Description
This comprehensive autumn olive jam recipe transforms abundant wild berries into a gourmet preserve featuring exceptional nutritional benefits and unique flavor complexity. With 15 times more lycopene than tomatoes and a sweet-tart flavor reminiscent of cherry and cranberry, this jam is both delicious and nutrient-dense.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds fresh autumn olive berries (10–11 cups)
- 3 cups filtered water
- 1–4 cups granulated sugar (to taste)
- 1 box (1.75 oz) low-sugar pectin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Optional: 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- Optional: 2 under-ripe McIntosh apples (pectin substitute)
Instructions
- Place 3 pounds of autumn olive berries and 3 cups water in a large pot. Boil, then simmer 1-2 minutes until berries soften.
- Strain mixture through a food mill or fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds and skins. Yield about 6 cups pulp.
- Return pulp to pot, bring to boil, and stir in pectin. Boil exactly 1 minute.
- Add sugar (1-4 cups to taste), cinnamon, and ginger. Return to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Test gel consistency with frozen plate or thermometer (220°F). Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes (15 minutes above 6,000 ft).
Notes
Yields about 8 half-pint jars. For low-sugar jam, use as little as 1 cup sugar with low-sugar pectin. Always strain well to avoid hard seeds in the final jam.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Jam & Preserves
- Method: Water Bath Canning
- Cuisine: Foraged / Homemade
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 45-60
- Sugar: 10-13g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12-15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg