Easy Homemade Elderberry Jam Recipe
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If you’re looking for a unique and flavorful condiment that combines a touch of sweetness with a spicy kick, then this Hot and Sweet Pepper Jelly is the perfect choice.
It is that time of the year, when we gardeners are busy preserving our harvest. One of the abundance we have is Elderberry. If you have access to fresh elderberries, then add this easy 3-ingredient Homemade Elderberry Jam Recipe to your list. This recipe is the perfect way to preserve the luscious taste and health benefits of elderberry for the coming winter months.
Table of Contents
Tools you may need
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- Glass Jars
- Funnel for filling
- Heavy bottom Pot
- Wooden cutting board
How to make Homemade Elderberry Jam?
Ingredients List
- 500 gms of ripe fresh elderberries
- 400 gm of jam sugar or pectin sugar
- 1 tbsp on lemon juice
Cooking Instructions
- Remove the ripe berries from their stalks with a fork. Remove the leaves too.
- Wash the berries thoroughly.
- Transfer the clean berries into a heavy bottom pan and crush them a little to release some juices. We want the berry texture too, so don’t mash all of the berries.
- Add the sugar to the berries and once cooked add the lemon juice.
- Simmer on a low heat and stir continuously to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom.
- Cook for around 20 minutes. Discard any scum which has raised to the surface.
- Do the plate test. Drop a small dollop of the jam on the frozen plate and tilt it. If it has formed a skin and stopped flowing, then its ready for bottling. Alternatively you can also set the plate in the fridge for a few minutes and once the skim is formed, bottle.
- In case the skin on the jam has not formed, continue cooking and repeat the above process at intervals, till you reach the right consistency.
- Fill the jam into sterilized glass jars by setting the jar on a tea towel or a wooden board to avoid the jars from cracking.
Tips for the Perfect Homemade Elderberry Jam
- Pick the berries only when ripe.
- Since elderberries in their raw form contain a constituent similar to cyanide, always cook these berries before consuming.
- Canning the jam will help to preserve the jam longer.
- Keep a plate in a freezer so you can test if the jam has achieved the right consistency before bottling.
- Lemon juice brings back the vibrant colors of the cooked elderberries.
- Bottle the jam by setting the glass jars on a wooden board otherwise, the jars will crack.
- Use appropriate tools in order to prevent burns and scalding, since the cooked jam is very hot.
Health Benefits
Elderberries naturally contain vitamins A, B, and C to stimulate the immune system.
A few studies have suggested that elderberry could help with bacterial sinus infections or bronchitis. More research needs to be done on this.
I don’t claim anything here, but I enjoy all these fresh produce from my garden. On the other hand, my personal experience with our elderberry cold and flu syrup is that it has worked wonders for us in preventing winter colds so far.
Recipe Card
Easy Homemade Elderberry Jam Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
If you have access to fresh elderberries, then add this easy 3-ingredient Homemade Elderberry Jam Recipe to your list.
Ingredients
- 500 gms of ripe fresh elderberries
- 400 gm of jam sugar or pectin sugar
- 1 tbsp on lemon juice
Instructions
- Remove the ripe berries from their stalks with a fork. Remove the leaves too.
- Wash the berries thoroughly.
- Transfer the clean berries into a heavy bottom pan and crush them a little to release some juices. We want the berry texture too, so don’t mash all of the berries.
- Add the sugar to the berries and once cooked add the lemon juice.
- Simmer on a low heat and stir continuously to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom.
- Cook for around 20 minutes. Discard any scum which has raised to the surface.
- Do the plate test. Drop a small dollop of the jam on the frozen plate and tilt it. If it has formed a skin and stopped flowing, then its ready for bottling. Alternatively you can also set the plate in the fridge for a few minutes and once the skim is formed, bottle.
- In case the skin on the jam has not formed, continue cooking and repeat the above process at intervals, till you reach the right consistency.
- Fill the jam into sterilized glass jars by setting the jar on a tea towel or a wooden board to avoid the jars from cracking.
Notes
Tips to make Homemade Elderberry Jam
- Pick the berries only when ripe.
- Since elderberries in their raw form contain a constituent similar to cyanide, always cook these berries before consuming.
- Canning the jam will help to preserve the jam longer.
- Keep a plate in a freezer so you can test if the jam has achieved the right consistency before bottling.
- Lemon juice brings back the vibrant colors of the cooked elderberries.
- Bottle the jam by setting the glass jars on a wooden board otherwise, the jars will crack.
- Use appropriate tools in order to prevent burns and scalding, since the cooked jam is very hot.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Category: Jams & Jellys
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 20
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