blueberries priced up at £3 each for 3 p each, there was a whole crate that were on their sell by date.
We ate one tray but the rest were destined for jam, although I did have to throw away just over a third of the remainder as they were soft and over ripe (which is not good for eating or jam making).
However, I’m really not complaining at that price, I’ve never seen blueberries so cheap nor so many of them reduced before!
I can’t remember the last time I had blueberry jam! But I have never had home-made blueberry jam!
I can’t tell you how amazing this Simple Blueberry Jam is. The depth of flavour is just incredible and totally delicious.
The Pectin Debate
I was reading about the pros and cons of pectin use in jam the other day. The point was made that although by using pectin you achieve a shorter cooking time and a slightly higher yield, you don’t get the intensity of flavour that you get with a longer cooking time where more moisture is evaporated away.
I had never really thought about this before as I never use pectin or jam sugar in my recipes.
Well apart from my first ever jam where I used jam sugar but I didn’t like the stiff texture.
Also, looking back, the flavour was not a patch on my One Punnet Strawberry Jam which just uses lemon juice to aid the setting.
Blueberries are naturally low in pectin so apart from using only the firmest just ripe or slightly under ripe fruits you need to add pectin or lemon juice which aids the gelling process by interacting with the sugar.
If you’ve never made jam before it’s never too late to learn, I only started making jam in the last 4 years and just got hooked.
Jam making Tips
The important things are to sterilise your jars, freeze some saucers for testing and always stir your jam or you will burn it to the bottom or your pan.
If you get the set too runny you can always pour back your jam and boil it up again until it reaches setting point. You get better at judging this as time goes on but I’ve only ever got it wrong once. I like a soft set jam but I pushed the boundary a bit far that time.
How long will Blueberry Jam keep and how should it be stored?
As with all homemade jams, it’s best eaten in the first year but jam will last years and be safe to eat as the sugar acts as a preservative.
Just store in a cool, dark, dry place (I keep mine in a cupboard in my garage).
Once opened, keep in the fridge and eat within a few months. Using a clean spoon to serve it will preserve it’s shelf life.
Can you use frozen blueberries to make Blueberry Jam?
Yes, just use them in place of fresh blueberries, they will thaw when you heat them up with the sugar and lemon juice.
How much jam will this recipe make?
This recipe makes 1 large jar (450 ml) or Blueberry Jam like in the photograph.
More inspiring Recipes for a glut of Blueberries:
- Apple & Blueberry Tarte Tatin – Fab Food 4 All
- Rhubarb & Blueberry Tarte Tatin – Fab Food 4 All
- Blueberry & Lemon Soda Bread – Fab Food 4 All
- Blueberry & Banana Pancakes – Fab Food 4 All
- Fresh Blueberry Flapjacks – Tinned Tomatoes
- Blueberry Banana Buckwheat Layer Cake – Domestic Gothess
- Blueberry & Rose Almond Bars – Tin & Thyme
- Blueberry Custard Ice Cream – Kavey Eats
- Blueberry Brioche – Patisserie Makes Perfect
- Blueberry Orange Upside Down Cakes – Family Friends Food
More Blueberry Jam Recipes:
- Blueberry & Lime Jam – Fab Food 4 All
- Tutti Frutti Jam – Fab Food 4 All
- Summer Fruits Jam – Fab Food 4 All
If you grow your own blueberries or ever see a bargain like mine then do try my Simple Blueberry Jam which makes one good sized jar.
You can always scale the recipe up to make more if you have more but remember it will take longer to reach setting point!
Let me know how you get on by leaving a comment and rating below.
Better still tag @FabFood4All on social media with your pictures as I love seeing my recipes come to life!
Pin for later!
Simple Blueberry Jam - no pectin, just 3 ingredients!
Ingredients
- 600 g firm blueberries stalks and mushy ones removed
- 400 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash the blueberries in a colander.
- Put the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice into a preserving pan.
- Place the pan over a gentle heat to slowly dissolve the sugar crystals, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time.
- As the sugar starts to melt and the fruit warms up, take a potato masher to mash the blueberries, leaving some whole if desired.
- Once the sugar has completely dissolved turn up the heat and bring the pan to a rolling boil and time for 15 minutes, stirring all the while (to prevent the sugar burning on the base).
