This Gooseberry Jam Recipe is really easy to make as gooseberries are full of pectin and acidic in their own right.
Ingredients for Gooseberry Jam:
- 4 lbs (1.8 kgs) gooseberries
- 2 pints (1.15 litres) water
- 6 lbs (2.7 kgs) sugar
Method for Gooseberry Jam:
- Top and tail the gooseberries. Wash well and drain.
- Put into a pan with the water and simmer gently until soft.
- Test for pectin. (not really necessary with Gooseberries)
- Add the sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 5 minutes until the jam sets when tested.
- Remove the scum.
- Pot and seal while still hot.
Makes around 8 lbs (3.6 kgs) of jam.
General Information on Jam Making
How to Make Jam, Jellies & Marmalade
These articles cover the basic methods and rules for making jams, jellies and marmalades. Once you have mastered these, it is far easier to adapt and alter recipes for your own tastes.
The first people to record some of their methods were the Romans...
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Jam and Preserve Making Equipment
All the equipment you need to easily make your own jams, chutneys and preserves. Say goodbye to mass-produced supermarket jams and preserves and start producing your own unique accompaniments to meals using your own produce.
Could you please include when the suggar has to be added/ It seems sense to do so after the simmering, but just to be sure?
Adding the sugar is explained in the general method for jam making linked to above.
Apologies. I’ve amended the recipe.
Could you please tell me how you check for pectin as per above receipe? I have made jams, jellies etc but did not know there was a way of checking for pectin during the process.
Look at the link under the recipe – Making Jam and Jelly at Home – Method. It tells you how to test for pectin.
can I mix elderflowers with my gooseberry jam and when?
I have just made gooseberry jam for the first time, and panic!!!!!!!!!! I thought it was far to runny to set, but by magic, it did pefectly.
So don’t panic, believe.
It is gorgeous by the way, as have all the jams I have made from your recipes.
hi val david is about to make the rhubarb and ginger chutney again, he didn’t simmer it for long enough and the chutney was a little runny(didn’t stop me from eating it)and our friends enjoyed the taste as well, he will also be making the gooseberry jam. brilliant site brilliant recipes regards geoff
Testing for pectin – a bit scientific and the thought is revolting but it’s fascinating and works!
Once the prepared fruit has simmered but before sugar is added, put a teaspoon of fruit in a glass. allow to cool. add three teaspoons of methylated spirit ( I did warn you!). After a minute or two the mixture will have clotted into a jelly. If the clot is single, largish and fairly firm, the pectin content is high, If small, soft and numerous, or if mixture hasn’t formed any lumps at all, additional pectin will be needed.
Hi, tried making this jam but it turned out pink – is this normal?
Yep! Gooseberry jam tends to go pinkish in cooking. If you want a green coloured jam, choose a green variety that retains its colour when cooking and make sure the fruit is slightly under-ripe. It’ll still taste wonderful though!
Does anyone know why it turns a pinkish-red? just out of interest. Cheers.
If gooseberry Jam has not set, what can you do about it?
The most common reasons for jam not setting are it not having been heated to the setting point properly or lack of pectin. You can try tipping it back into the pan and re-boil for a minute, stirring continually to prevent it sticking and then re-test. If this doesn’t work, add some pectin (although gooseberries should have had enough). Commercial pectin, either bottled or pwoder, is the easiest for this. If you do this, do remember to wash and re-sterilise the jars before re-potting.
this is the most A_M-A-ZING website! I am right into starting out a great garden, planting fruit trees, all with a view in mind of providing quality, cheaper food for my family! and to stumble on a site like this… as I say AMAZING!. Thanks so much for the hours of work, and effort. thanks from NEW ZEALAND! 🙂
Do I need to use Preservative sugar or is Granulated Ok?
Ordinary granulated sugar is fine.
This is the best web page for recipes I have found. The gooseberry jam recipe was very easy to follow and it was my first attempt at making jam ever. When the jam was poured in to the jars I thought it looked a bit runny but it has set perfectly and tastes great. Im looking forward to trying damson jam next. Thankyou for these fantastic recipies!
I have ripe red gooseberies in my garden is the recipe the same for these?
Yes but you should be able to get away with less sugar.
We made some gooseberry and kiwi jam the other day. Initial tasting ,when it was cool enough was rather nice. Looking forward to a proper tasting!
I made Gooseberry and red currant the other day, it was lovely. Fabulous colour as well.
@julie brown: Hi Julie. Yes, you can add elder flowers. Tie up a few elderflower heads in a muslin square and simmer with the gooseberries. Remove before adding the sugar. (I found this recipe last year on ‘A Little Slice of Life’. I understand that elderflowers can be frozen to be used at a later date, which I have done this year. The elderflowers appeared a little earlier this season and I had to freeze them so that I could make gooseberry and elderflower jam, which I am going to make tomorrow morning. I made it last year and it proved to be very popular! Hope this helps.
I have loads of slightly overripe gooseberrys can I still use them for jam?
I made Goosebarry jelly this year (by squeezing the juice through cheesecloth) but I think I may have boiled it too much because it set way too well, and is so thick it’s un-usable. I added an equal amount of sugar and boiled about 15 – 20 minutes. If I’m able to get it out of the jar, how do I fix it? Is it possible to add water to it and reboil?
thanks Val you are a life saver as never had so many gooseberries as we have this year