10 Jam Recipes for Preserving Prime Summer Fruit

Turn your favorite summer fruit into sweet, tart, and juicy jam.

By
Yasmine Maggio
Yasmine Maggio
Yasmine Maggio
Associate Editor
Yasmine is an Associate Editor at Serious Eats. Her work has been featured in Women’s Health and on L’Officiel USA, and she recently graduated from New York University with a master's in journalism. You can find her at Bleecker Street Pizza on any given weekend.
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Updated September 08, 2020
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J. Kenji López-Alt

Perhaps the best way to hold onto prime summer fruit well into the winter is by using it to make fresh, bright, and fruity jam. With a bounty of fruit to choose from, the possibilities are truly endless, especially if you're up for some experimentation. The process involves getting your hands on the right tools, picking out the best fruit, learning the secrets to setting your jam, and, of course, understanding the science of preservation. It’s a labor of love that’ll become a breeze once you nail the basics. And it’s well worth it when the result is sweet, juicy, and tart jam that was made for pairing with butter on toast or starring on your next cheese plate. From strawberry with a few variations to classic grape and even jalapeño, these are 10 of our favorite jam recipes to make now and enjoy later.

  • Bright and Fruity Strawberry Jam, Your Way

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    Vicky Wasik

    This classic strawberry jam can be easily altered to your liking. You can experiment with sweeteners like brown sugar or honey, replace the lemon juice with another acid like sherry or red wine vinegar, and even add other flavorings, such as freshly grated horseradish or minced herbs. The basic formula comes together quickly, producing a bright and fruity flavor, but we highly recommend experimenting with different ingredients. Who says you can't have a little fun in the kitchen?

    Get the recipe for Bright and Fruity Strawberry Jam, Your Way

  • Homemade Plum Jam

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    J. Kenji López-Alt

    Fresh summer plums are the star of this homemade jam. Here, the ratio of fruit to sugar is important for producing a bright flavor without an overwhelming sweetness. We like to macerate the plums a day in advance to cut down on cooking time, while also keeping half of them in large pieces to yield a jam with nice chunks—the rest are passed through a food mill. Note that since this recipe doesn’t use lemon juice, you’ll want to store it in the fridge, as opposed to room temperature, and consume it within a couple of months.

    Get the recipe for Homemade Plum Jam

  • Rustic Apricot Jam

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    Jennifer Latham

    If chunky, rustic apricot jam is your, well, jam, turn to this simple recipe. The fruit’s natural pectin works with sugar, lemon juice, and heat to set perfectly. You’ll want to use Blenheim apricots or any other small, freestone apricot that’s firm but ripe. For a more refined texture, you can macerate the apricot halves in sugar at room temperature overnight before moving forward with the recipe.

    Get the recipe for Rustic Apricot Jam

  • Summer Blueberry Jam

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    Jennifer Latham

    Just three ingredients are all you need for this fruity jam: blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. The key is selecting the best fruit—riper isn’t always better. You’ll want a mixture of just-ripe berries with a few under-ripe berries thrown in so that the texture of the jam comes out jellied and rich instead of leathery. The finished jam can be canned and stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year, but don’t be surprised if you go through it more quickly!

    Get the recipe for Summer Blueberry Jam
    Continue to 5 of 10 below.

  • Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

    Emily Teel

    Strawberries and rhubarb are no strangers to each other—the pairing is as classic as jam and toast. So it’s a no-brainer to combine them in this sweet jam. You’ll want to cook the rhubarb until completely broken down before adding in the strawberries, sugar, and vanilla extract. Thanks to the jam’s loose texture, it’s easy to swirl into yogurt or spread over fresh goat cheese on toast.

    Get the recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

  • Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam

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    Lucy Baker

    Here, sunny and simple strawberry jam gets a dark and sophisticated twist. Top-quality ingredients are key to producing a top-notch jam—reach for farmstand strawberries, grind your own black peppercorns, and grab that nice bottle of balsamic you keep for special occasions (making a jam this good is a special occasion in and of itself). What’s left is a jam with a kick that’s perfect for pairing with creamy cheeses and tiny toasts.

    Get the recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam

  • Strawberry Balsamic Thyme Jam

    Strawberry Balsamic Thyme Jam
    This jam is insanely delicious; equal parts sweet and sophisticated. The balsamic vinegar adds depth of flavor and brings out the juicy, sunny taste of the strawberries. And the thyme, oh the thyme! It provides an addictive, lemony, herby essence. Try it over toast with ricotta, or sandwiched between two shortbread cookies. Get the recipe! [Photograph: Lucy Baker]. Lucy Baker

    This strawberry balsamic jam swaps out the pepper for fresh thyme to add a hint of herby flavor. The balsamic vinegar adds a depth of flavor that balances the sweet, juicy taste of the strawberries. The ingredients come together to create a grown-up version of strawberry jam that goes just as well with ricotta as it does sandwiched between two shortbread cookies.

    Get the recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Thyme Jam

  • Perfect Sour Cherry Jam

    Lucy Baker

    Though this recipe requires pitting your cherries, the small bit of extra labor is worth it in the end. The cherries are briefly pulsed in a food processor just until chopped, before heading to the stove. For a juicier, more spreadable jam, it’s important to simmer the fruit with the lemon juice for a bit before adding the other ingredients. The process will leave you with a perfectly tart and sour cherry jam that’s begging to be topped on a buttery, tender biscuit.

    Get the recipe for Perfect Sour Cherry Jam
    Continue to 9 of 10 below.

  • Easy Grape Jam

    Emily Teel

    No classic PB&J is complete without grape jam. Here, you’ll want to use flavorful grapes like concord. Though chunkier jams normally require peeling the grapes, we make it easier by turning to a food mill for both skinning and seeding. After cooking and canning, you’re left with a sweet, tart, and juicy jam that’s bursting with grape flavor.

    Get the recipe for Easy Grape Jam

  • Jalapeño Jam

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    Joshua Bousel

    Looking for a jam with a kick? Jalapeño jam might just become your new favorite. All it takes is pulsing jalapeños and green bell peppers in a food processor, then mixing it with sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and liquid pectin over heat. After the canned jam sits in a boiling hot-water bath for about 10 minutes, let it cool for 24 hours. Then enjoy the sweet, spicy, and tangy condiment on crackers, biscuits, burgers, and more.

    Get the recipe for Jalapeño Jam

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