Small batch no-pectin Saskatoon jam. This easy homemade Saskatoon jam recipe yields a small batch of jam and requires only three ingredients: Saskatoon berries, sugar, and lemon juice. It is delicious on toast, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt.
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Saskatoon berries
Before coming to Canada I had no idea what Saskatoons were. Saskatoon berries are native to North America and they go for a variety of names: prairie berry, serviceberry, shadbush, juneberry. They resemble blueberries, although they are firmer, sweeter, less juicy, and have a crown or feet, depending on how you look at it, lol. They also have a lovely almond-y vanilla-y flavor, one that I have come to love. And they are packed with nutrients.
Small batch jam
A small batch of jam is easy to make and even easier to finish once the jar is open. So, if your family is composed by one, or two, like us, this jam is ideal. Do you have more berries to use up and more people to feed? Double the recipe without hesitation.
As for me, I am not used to working with huge batches of anything. Maybe because I have never been part of a big family, but also because I like to eat as fresh as possible and I do not freeze, can, or store big quantities of food for a long time.
Three ingredient jam
Saskatoon berries, cane sugar, and lemon juice are the only ingredients in this jam. Oh, and touch of water, because these berries are not juicy. Believe me when I say that you do not need pectin to make this jam. The natural pectin in the berries, combined with the sugar and lemon juice is enough to thicken the jam to a wonderful consistency.
Moreover, you do not need a lot of sugar because Saskatoon berries are far from tart and they possess a natural sweetness, some say nuttiness. For this Small batch no-pectin Saskatoon jam I used 2 cups of berries, ¾ cup cane sugar, and ½ lemon juice and zest.
Small batch jam: how to
- Add the washed Saskatoon berries and the sugar to a medium-size saucepan (I use a Dutch oven) over low-medium heat and stir.
- As berries start to soften, add the water and mash them slightly with a potato masher.
- Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Add in the lemon juice and the lemon zest.
- Continue to cook on a steady boil, stirring frequently, until it starts to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. You could use a candy thermometer checking that the jam reaches 210°F- 220°F. The jam keeps thickening even after you turn off the heat.
- Pour into a hot sterilized 8 oz jar, leaving a little space on top. Wipe jar rim with a clean paper towel, then apply the lid and close tight.
- I had just some jam leftover in the pot that I placed in a container with a lid to use in the next couple of days.
This Saskatoon jam is sweet and just slightly tart, with a vanilla undertone. I like some chunks in my jams for added texture, and I do not mind the occasional crunchiness from the seeds.
More no-pectin jams for you
- 3-Ingredient Easy Raspberry Jam
- Blackberry Peach Ginger Jam
- Sour Cherry Jam with Lemon and Grand Marnier
- Easy Quince Jam
- Vanilla Bean Stone Fruit Jam
- Plum Jam
Small batch no-pectin Saskatoon jam
Small batch no-pectin Saskatoon jam. This easy homemade Saskatoon jam recipe yields a small batch of jam and requires only three ingredients: Saskatoon berries, sugar, and lemon juice. It is deliciously sweet with a vanilla undertone. Try it on toast, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or yogurt.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 jar 1x
- Category: Canning
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: North American
Ingredients
- 2 cups Saskatoon berries
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ lemon, juice and zest
Instructions
- Wash berries in a colander, under cold running water and let drain.
- Add the Saskatoon berries and the sugar to a medium-size saucepan (I use a Dutch oven) over low-medium heat and stir.
- As berries start to soften, add the water and mash them slightly with a potato masher.
- Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Add in the lemon juice and the lemon zest.
- Continue to cook on a steady boil, stirring frequently, until thick, about 10-15 minutes. You could use a candy thermometer checking that the jam reaches 210- 220°F.
- Pour into hot sterilized 8oz jar (see note), leaving ¼ inch space on top. Wipe jar rim with a clean paper towel, then apply the lid and close tight.
Notes
To sterilize the jars, wash them in hot soapy water, rinse, and place on a baking sheet in a 230°F oven until ready to use.
Once you open the jar, keep in the fridge and consume in the next week or two.
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
Ramya says
Will be making this soon can i use other berries like raspberries / strawberries and blueberries as i dont have saskatoon berries in Singapore i never had saskatoon jam before perfect for my snacks will dm you guys if i make this and let you guys know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Yes, Ramya, it works well with other berries, too. It will be a great after work snack!
Rachel says
How long is the jam good for since it's not heat sealed after?
If you are using hot jars like I did it is a kind of preserving. I usually do not keep it more than a month and keep it in the fridge after opening the jar.
Janice says
What about the seeds?
