A simple and natural recipe for the aromatic homemade raspberry jam made without preservatives. The raspberry jam is very fine and fragrant, a delicacy to everyone’s liking. The recipe is simple, without any added flavors as to feel the simple taste of the summer berries.
My grandmother made great jams out of all kinds of berries, however, my favorite one was always the raspberry jam. Being kids we used to eat it for breakfast, on bread with butter. I remember perfectly the smell and aroma of my “country chapter” of my childhood. It is all filled with jams, homemade bread, and late-night stories. However, today I will share with you my grandmother’s recipe on how to make the most perfumed and natural raspberry jam. A delight made with only 2 ingredients and lots of love.
Ingredients for the raspberry jam
You can make sweet jam savings for winter with only 2 main ingredients. Those are sugar and raspberries. Yes, as simple as it can be, yet, as delicious as a jam can get. Wait until the raspberries are in full season when they are caressed by the sun and filled with juiciness and natural sour sweetness. July is the best season to pick the raspberries. It is the best time of the year to prepare the piquant vivid jam.
The jam is well preserved when adding plenty of sugar. My nanny taught me to go by the 1:1 ratio. However, I find this amount of sugar way too sweet for me, so I cut that by half and go for the 1:½ of raspberries to sugar. Even with the dose of sugar cut in half, you will feel there is enough sweetness, I promise you will not need any extra. You can use both white granulated sugar or brown sugar.
To add a touch of freshness to the jam you may add a few mint leaves. The mint has a cooling effect and plays the role of the breath of fresh air.
How to clean raspberries?
When preparing other gems, my first instruction would be to have the fruits rinsed. However, skip this step when preparing the raspberry jam. You avoid rinsing the berries because they will hold up extra water in their inner part (hole) and extra water is bad for the jam’s final result. You have to cleanse the berries however and manually pick up the soil if there is any; small leaves, stray ants, and tiny stalks.
How to prepare the raspberry jam?
When you’ve carefully extracted everything from the fresh berries, place them in a pot, and pour the sugar over.
Mix gently so that the sugar is evenly spread all over and between the berries and turn on the stove on medium-low heat. You will see in about 7-10 minutes that the mixture starts to boil and the berries leave out the juice. Let it simmer for 3-5 minutes then turn off the stove.
When the soon-to-be-jam has cooled, put it back o the stove and bring it to a boil. Let simmer for another 3-5 minutes then again turn off the stove and let cool down.
Repeat the procedure for the third, final time to close the cycle of the jam ritual :) Do the same procedure of simmering again and the jam is ready to be consumed or deposited for the cold winter days.
When you bring the fruits to a boil then cool it down and repeat it 3 times in a row, you kind of simulate the fermentation process. This is the exact process we’re looking for when aiming to prepare the most delicious, long-lasting fruit jam.
How to store raspberry jam?
Whenever you wish to store jams or marinated vegetables for the winter, or for a period of time longer than 72 hours, always sterilize the jars and their lids. This is how you prevent the goods from getting in touch with some bacteria or impurities that may eventually spoil it.
The easiest way to sterilize a jar is to wash them well in a normal, usual way using kitchen cleaning solutions. When they’re clean, put the jars in a big pot or a big container and pour over scalding water so that the water covers the jars completely. Then let the jars and the lids stay in hot water for a few minutes. Carefully take out and place them on a clean kitchen cloth or paper towel for them to dry well.
Pour in the jams using a clean spoon. Then cover the jam with a lid and transfer to a cool dark place for the best preservation.
What are raspberries good for?
Raspberries are classified as healthy food. It is a rich source of vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, and flavonoids. These sour-sweet berries are also known for having a toning effect on the female reproductive system. The fruit also contains the substance cyanidin which inhibits the development of obesity and diabetes. Therefore, reducing the risk of infertility caused by the symptoms of diabetes and obesity.
But considering that it is a seasonal fruit, it is best to prepare raspberry jam and store it for the rest of the year. Thus, you can prepare raspberry tea whenever needed.
Raspberry tea retains much of the properties of fresh fruit and successfully transports them into the body. That means that raspberry tea brings 80% the same benefits as fresh raspberries. It is to mention that this happens only when the tea is made from natural raspberry extract, without dye, preservatives, or synthetic flavors. Therefore, follow my homemade natural raspberry jam recipe and stay healthy all year round!
Homemade Fragrant Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
- 35 oz raspberries fresh
- 15 oz sugar
- 2 leaves mint
Instructions
- Clean the raspberries from soil and other impurities
- Move the raspberries to a boiling pan and pour over the sugar
- Mix well and turn on the stove on medium-low heat
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3-5 minutes
- Turn off stove and let cool the jam in the pan
- Repeat the process for additional 2 times; bring to a boil then let cool
- Let the jam cool for the last time then add to the sterilized jars
- Store in a dark cool place. Serve whenever
How to sterilize jars and lids
- Wash the jars, as usual, using dishwashing liquids
- Put the jars in a big pot or a big container and pour over scalding water so that the water covers the jars completely
- Carefully take them out in a couple of minutes and place them on a clean kitchen cloth or paper towel to dry well
