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!
NEVER MISS A POST! FOLLOW ME ON:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
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?
TRY OUR MEAL PLAN BUNDLE!
Let us do the work for you with 11 WEEKS of deliciously easy family dinners, grocery lists, meal prep guides and so much MORE!
11 weeks of done-for-you family meal plans for only $9.99!
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!
NEVER MISS A POST! FOLLOW ME ON:
FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
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!
Kitchen Products I recommend:
Looking for even more summer recipes like this? You’ll LOVE these:
-
3-Ingredient Chia Seed Jam
-
Best Ever Healthy Lemonade
-
Strawberry Spinach Pasta Salad
-
Easy 5-Minute Greek Salad
-
Homemade Crusty Artisan Bread
If you made this, share a photo!
Are you trying this recipe? Use the comment form below to share your take; now with support for image uploads and comment voting!
Black Currant Jam (No Pectin, 3 Ingredients, 15 Minutes)
This easy black currant jam recipe needs only 3 ingredients, no pectin, and 15 minutes. The simplest way to capture summer black currants in a jar!
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: 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
Recipe: Instructions
- Add the black currants, sugar and lemon juice to a deep pot over medium heat.
- Use a potato masher to mash the currants until they begin to fall apart as they heat up.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, stirring every now and then until the mixture starts to bubble and become hot.
- When the mixture begins to boil, continue to stir every 30 seconds or so.
- Use an instant-read thermometer - here's a link to mine (paid 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.
- Continue boiling as the temperature climbs and don't let it stop boiling until it reaches 220°F (104°C) (for low altitudes) or 218°F (102°C) for high altitudes. This should take about 8 minutes or so.
- 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.
- Add the lids to the jars and allow to cool at room temperature until completely cool.
- 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 yields about 2 cups of jam (32 tablespoons). Each serving is 2 tablespoons.
Recipe: Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Black Currant Jam (No Pectin, 3 Ingredients, 15 Minutes)
Amount Per Serving (2 tablespoons)
Calories 45
Calories from Fat 1
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.1g0%
Saturated Fat 0.01g0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.03g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.01g
Sodium 0.4mg0%
Potassium 46mg1%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 0.002g0%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 0.2g0%
Vitamin A 32IU1%
Vitamin C 26mg32%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Looking for more?
EASY NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE RECIPES & TIPS
Get my easy no bake cheesecakes e-cookbook!
I made this and followed instructions. I made a large batch witch consisted of 24 cups of currants and 9 cups sugar. The recipe turned out too sweet and overpowering that it’s not edible. What is the best fix to redo the jame to less sweet?
Thanks for your marvellous posting! I quite enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author.
I will always bookmark your blog and definitely will come back from now on. I want to encourage you to definitely continue your great writing,
Have a nice afternoon!
Great article, just what I was looking for black-currant.
Fantastic post, very informative. I’m wondering why the other experts of this sector don’t notice this.
You must continue your writing. I’m confident, you’ve
a great readers’ base already!
We’re happy to hear you enjoy reading our blog! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!