Seedless Raspberry Jam

In the past I haven’t been too keen on Raspberry Jam — mostly because of all the seeds. (Ironically, I come from a family where everyone has a raspberry patch in their back yard.) I’ve avoided the berries since moving far away from all the raspberry patches (“Why do people pay so much for something that comes from the backyard?”) and I didn’t think I was missing them much.

Over this past winter, though, I kept spotting recipes that called for raspberry jam. I knew I had to make some, not to eat, but so I’d have it ready for all those recipes! (“Why buy jam when you can make it yourself?”)

My not liking raspberry jam might have changed now, because without the seeds, I actually like this stuff! It’s tangy and just a little bit sweet and full of raspberry flavour and is *seed**free*. I’m now looking forward to the holidays not just because there will no longer be any Humidex warnings, but because I’ll be able to use this jam!

I based this recipe on my grandmother’s ratio for regular raspberry jam: 1 cup of fruit to 1 cup of sugar. Because I planned on removing the seeds, I tweeked the ratio to 5:4, but if you like it a bit sweeter, do the 1:1 ratio. I’ve seen some recipes that add in a bit of lemon juice (either for extra tang and/or to help set it) but I didn’t find that it was necessary.

The Recipe

Makes four 1 cup / 250mL jars

5 cups / 1250mL (aproximately 1 1/2 lbs) raspberries
4 cups / 1L sugar

How-To

Puree the berries in a food processor or blender, then press through a sieve with a fine screen to separate the seeds from the pulp (look at that incredible colour!)

Pour the berry pulp into a large saucepan and heat to a boil. Add the sugar and continue to simmer until it passes a gel test — this should take 10-15 minutes.

Skim off any foam and pour into sterilized jars (mine filled exactly four). Either refrigerate once cool or preserve using a hot water bath.

Enjoy!

Not sure about the intricacies of canning? It’s not difficult even if you’re intimidated at first. Local Kitchen has a great post that lays out all the steps to do it right. (She’s a little more thorough than I am, but learning good habits is never a bad thing.)

Notes

Mix the left over seeds and any of the foam skimmed from the jam with twice the amount of white vinegar in a jar and let sit for a few weeks away from the light. Strain and you’ll have raspberry vinegar to enjoy!