Old-Fashioned Blackberry Jam Recipe
Make old fashioned blackberry jam from scratch just like Grandma did with this quick and easy recipe. It doesn’t even need pectin!
I had my first blackberry jam making lesson in my friend Lynn’s sunny kitchen – 20 years ago! I remember her patiently showing me how to make jam the way her mother-in-law taught her. This method doesn’t require any pectin – just berries and {lots of!} sugar. Today was the perfect day for some “jammin’”. Here’s how we did it…
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Gather Your Recipe and Canning Supplies:
- up to 4-6 cups mashed fresh blackberries (they must be fresh)
- up to 4-6 cups sugar (to equal the measurement of the mashed blackberries)
- 8 oz Ball Mason Jars with lids and rings
- 2 Quart measuring cup (I used 2)
- Small Saucepan for boiling lids
- 6 quart stock pot
- Masher
- Large Spoon
- Whisk
- Tongs
- Potholders
How to Make Old Fashioned Blackberry Jam without Pectin
This no pectin method can be remembered by thinking 3-3-3. Boil blackberries for 3 minutes. Add sugar and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and beat 3 minutes. Simple as that!
1.Prep all your canning supplies. 
2.Rinse fresh blackberries. 
3.Mash blackberries with a potato masher. 
4.Measure out equal parts of mashed blackberries & sugar. 
5. Cook blackberries until boiling. Boil 3 minutes. 
6.Add sugar & boil 3 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat & beat 3 minutes. 
8.Pour into sterilized jars. 
9. Screw on the lid tightly.
(A printable recipe card is provided at the end of this post for your convenience.)
1.Prepare the jars & lids by sterilizing them.
Jars can be sterilized by running them through the dishwasher and drying in high heat. Or, my method is to wash and rinse them in very hot water and set them on a tea towel to air dry. I avoid handling them with my bare hands (to prevent germs), so I flip them over with my canning tongs.
Place the lids in a saucepan with water covering them. Put them on to boil while you are doing all the rest. {Keep an eye on them so they don’t boil dry.}
2.Rinse and mash the fresh blackberries.
Rinse the fresh berries by running them under cold water in a colander. {You MUST use fresh berries for this method.}
3.Mash the berries with a potato masher until there are no big seeds.
4. Measure out the sugar.
Measure out an equal part of sugar to match the exact amount of mashed berries. (**NOTE: Use only between 4-6 cups mashed berries per batch.)
5.Cook the berries.
Pour mashed berries into a large saucepan and put over high heat. Stir constantly with a large spoon until it boils. Boil for 3 minutes.
6.Add sugar to the boiling blackberries, and boil for 3 minutes.
Once the berries have boiled 3 minutes, slowly add all the sugar while stirring constantly.Bring the mixture to a boil again, while continuing to stir constantly. Boil for 3 minutes more.
7.Bring out the natural pectin by whisking together.
Remove from heat and beat with a whisk for 3 minutes. {The “beating” forces the natural pectin out of the berries.}
8. Pour into jars and place lids on tightly.
Pour into sterilized jars. {Don’t overfill. Just pour up to the narrow part of the jar.}
Using tongs, place a hot lid on each jar. Screw the rings on tightly. {Yep, it’s a little hot on your hands!}
Each batch makes approximately 8 jam jars-full.
Once you are all finished, just leave them sitting on your counter. One of my favourite sounds is the “pop” of the jar lids sealing… Once they have all sealed, I store them in a cupboard in the basement.
FAQ: Do you use a hot water bath canning method for this jam recipe?
I have never used the hot water bath canning method for this recipe. However, it is a highly debated topic in my comment section!;) If you feel safer using the hot water method, I’m sure it would work great.
How do you store this jam when the jars are sealed?
I store canned jam in my basement where it is cool and dark.
How long does home canned jam last?
It is recommended that canned jam be used up within a year of being canned.
For other jam and berry recipes, you may want to check these out:
- A collection of 39 Best Berry Recipes
- Want to can jam and more? This round-up has canning jam recipes as well as canning vegetables recipes, pickles, and more – just like Grandma’s recipes!
- These blackberry muffins can be made with any berry -fresh or frozen – and we LOVE them!
- My friend Rachel has the BEST blackberry quick breads recipe with lemon!
To access the whole archive of yummy recipes, click here, or if you’re looking for recipes for large quantity cooking, click here.
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How to Make Old-Fashioned Blackberry Jam
Can your own blackberry jam using this old fashioned jam recipe method. Using fresh blackberries, you just mash, cook, beat, and pour into jars!