I do not mind the chunks and the seeds, as I said in the post, so I leave it as is. If you like your jam to be smooth, you have to pass it through a double mash strainer. I would turn it off, just before it starts to thicken, around the 10 minute mark, strain it, and jar it. Hope that helps.
ashley karpiak says
can i use frozen berries??
I was going to try this summer with frozen berries but I didn't. I am guessing yes, though. It would work. Let me know how it goes!
Diane says
I have used frozen berries and other fruits of all types to make jam with no problems. No need to thaw the fruit first as cooking from frozen seems to preserve the shape and texture.
Awesome! Great to know!
Ilene says
Oh boy, this did not turn out for me!! Only 1 Tbsp of water? I could not get this to thicken because there was no liquid!! Are you sure that's the correct quantity of water? I have a no fail recipe with blueberries that I will try with the saskatoon berries I have left and hope for the best. Not sure what I did wrong...
Hi! I am not sure either, if you followed the recipe. I make it every year and I've made it again this summer. I add one tablespoon of water because the Saskatoons are not juicy like other berries, and that's enough to start mashing them. Then, there's the lemon juice. It's a very thick jam, so it seems a contradiction that yours doesn't thicken and you're asking for more liquid...Anyways, good luck with your other recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
Sherry says
It turned out great! And yes 1 tbsp water is all that is needed. I will make it again!
Thank you so much for the positive feedback! So happy it turned out. I am actually going Saskatoon picking this weekend and then there will be some jam for me, too.
J says
Great flavor, very easy, nothing complicated here. I love saskatoon berries. I love picking them, eating them on salads - on granola - by the handful and deploying them in pies. This is my first time making a jam and now I'm hooked!
My result was a little thick (soft tar like)...now I understand what you mean that the "jam will continue to thicken after you remove it from the heat". Lesson learned.
Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for making our recipe! We love Saskatoons, too and this is just a great jam. Yes, all jam keep thickening after you turn off the heat and even after you can them, so stopping the cooking time when the jam is still runny is a must 😉 .
Gracie says
Mine did not thicken, it’s quite watery, could it be from over mashing the berries?
Hello! Sorry to hear that! That is unusual, because Saskatoons lack moisture and you actually end up with quite a thick jam. It could be that you over mashed the berries...but I'm not sure. Did you boil it long enough? If you made a bigger batch it would have needed more time to thicken. I am making some more jars today, a friend delivered a box of Saskatoons... 😉
Wynona says
Yum, I love this recipe. I’ve used it for Saskatoons and raspberries. Perfect sweetness! I don’t add water to the raspberries as they don’t need them.
Hi Wynona, I am so happy you tried this jam. You're right about the water, it is not needed in raspberry jam. Well done. Thanks for trying it!
Very grateful!
Yvette Church says
Have you, or anyone, tried freezing this jam?
Hello! Un fortunately I haven't, but I know that some people freeze jams. Hope somebody can be of some help and have an answer. Thank you!
Meg says
I’ve cut sugar out of my diet but still would love some fruit spread for my toast every now and then. I’ve seen commercial fruit spreads sweetened with fruit juice and dates but have yet to find a recipe to make my own. In your opinion, do you think this recipe would be a good candidate to try using date sugar and maybe white grape juice (in place of the water)? Just curious.
Absolutely, we would definitely try it that way. We have never used date sugar so cannot tell if you would need the same quantities. Would love to hear how it goes.
Linda says
Hi Nicoletta, I like to try your recipe. But I wander how long does this jam stay well in a closed jar in a cold room. I have a tonn of berries this year and want to make big batches. I game a cross a recipe that , process the in boiling water, is that neccessary?
Linda
Hello! Happy you are thinking of trying my recipe. I have made 6 Saskatoon jam jars and more of the raspberry one, this year, and I always use this method, skipping the boiling in hot water. I usually consume them in one year. If you plan to leave them longer, and want to be extra careful, you can boil them after canning them. I have to say, I make quite a few jam jars every summer and I have never had any problems, but make sure the jars are sterilized in a hot oven and are sealed well. You will hear the lid popping, quite a music to my ears :).
Jody says
Could this jam be processed in a hot water bath?
Yes, absolutely.
Debbie B says
I went to buy jam the other day. I was shocked to see that the price for a small jar has risen to over seven dollars. Remembering that I had two large bags of saskatoons in my freezer, I went hunting for a recipe. This one was perfect. I've never made jam before. It turned out so well and I'm very proud of it. I picked the saskatoons last summer so they were free. Total cost around $1.20. Thank you for this recipe, I will make more this afternoon for my neighbor.
I am so happy when I hear someone is making my jams! I love making jams and absolutely love homemade. Thank you for the feedback! This is a keeper.