Equipment
Large pot (15- 19 Liters or16–20 quart)
Water bath canner
Large spoon or ladle
Canning funnel
Food mill (optional, for seedless jam)
Jar lifter
Lid lifter
Half-pint canning jars with lids and rings
Dishwasher or boiling water for jar sterilization
Ingredients
Raspberries (fresh or frozen, unsweetened):
1.0–1.1 kg (about 8 cups whole berries)
You’ll use 1.4 litres (6 cups) crushed berries for the batch
Granulated sugar: 900 g (4½ cups)
No-sugar-needed pectin: 1 box (approx. 50–60 g / 1.75–2 oz)
Optional (seedless jam):
Apple juice: 240 ml (1 cup) (only if heating berries to help pass through a food mill)
Preparation
1. Prepare for canning
Wash jars and keep hot until ready to use. Place lids in hot (not boiling) water.
2. Prepare the berries
Rinse raspberries gently and remove any stems/leaves.
Optional (seedless jam): Warm berries with apple juice until nearly boiling, then pass through a food mill to remove seeds. Measure 1.4 litres / 6 cups seedless pulp.
If keeping seeds: lightly crush berries and measure 1.4 litres / 6 cups crushed raspberries.
3. Add pectin and bring to a full boil
Mix pectin with 60 ml (¼ cup) of the sugar (taken from the measured sugar). Stir this into the berries in a large pot. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
4. Add sugar
Add remaining sugar all at once. Return to a full boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Test the set
Remove from heat and test using the chilled spoon or plate method. If too loose, add additional pectin (1–2 tbsp), return to boil for 1 minute, and retest.
6. Jar the jam
Skim foam if desired. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 6 mm (¼ inch) headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids, and screw bands fingertip-tight.
7. Process
Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude as required).
8. Cool and store
Cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals before storing.
A classic berry jam with bright flavour and a deep ruby colour. Works beautifully with fresh or frozen raspberries and is easy to scale by making multiple small batches (don’t double a single batch).