Sweet yet tart and utterly delicious, this really easy 2 ingredient blackcurrant jam is made without pectin and is the best blackcurrant preserve you’ll ever make!
Jam making runs in my family and my Mum made gallons of blackcurrant jam every year. To be honest there was always so much of the stuff I was quite put off it for years till I started making my own preserves and winning prizes for my jams too.
Nowadays I fully embrace the great blackcurrant and have grown them in my garden for nearly 30 years. I’ve made everything from blackcurrant curd with star anise to my own version of the famous French liqueur Cassis. I’ve even made a blackcurrant jam with chocolate and chilli which is utterly delicious and decidedly different! You can even go on the savoury side with my easy blackcurrant and mint salsa recipe.
You’ll find more of my blackcurrant recipes at the bottom of this post.
But this time I just want to make plain and simple blackcurrant/black currant jam.
What are blackcurrants?
Blackcurrants or black currants or cassis as they are also called come under the Latin name of Ribes nigrum and they are a medium sized shrub found originally in Northern Europe and Asia.
Blackcurrants are sweet yet tart and are packed with nutrients, especially vitamin C.
Most importantly for jam makers blackcurrants are packed with pectin (the stuff in fruit that makes it set well into a jam or jelly) so there is no need to add pectin to this blackcurrant jam recipe.
Blackcurrants are really easy to grow either in the ground or in pots and make a really useful addition to your garden.
By the way, some folks call them blackcurrants as we do here in the UK but in other countries they are known as black currants. Two separate words but the same thing.
Ingredients
There are only 2 ingredients in this simple blackcurrant jam recipe;
Blackcurrants 9or black currants) of course and about 500g of them.
Sugar – normal granulated sugar is just fine for this quick and easy blackcurrant jam recipe. There is no need to use fancy jam sugar or preserving sugar. These are sugars that contain added pectin and you don’t need that to make blackcurrant jam.
Can you use frozen blackcurrants to make jam?
Yes. simply defrost the blackcurrants first and follow the steps in this recipe to make a delicious blackcurrant preserve that will tingle your taste buds.
How to prepare blackcurrants for jam making
All you need to do to prepare your blackcurrants for making this jam is to snip off the little stalks that hold them to their clusters on the bush. That’s it folks!
What else do you need to make this?
A high-sided pan is all you need to make this blackcurrant jam. I always use a high-sided pan when I am making jam. The reason for this is that when jam boils it really bubbles up high and if you don’t use a high-sided pan you risk your jam boiling over and going all over the cooker!
The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to make blackcurrant jam
I’m using the French method for making my blackcurrant jam. That simply means that I am allowing nature to take a hand by leaving my blackcurrants in the pot along with the sugar for a few hours or in my case overnight.
Why do I do this? Well leaving the blackcurrants in the sugar means that the blackcurrants start to soften due to the sugar as it draws out the juice from the currants themselves.
Another reason for doing this is that the sugar itself dissolves so that when you come to cook your blackcurrant jam you don’t have to start at a low heat to get the sugar to dissolve. Instead, you can go in there on a high heat and boil for less time.
Why is good? Well the shorter time you boil jam the better really as boiling for longer means you start to lose flavour, so a short boil is best.
Jam is ready when it reaches the magical 105C on a thermometer. This is the setting point for jam. I have lots of valuable info on jam making in these posts. You’ll find everything from how to test for the perfect set to how to sterilise jars.
Alternative method
If you don’t want to let your blackcurrants soak up the sugar before making this jam. Simply heat the blackcurrants gently with the sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Then raise the temperature to a boil and boil till you reach the setting point.
How to add flavour to blackcurrant jam
You can add all sorts of extra flavours to your blackcurrant jam if you fancy something a bit different.
Why not add some booze like gin or vodka to your blackcurrant jam. A wee dash of whisky works wonders too. just add a spoonful of hooch to your jars and stir through just before you pop on the lids.
Add rosemary, cinnamon, star anise or chocolate. The choice is yours.
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in no time at all.
Just check out these handy articles to get you heading in the right direction fast;
How to make great jam and marmalade
How to make chutney and relish
How to sterilise jars and bottles
How much blackcurrant jam does this make?
I got 3 x 250ml jars of gorgeous blackcurrant jam from this recipe.
Storage
Your blackcurrant jam will keep for up to a year in a cool cupboard.
Please Note – We do not usually do water bath or other canning methods here in the UK. Our preserves keep perfectly well without this.
Do you need to can this jam?
No, my blackcurrant jam does not need to be water bath canned. Like all my jams and jellies there is no need to use a water bath. The sugar is the preservative in my jams so they will live quite happily in a cupboard for up to a year or more.
Uses for blackcurrant jam
Well, obviously blackcurrant jam is just perfect on toast. But it can be used as a cake filling, with scones and clotted cream too.
Thin your blackcurrant jam down a little with water and use it as a dessert topping with simple good quality vanilla ice cream.
Use thinned out blackcurrant jam as a glaze for roasting duck.
Add some homemade blackcurrant jam to your cheeseboard, it’s delicious!
Looking for more super easy and tasty blackcurrant recipes to try? Then check these out before you go;
How to make French Cassis liqueur
Blackcurrant jam with chocolate and chilli
Easy blackcurrant and mint salsa
Spiced blackcurrant curd with star anise
Blackcurrant and rosemary fruit cheese
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
French Style 2 Ingredient Blackcurrant Jam
Ingredients
- 500 g blackcurrants
- 400 g granulated sugar
Instructions
- Remove the stalks from the blackcurrants and give them a rinse then pop them into a high-sided pan with the sugar.Set aside for a few hours or overnight to let the sugar pull the juices from the blackcurrants and dissolve
- Boil the jam to setting point at 105C and remove any scum that is on the top
- Ladle into sterilised jars and pop on the lids
Tell us hie many jars to prepare.
Hi Linda
It clearly tells you both in the blog post and in the printable recipe exactly how many jars and what size they are. Maybe you didn’t see it. How much blackcurrant jam does this make?
I got 3 x 250ml jars of gorgeous blackcurrant jam from this recipe.
K
Fabulous jam and so easy to make
Hi Valerie
Glad you like this jam so much, thanks for letting me know.
K