This Saskatoon Berry Jam doesn't require pectin and is ready in under 30 minutes. Also known as Serviceberry Jam, it's sweet and tart, with almond undertones. It makes a great spread for Pfannkuchen (German Pancakes) or buttered toast.
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One of the first years we were in Montana we had a bumper crop of Saskatoon berries. It was then that I created this Saskatoon berry jam recipe. Since then, the berries have been dismal due to a lack of rain or other unfavorable weather conditions.
This year, however, our trees are loaded with Saskatoon serviceberries and I'm so excited to be making this jam again. I'm also looking forward to trying other recipes including Saskatoon berry wine (currently fermenting) and saskatoon jelly!
If you are not familiar with Saskatoon berries, you should know that they are loaded with tiny seeds. This means the jam will have a texture similar to raspberry jam. If you like a smoother seedless texture, you may prefer to make Saskatoon jelly instead.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These berries have many health benefits and are loaded with nutrition.
- This recipe can be made with fresh or frozen berries.
- Saskatoon serviceberry jam is really easy to make and doesn't require pectin.
- This jam makes a unique gift for family and friends.
- When canned, this jam is good for a year or longer!
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Berries: You'll need 6 cups of Saskatoon berries to make five 8-ounce jars
- Sugar: Granulated sugar
- Lemon: 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract is optional but recommended
- Optional: Cinnamon or cardamom would be great additions
🔪 Helpful Tools
🫐 How To Make Saskatoon Berry Jam
Step 1: Clean Saskatoon berries by washing them under running water in a strainer. Remove any dried berries, stems, leaves, debris, and pests.
Step 2: Add berries to a medium-sized pot and sprinkle with sugar. Add water and bring to a simmer, while crushing the berries with a masher.
Step 3: When the sugar is completely dissolved, add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened.
Pro Tip: To test if the jam is thick enough, place a few tablespoons of jam on a small saucer and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This will tell you if it's jelled, or if it needs to cook a little longer.
Step 4: Ladle thickened jam into sterilized jam jars, leaving ¼" headspace. Wipe the rim with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
Step 5: Add lids and collars to the hot water for a minute or two, then add lids to filled jars and hand-tighten the collars. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Saskatoon berries taste like mild blueberries and can be described as nutty, with slight almond undertones that intensify when cooked. The berries are slightly tart when they're not fully ripe, but get sweeter as they ripen.
Saskatoon berries can be eaten raw and make a great trail snack. They can also be cooked to make jam, jelly, pies, muffins, and other baked goods. They can even be used to make Saskatoon wine!
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- When serviceberries are in season, freeze them in ziplock bags to enjoy throughout the year.
- Saskatoon berries are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants and can be added to shakes and smoothies.
- If your berries are nice and big but still not ripe, you can let them ripen on the counter. This is especially helpful when you're worried about birds, bears, deer, and other wildlife eating them before you do.
- This recipe can be scaled up or down based on how much berries you have.
Are you interested in learning more about unique berry types? If so, you'll want to check out this Exotic Fruits and Uncommon Berry Types post!
🍎 Related Recipes
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Clean Saskatoon berries by washing them under running water in a strainer. Remove any dried berries, stems, leaves, debris, and pests.
- Add berries to a medium-sized pot and sprinkle with sugar. Add water and bring to a simmer, while crushing the berries with a masher.
- When the sugar is completely dissolved, add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened.
- Ladle thickened jam into sterilized jam jars, leaving ¼" headspace. Wipe the rim with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
- Add lids and collars to the hot water for a minute or two, then add lids to filled jars and hand tighten the collars. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Notes
- To test if the jam is thick enough, place a few tablespoons of jam on a small saucer and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This will tell you if it's jelled, or if it needs to cook a little longer.
- When serviceberries are in season, freeze them in ziplock bags to enjoy throughout the year.
- Saskatoon berries are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants and can be added to shakes and smoothies.
- If your berries are nice and big but still not ripe, you can let them ripen on the counter. This is especially helpful when you're worried about birds, bears, deer, and other wildlife eating them before you do.
- This recipe can be scaled up or down based on how many berries you have.
Ann M says
Virginia has an abundance of Serviceberries this year, so I decided to try making jam. I made a small batch (1/6 of this recipe, which was tricky to calculate) and it tasted great! I like this simple recipe and would recommend it for beginners. Thanks for encouraging me to give it a try!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Ann, thanks for reporting back and glad to help. I'm glad it was a success!
Vickie says
Can I make jelly from June berries?
Hilda Sterner says
I haven't made it before but it should be very easy to do!
Lori Ross says
Made this tonight....recipe was easy to follow and turned out as expected! Can't wait to enjoy it on some sourdough toast in the morning:)
Hilda Sterner says
Hey Lori! Awesome! I'm glad it worked for you. Now you can add some to the huckleberry jam and you'll never have problems with it jelling again!