Ingredients
- up to 4-6 cups mashed fresh blackberries, they must be fresh
- up to 4-6 cups sugar, to equal the measurement of the mashed blackberries
Instructions
- Prepare the jars & lids by sterilizing them.Jars can be sterilized by running them through the dishwasher and drying in high heat. Or, my method is to wash and rinse them in very hot water and set them on a tea towel to air dry. I avoid handling them with my bare hands (to prevent germs), so I flip them over with my canning tongs.
- Place the lids in a saucepan with water covering them. Put them on to boil while you are doing all the rest. {Keep an eye on them so they don’t boil dry.}
- Rinse and mash the fresh blackberries.Rinse the fresh berries by running them under water in a colander. {You MUST use fresh berries for this method.}
- Mash the berries with a vegetable or potato masher until there are no big seeds.
- Measure out the sugar.Measure out an equal part of sugar to match the exact amount of mashed berries. (**NOTE: Use only between 4-6 cups mashed berries per batch.)
- Cook the berries.Pour mashed berries into a large saucepan and put over high heat. Stir constantly with a large spoon until it boils. Boil for 3 minutes.
- Add sugar to the boiling blackberries.Once the berries have boiled 3 minutes, slowly add all the sugar while stirring constantly.
- Cook the berries and sugar together.Bring the mixture to a boil again, while continuing to stir constantly. Boil for 3 minutes more.
- Bring out the natural pectin by whisking together.Remove from heat and beat with a whisk for 3 minutes. {The “beating” forces the natural pectin out of the berries.}
- Pour into jars and place lids on tightly.Pour into sterilized jars. {Don’t overfill. Just pour up to the narrow part of the jar.}
- Using tongs, place a hot lid on each jar. Screw the rings on tightly. {Yep, it’s a little hot on your hands!} Let sit on counter and cool, making sure each lid "pops" down to seal.
- Each batch makes approximately 8 jam jars-full.
Notes
FAQ: Do you use a hot water bath canning method for this jam recipe?
I have never used the hot water bath canning method for this recipe. However, it is a highly debated topic in my comment section!;) If you feel safer using the hot water method, I’m sure it would work great.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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I add a box of pectin to mine, along with 1/4 cup lemon juice (bottled is fine)….also ginger or peppermint or cinnamon or vanilla all pair well if you’re looking for a touch of spice to this jam….should work perfectly if you process in a water bath for 10 minutes.
I think I will do the same with liquid petin and the lemon juice. Along with Hot water Bath.
Thanks for sharing this. I’m going to try it on my next batch with no pectin, sounds good!
I tried this recipe to a tee and it just does NOT work! There is something missing in the directions I believe. I ended up with blackberry syrup 🙁 You either need to get it up to a certain temperature for it to gel or ? ALSO only 2 of my jars sealed out of 8. I then decided to process them for 10 minutes and they sealed up after that. It has been 24 hours now and I still have syrup instead of jam.
I cook it longer at the second Time you add sugar. Some berries are just juicier . Cook until it looks like it is thick dropping from your spoon. I make all my jams, peach, strawberry this way. Delish!
Do you have a precise recipe for this?
So do I. They did not gel. What can I do now. Can I open them all back up and boil them again or add some pectin to it. This is slot of work for it to all be wasted.
It is the whisking, I always do it, my wife can’t do it hard enough to express the pectin.
I am new to making jam and I have been getting very mixed results during my recipe research.
You do not call to “process” the jam where you put it in a hot water bath. Is there any reason that you do not do this?
I know that it seems like extra work but I read that if you do not put it in a water bath there is greater chance of improper sealing which could lead to unsafe jam…
Just wondering if you could shed some light on the situation for me.
Usually you utilize the hot water bath when you cold pack your jars for canning. When you are using hot, sterilized jars and lids, plus adding hot liquid to those jars, you should have plenty of heat to seal the jars properly, as long as you screw the lids on tightly and securely.
The jars will form a slight seal that is correct but it is by no means a safe seal you are wrong if you think you preserved the jam for an extended time. Jams MUST BE PROCESSES IN A HOTBWATER BATH to be shelf stable. !
I totally agree. I have always used this method as did my mother and grandmother.
I thought that because there is so much sugar in the jam, you don’t have to do a hot water bath.
My Gran and her mother and so and so forth did not use a hot water bath and we have NEVER had an issue with using near boiling hot jam to seal the lids. We just make sure our mixture is extremely hot. Hot water pack just makes the jars and contents hot which you literally just did by pouring scalding liquid in warm sterile jars with hot lids on top.
You are absolutely Correct
I process all my jellies in Hot water bath and have had no problems.