Recipes Side Dishes Sauces and Condiments Canning and Preserving Jams and Jellies 15 Easy Freezer and Refrigerator Jams Anyone Can Make

15 Easy Freezer and Refrigerator Jams Anyone Can Make

15 Easy Freezer and Refrigerator Jams Anyone Can Make

Want to get started on canning but don't know where to start? Try making freezer and refrigerator jams. They're an easy first step toward learning how to preserve the freshest flavors of the season to enjoy for months to come. For most freezer jam recipes, you simply add sugar (to preserve) and pectin (to thicken) the fruit, and fill sterilized jars, leaving a little room at the top for the jam to expand. Add a lid and store in the freezer for up to a year. For refrigerator jams, you'll cook the mixture following recipe directions, then store in the freezer for up to a year, or in your refrigerator for about three weeks. Bonus: You can make these kinds of easy jams in small batches so they won't take up precious space. Once you get a feel for freezer and refrigerator jams, you might want to graduate to water-bath canning, which enables you to make larger batches that can be stored on your pantry shelf for up to a year. But that's another story. Let's get started with these easier freezer and refrigerator jams first.

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Strawberry-Vanilla Freezer Jam

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Photo by Allrecipes Magazine

"Fast, delicious, and easy jam that requires no cooking. Too good to be true? Nope. This is very good and doesn't dirty the whole kitchen like normal canning does. Mine thickened like it says it would, to a spreadable consistency. The flavor is just right: a perfect balance between sweet and fruity." —Buckwheat Queen

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Easy Small-Batch Blueberry Jam

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Photo by Kim

Blueberries are naturally very high in pectin, so there's no need to add it to this recipe. Holly Pena has a smart tip for telling when your blueberry jam is thick enough when you're cooking it: "You'll know when it's thickened just right when you can draw a line down the middle of the pan with the mixing spoon, and it takes a second for the jam to settle back in to place."

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Fresh Fig Freezer Jam

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Photo by kwitowich7

"This was very easy to make and tastes heavenly!" says reviewer kwitowich7. "I only used half the pectin and still turned out lovely. Made 7 small jars."

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Strawberry Freezer Jam

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Photo by Wyattdogster

This easy freezer jam recipe won't heat up your kitchen because you don't cook the fruit. Fresh strawberries are simply mashed and stirred with sugar and pectin (you'll boil the pectin in water for a quick minute). Sweet Apron says, "Make this often when berries are inexpensive. A touch of lemon juice brings out the flavor. I also recommend letting the sugar & crushed berries sit for much longer than 10 minutes-helps dissolve the sugar and eliminate grainy jam."

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Small-Batch Basil and Cherry Tomato Freezer Jam

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Photo by Kim

Here's a great idea to use up a super-abundance of tomatoes and basil. Cook them with sugar, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, coriander, and cumin to make a savory jam you can serve with cheese and crackers. Or imagine spooning a bit on your favorite sandwich.

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Blackberry Jam

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Photo by donnam

Blackberries are mashed with sugar and cornstarch, then cooked with cinnamon and allspice. Sarah Jo made a batch with frozen rather than fresh blackberries, and said, "This firmed up perfectly and had the right amount of sweetness with a hint of spice. This is one of the best blackberry jams I've had yet!"

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Sugar Free Strawberry Jiffy Jam

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Photo by Kim

If you're watching your sugar intake, you might give this no-sugar strawberry jam a try. Fresh strawberries are cooked with sugar-free strawberry gelatin for a quick and easy jam. Godiva Girl made hers with frozen strawberries, and was very happy with the results.

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Super Easy Microwave Strawberry Jam

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Photo by lutzflcat

Two ingredients and the power of your microwave are all you'll need to make this micro-batch of strawberry jam. To avoid the boil-over problem that some reviewers reported, Melody Gaidrich cooked hers for 2 minutes, and then for 1-minute intervals until the berries were done — about 6 minutes total.

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Red Onion Marmalade

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Photo by lutzflcat

Red onions are thinly sliced and cooked down with sugar, red wine, and balsamic vinegar to make a sweet and savory jam. Reviewer Danise Kasz Willmarth says she loves it on burgers with herbed goat cheese, and lutzflcat heaped it instead of mayonnaise onto a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich.

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Strawberry-Orange Chia Jam

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Photo by France C

Chia seeds are the surprise thickener in this easy jam, while orange juice and orange zest add a sunny, citrusy lift.

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Quince Jam

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Photo by Buckwheat Queen

"Quince makes beautiful jam thanks to its deep pink color once cooked. It's also naturally high in pectin, so it thickens nicely without having to use thickeners. It goes very well with meats and cheeses. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks." —Buckwheat Queen

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Loquat Jam

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Photo by Diana Moutsopoulos

"Loquat trees are all over Southern California where I live, yet are often overlooked," says recipe creator Diana Moutsopoulos. "The loquats make a wonderfully fragrant jam and are worth harvesting! If you have a loquat tree, wait until the loquats are yellow before picking. Once the jam cooks long enough, the loquats turn a lovely orange-pink color. This is wonderful on buttered toast, but my favorite way to enjoy it is with some salty cheese."

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Rose Hip Freezer Jam

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Photo by Cazuela

When summer starts transitioning to fall, it's time to harvest rose hips to make this splendid sweet/tart freezer jam. "The rose hips in this jam are uncooked so the jam tastes fresh and sweet; it retains its bright rosy-orange color," says recipe creator Cazuela. "The hardest part is seeding the hips which can be sticky, but so worth it! Use wild or cultivated rugosa roses that haven't been sprayed with pesticide; pick them in the fall when they are bright red."

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Fresh Strawberry Jam

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Photo by Chef John

Chef John shares his recipes for his homemade strawberry jam that uses less sugar than most recipes and is thickened with a homemade pectin puree made from stewed apples and lemon. Yes, it takes more time to make it this way, but the results taste more like real strawberries, according to Chef John. As always, he'll walk you through the recipe with a helpful video.

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Easy Persimmon Jam

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Photo by Linda T

"I first fell in love with persimmons when I visited Korea," says recipe creator Shelly2012. "When the fresh fruit isn't available, I use frozen persimmons. It's a nice break from the other jams. Enjoy with crusty bread!"

source by allrecipe

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