This Best Ever Black Currant Jam is made with only 3 simple ingredients and it’s the perfect homemade jam for summer! Learn how to make jam with NO pectin in 15 minutes!
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Have you ever made homemade jam? I love making my own jam in the summertime with fresh berries and fruits that I pick up at roadside stands and farmers markets. Last week a friend gifted me some freshly picked black currants from her garden and I just knew I needed to make this Best Ever Black Currant Jam with it!
The only thing is, I didn’t have any pectin in the house and if I’m really honest I hate the whole canning process. Don’t get me wrong, some of my dearest memories are of making batch after batch of jam with my mom and grandma in the summer when I was a child but unless I’m going to go all out and make enough jars of jam to last us a whole year, I always forgo the canning process and make some good old freezer jam instead. It’s really just as good and it’s SO quick to make, especially in small batches – even without pectin!!
If you’ve never made pectin-free jam before, this Best Ever Black Currant Jam recipe is a great one to start with.
Here are all my best tips for making your own no-pectin jam at home:
- Use sugar. I know, I know, everyone’s on the I-hate-sugar bandwagon (including us!), but even if you use high pectin fruit like berries or Black Currants, unless you use sugar the jam just won’t set. Trust me, I’ve tried.
- Use an instant-read thermometer. Boiling for a certain period of time is a good way to ensure the jam sets but measuring the temperature as it boils is truly a no-fail way to ensure you get that thick, jam-like texture every time. Go for 220 degrees Fahrenheit at low altitudes and 218 degrees at high altitudes. Get my instant-read thermometer HERE (affiliate link).
- Let it cool in the jars. Heat up your jars before adding the boiled jam into them (I soak them in hot water and dry them well first) and let them cool, covered, on the counter until they reach room temperature before adding them to the fridge.
- Use high-pectin fruit. Fruits like apples, peaches, berries, and currants all contain naturally-occurring pectin which helps the jam set up all on its own.
Looking for more jam recipes? Before you grab the recipe for this Best Ever Black Currant Jam below, check out my 3-Ingredient Chia Seed Strawberry Jam made with NO refined sugar! Watch the video below to see how I make it or CLICK HERE for the full recipe!
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I hope you love this Best Ever Black Currant Jam recipe as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what other jam recipes would you like to see on thebusybaker.ca? I’d love to know!
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Looking for even more summer recipes like this? You’ll LOVE these:
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3-Ingredient Chia Seed Jam
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Best Ever Healthy Lemonade
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Strawberry Spinach Pasta Salad
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Easy 5-Minute Greek Salad
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Homemade Crusty Artisan Bread
Best Ever Black Currant Jam
This Best Ever Black Currant Jam is made with only 3 simple ingredients and it's the perfect homemade jam for summer! Learn how to make jam with NO pectin in only 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh black currants, washed, dried and stems removed
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar (add an additional 1/2 cup if desired)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
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Add the black currants to a deep pot along with the sugar and lemon juice.
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Stir to combine and turn the heat to high, stirring every now and then until the mixture starts to bubble and become hot.
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Use a potato masher to mash the currants until they begin to fall apart.
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When the mixture begins to boil, continue to stir every 30 seconds or so.
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Use an instant-read thermometer - here's a link to mine (affiliate link) - to measure the temperature of the jam as it boils. Be sure the thermometer is measuring at the middle of the jam and not touching the bottom of the pot.
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Continue boiling as the temperature climbs and don't let it stop boiling until it reaches 220 degrees Fahrenheit (for low altitudes) or 218 degrees Fahrenheit (for high altitudes). This should take about 8 minutes or so.
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Once the correct temperature is reached, remove the pot from the heat and carefully spoon the jam into 2 mason jars. The jam might seem a little bit liquid at this stage - don't worry! It will thicken as it cools.
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Add the lids to the jars and allow to cool at room temperature until completely cool.
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Store in the fridge and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Use the proper water-bath canning process to create a shelf stable version of this recipe, if desired. The recipe, as it is, is a refrigerator jam.
*This recipe was adapted from Preparedness Mama’s post all about making pectin-free jam. Check it out HERE.
Roxana says
Hello, I’m very new to making jams. Actually this was my first time. The black currants turned very chewy in the jam. I wonder if there is any secrets for this?
Thank you,
Roxana.
Chrissie says
Thanks for your comment Roxana. I’m not sure why yours turned chewy…mine have never done this. Perhaps mash them up with a fork or a potato masher a little bit as the jam cooks, to help break them up?
Rosie Read says
Have made black currant jam for many years without pectin but was looking to use less sugar . Your recipe was perfect & my jam this year is the best tasting ever . Thanks Rosie
Chrissie says
I’m SO glad you liked it!! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!