Learn how to make this exquisitely delicious huckleberry jam recipe from your freshly picked wild huckleberries!
It’s huckleberry season. And that means fresh huckleberry jam!
We enjoyed red huckleberries a few weeks ago and now the black huckleberries are ripening. Huckleberries are found in the wild throughout North America. Europe has very similar berries that go by a variety of names such as bilberries, whortleberries, wimberries and fraughans. They all share a lot in common with the blueberry and have a similar taste but slightly more tart and sometimes with larger seeds.
Huckleberries are terrific in drinks, jams, candies, pies, muffins, pancakes, teas, syrups and more.
Today we’re making huckleberry jam!
Picking huckleberries is pretty tedious work and it takes a while to gather a good amount because they’re so small. Fortunately for huckleberry jam you don’t need a lot of them if you’re just making a small batch. This recipe calls for just a cup of them but if you have some extra pairs of hands to help you pick, feel free to double or triple the recipe!
However many you choose to pick, once you’ve tasted this jam I’m sure you’ll agree that your berry-picking efforts paid off!
Let’s get started!
Place the washed and rinsed huckleberries in a pot with an equal amount of sugar (1 cup per 1 cup of berries). Add a little water (approx 2 tablespoons per cup of huckleberries). Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the berries are softened.
Mash the berries.
At this point you can go two different routes for thickening the jam: Use pectin or slow simmer the jam after adding about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice per cup of huckleberries.
For the pectin route: Stir about 2 teaspoons of powdered pectin into the boiling jam and boil for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool until set.
For the non-pectin route: Stir in about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice for every cup of huckleberries and simmer the jam over low heat for about an hour or until an instant read thermometer shows 220 degrees F. For canning follow the same instructions as with the pectin route.
Note: If you’re making jam with less than 2 cups of huckleberries, I find it’s usually best to go the pectin route to thicken it because smaller quantities are more susceptible to burning.
How to Can Huckleberry Jam
If you’d like to can this for long-term storage make sure the jars are sterilized and the lids are washed, screw on the rims, ladle the hot jam into the hot jars and process them in a water bath for 5 minutes then carefully remove and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours before removing the rings and storing.
Enjoy!
Be sure to also try our fabulous homemade:
- Black Currant Jam
- Blackberry Jam
- Plum Jam
- Plum Butter
- Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- Blueberry Lemon Apricot Jam
- Peach Bacon Jam
- Lemon Lime Marmalade
Wild Huckleberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild huckleberries, stems removed, washed and drained
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons Fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon classic powdered pectin (if using, see instructions)
Instructions
- Place the washed and rinsed huckleberries in a pot with the sugar and about 2 tablespoons of water. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the berries are softened. Mash the berries.
- At this point you can go two different routes for thickening the jam: Use pectin or slow simmer the jam after adding about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice per cup of huckleberries.For the pectin route: Stir about 2 teaspoons of powdered pectin into the boiling jam and boil for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool until set. For the non-pectin route: Stir in about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice for every cup of huckleberries and simmer the jam over low heat for about an hour or until an instant read thermometer shows 220 degrees F. For canning follow the same instructions as with the pectin route.Makes a little over a cup.
- Canning: If you'd like to can this for long-term storage make sure the jars are sterilized and the lids are washed, screw on the rims, ladle the hot jam into the hot jars and process them in a water bath for 5 minutes then carefully remove and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours before removing the rings and storing.
Amberlee says
I think this is a great recipe for a sauce but needed way more pectin to set up properly as well as more lemon to taste and i also added more huckleberries as well. I initially tried the recipe as stated and ended up with a thin jelly that needed more flavor. I ended up with approx 1.25 cups berries to 1 cups sugar and added 1 tbsp lemon with 7 tps pectin and then checked with the cold plate method. I also doubled this and it worked perfectly. I’ll let you know how they set when cooled!
Nek says
If you are making more than one cup, do you increase the amount of pectin or do you still use 2 tsps? For example if I’m making 4 cups, how much pectin am I supposed to use? Thanks a lot
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Nek, yes you increase it – if you’re doubling the recipe then double double the pectin.
rick says
I have no experience with this and messed it up (never set up). im confused on your recipe……you say bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. So, when I add the pectin, do I turn the heat back up and boil again before adding the pectin? Also confused on the lemon juice. Your recipe says 2 teaspoons of lemon juice but nothing about when to add it (the narrative does mention 1 teaspoon for the non pectin route)? Sorry…..I’m confused and don’t want to waste more precious berries. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Rick, sorry for the confusion. The lemon juice is to be used if you’re not using pectin. Since you are using pectin at this point you can put your jam back in the pot and bring it back to a boil. Then stir in the pectin and let it boil for another minute or two then turn off the heat. If you’re going to can the jam ladle it into the sterilized jars while it’s still hot and proceed to water bath can it.
Teri says
If you have multiple cups of huckleberries, do you add more water in the cooking process? Example: 3 cups of huckleberries 6 tablespoons of water or only 2 T water?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Teri, you don’t necessarily have to triple the water amount but I would add a bit more, yes. For 3 cups I’d probably add 4 tablespoons of water.
Anonymous says
Thanks Kimberly! That’s exactly what I did and it turned out perfect!
Drew says
This looks nice. Just a note- the picture you posted with the recipe is of Serviceberries, not huckleberries:)
Sita Loveridge says
I see recipies with corn starch to thicken them, do you know if you can, can corn starch thickened Huckleberry Jam?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sita, I’ve never tried canning jam that’s thickened with cornstarch and I’ve read conflicting info about it so I’m afraid I’m not sure if/how it will impact the canning process.
Jacquelyn Smith says
I have never canned before; what do you mean by screw on the rims and remove the rings afterwards? I use canning jars to make moonshine mixes but I don’t understand this language lol
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jacquelyn, sorry for the confusion. Once you place the canning lids on you then screw on the rings to hold the lid in place. Once the jars have sat for 24 hours and are properly sealed you can remove those rings (the lids will stay securely in place at that point). Removing the rings enables you to clean behind them where some of the jam may have gotten trapped to prevent mold.
Amber Kelly says
Can you tell me what size jars are best for this recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Amber, this makes a little over a cup of jam so that’s a 1/2 pint jar plus a little extra.
Kayla R says
Mine turned out grainy. Any suggestions? Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kayla, huckleberries have tiny seeds and there’s no way to remove them unless you use something like a food mill or scrape the cooked berries through a fine mesh sieve.
Lorrie says
I can’t wait to try this. We picked over 20 lbs last weekend.
Richard Torres says
I will be trying this recipe. I live where Huckleberries are plentiful this year. My wife and I have picked 11 lbs. Making jam and a couple of pies.Yummy