Deliciously Simple Mixed Berry Jam: No Pectin Needed!

Mixed berry jam seems to be quite popular this summer, and for good reasons. Firstly, it is delicious, and secondly, by mixing different berries, you can make it without pectin. If you have been following my blog, you might know that I particularly enjoy making no-pectin jam. 

What berries to use?

For a mixed berry jam, you can use any berries you enjoy or have on hand. Keep in mind that some berries have a dominant flavor, such as strawberries or black currants. Adding even a small amount of these can enhance the overall taste of your jam. If you like that flavor, go for it!

Some berries are high in natural pectin. Varieties like haskaps, cranberries, gooseberries, and both red and black currants, as well as unripe or tart blackberries, can help your jam thicken nicely when added. 

Combining sour berries that are high in pectin with sweet berries that contain little pectin allows us to create jam without added pectin. However, if you prefer a thick spread, feel free to add pectin. 

Here are some interesting combinations to try:

– Raspberries and red currants

– Raspberries and honeyberries

– Saskatoons and strawberries

You can also combine several different berries in one pot for a delicious and unique flavor! Here I used raspberries, honeyberries, strawberries, blueberries, and saskatoons. 

What about pectin?

You might be wondering why I prefer to make jam without pectin. The main reason is the sugar content. When I make jam that thickens on its own, I can add as much or as little sugar as I like, based on taste. However, with pectin, there are mandatory sugar amounts required for it to set properly.

Low-sugar pectin is also an option, but it’s not as straightforward to use. Additionally, if you’re not a fan of the calcium water it requires, the taste may feel off.

If you like pectin and want to use it in a mixed berry jam, you can certainly do so by following the instructions on your particular brand of pectin.

For a no-pectin jam, we use time to our advantage. Mix the berries with the sugar and let the mixture sit overnight, or for a couple of hours. Then, cook the jam until it thickens. If you didn’t use high-pectin berries, you can apply a multiple-cooking- time method, as explained for sour cherry jam. Cook for 5-10 minutes, let it cool, then bring it back to a boil and cook again until the desired thickness is achieved. 

Making Mixed Berry Jam from Frozen Berries

Since not all berries ripen at the same time, it’s great to know that you can make jam from frozen berries. In my case, it was a perfect way to use up the frozen berries I had left in the freezer, along with some fresh early honeyberries. You can even make mixed berry jam using store-bought mixed frozen berries.

Crushing the Berries for the Jam

Whether you like to crush the berries for your jam or not is totally a matter of personal preference. I prefer to have some pieces in my jam, so I used a hand blender to crush the larger berries while leaving most of them intact. 

However, be aware that using a hand blender can create quite a mess – oops. If that happens, make sure to clean it up immediately; if it dries, it can be really hard to deal with. 

Blending the jam in a regular blender is another option, especially if you prefer a smoother texture. Personally, I think cutting the bigger berries into pieces and skipping the blending altogether would be the best choice. But as I mentioned, it’s all about preference!

Mixed berry jam recipe

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