- Take the pan off the heat and test a few drops of the jam on a frozen saucer and place in the fridge for a minute. If when you push your finger through it the jam forms a crinkle and is gel like then it’s ready. Otherwise boil for another couple of minutes and repeat process until ready.
- Pot up the jam in a sterilised hot jar using a small ladle or jam funnel.
- Screw on lid immediately.
- See notes for storage instructions.
Notes
Sterilise 1 x 450 ml jar by washing in hot soapy water or take straight from dishwasher, filling with boiling water, emptying and then placing in oven for 20 minutes at 140°C then leave in oven until jam is ready. Washed lids should be sterilised with boiling water and then left to drain. Once cool in the jar this jam is ready to eat. Store in a cool, dark, dry place and consume within 12 months for best colour and flavour although will be safe to eat for many years. Once open keep in fridge and use within a few months.
Jodi
I found your recipe to be easy and the directions spot on. The issue I have is that this jam is waaaay too sweet for me. I live in Michigan where we grow big, delicious, sweet blueberries. Maybe our blueberries have a different amount of sugar in them?
Camilla
Hi Jodi, I expect blueberries do differ in sweetness depending on where they’re grown and the variety would make a difference too. So if you’re finding the jam too sweet then just shave off some of the sugar next time.
Terry
I water bathed mine for 10 minutes perfect. Last forever.
June Nicholls
Hi, I would love to make your simple Blueberry Jam and wondered if I can use the GOLDEN granulated sugar instead of just granulated. Thanks. June
Camilla
Hi June, I would save golden granulated sugar for a dish where you want a caramel flavour eg apples for a pie. I don’t really think it will go with Blueberry Jam.
Linda
I followed this recipe exactly and the jam turned out as hard as candy. A real disappointment.
Camilla
Hi Linda, sorry to hear that your jam turned to candy. I’ve had 45 5 star reviews and this is one of my most popular jam recipes so I know it works. But I’ll let you into a secret! Last week I too turned it into candy when I decided to photograph making it, put it on a TikTok live and then I had a 15 minute call from my husband who was in Ikea. On top of all that I didn’t read the recipe before I started because I thought I’d remembered the method! Turns out my memory isn’t that great, I failed to crush the blueberries so ended up with jars of sticky whole blueberries because along with the delay it just completely wrecked everything. Had I followed my recipe without distraction it would have worked perfectly. Please go back and figure out where you went wrong as at the very least you boiled the jam for too long. Also out of interest did you follow my exact ingredients/measurements as you can’t convert grams to cups?
Lynne
With all my jams and cheeses I use less sugar than the recipe states, but more lemon juice, as we like a sharper taste of the actual fruit. I’ve bottled jam for years using your method….I was taught this way at school. I have some jam from 2018 which is perfectly ok. Occasionally I do get a rogue one go mouldy, but against the ones that don’t they are negligible.
Camilla
Touch wood I’ve not had a jar go mouldy on me ever but red jams tend to loose their vivid colour over the years.
Dorothy
How much sugar & blueberries
Camilla
The recipe is at the very bottom of the page.
Sharon
Can this jam be canned in a water bath for longer storage?
Camilla
Hi Sharon, this is the method we use for a long shelf life in the UK although for best quality (colour/flavour) I usually recommend consuming within 12 months. The sugar will however preserve the jam for many years. I’m sure you could water bath this jam but as it’s not something we do in the UK you’d need to follow your jar manufacturer’s guidelines.
Lynne
I waterbath tomatoes, ratatouille, pasta and baked beans otherwise they go mouldy. I’m in the uk
Lynne
Passata not pasta!!
Jimmy ten toes
Good morning, I was wondering if monk rust can be used instead of sugar..?
Thanks, Jim
Camilla
Hi Jimmy, I’m afraid I’ve never heard of that and nothing shows up for it on Google. But no, the sugar can’t be substituted for anything including sweeteners as it’s needed to preserve the jam to make it shelf stable and to help with the set.
Antonia
Question? Can I use Stevia in place of sugar. I want to make sugar free jam being diabetic?
Camilla
Hi Antonia, Stevia is not a sugar and will not form a gel or preserve the jam I’m afraid.
Michel Russell
Why do jam recipe always call for the jars to be sterilized before storage?
Camilla
If the jars aren’t sterilized then you jam will go mouldy and won’t keep for years.