Homemade Raspberry Jam

I used to make jam all the time! Lately I have been reading about jam made with just fruit and sugar.  So I decided to try it with Raspberries. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries were all on sale at Sprouts this week.

So I decided to make the Raspberry Jam and read several different recipes and then created my own recipe.

Ingredients:

8 cups of fresh raspberries

7 cups of sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

I always put my jars, lids, rings, jam funnel, and jam tongs in the dishwasher. My dishwasher has a super sterilizing  function. This dishwasher cycle takes almost two hours - so I don't even start making the jam until the cycle is almost over. You could also boil tour jars, lids and rings in a large pot for 10 minutes. I only had little jars so I went the dishwasher route.

Crush the raspberries with a potato masher. Add them to a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and slowly stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture back to a boil and stir  frequently so that the jam mixture thickens but doesn't burn.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Set out the hot jars from the dishwasher or boiling method on a clean dishtowel.

Using your sterilized jam funnel start filling the jars leaving 1/4 inch head space.

Once the jar has been filled add the sterilized lid and ring.

 Then place the jar into a pot of hot boiling water for 10 minutes.

Make sure that the boiling water covers the tops of the jars. After you remove the jars from the boiling water with your jar tongs place the jars on clean dishtowel. When the jar has cooled press the top and hopefully you will hear a pop and that means that the jar has sealed!

I decorated the tops of the jars with a little piece of striped scrapbook paper and tied two jars together with a thick piece of ribbon. Because I am planning on giving these jam jars to friends and neighbors.

I had this raspberry jam on my toast this morning. It was delicious and I was bummed I forgot to take a picture!