Mulberry jam
Mulberry jam made at the peak of mulberry season is just so good. I love the colour, the stained hands included, and the rich berry flavour. I do not like picking stalks off mulberries however, and it has always held me back from making yearly batches of jam. Which seems a shame, given I normally quite enjoy such slow processes, and mulberries are a small but reliable crop in the subtropics. It is also the end of the lemon season for me, a critical ingredient in this jam. So it all seems like it is meant to be… Luckily, what I do like, is problem solving such dilemmas. It is important to me that I can preserve my harvest, even when time poor. So here is a quick 5 minute method to process your mulberries to remove stalks, no stained hands required, if that is important to you.
The jam is well textured, and has a tartness thanks to the lemon that offsets the sugar - both sugar and lemon required here for a good set.
Mulberry jam
Makes 10 x 250g jars
Ingredients
2.2 kg mulberries, rinsed
2kg white sugar
350mL fresh lemon juice
Directions
Prepare your jars.
Using the widest disc on a mouli, process all mulberries into a wide based preserving pan. This will crush the mulberries whilst removing stalks and some seeds. You should be left with 2kg of crushed mulberries.
Add the sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved.
Bring to a boil and then add the lemon juice.
Boil until setting point is reached - this is the skill of jam making. Timing depends on several factors including the amount of liquid, sugar and pectin (provided here by the lemon juice), as well as the size of your pan. Be patient, but watchful. Stir on occasion to stop the jam from burning on the bottom of the pan. I have small plates waiting in the freezer that I drop a teaspoon of jam onto when I think I am close. Turn off the heat if unsure so you don’t over set!
Jar the hot jam into hot sterilised jars and seal.
Ration until the next mulberry season is upon you.
*Spiced mulberry jam is a delicious option if you feel like something different. I can highly recommend clove and cinnamon here - if using whole spice, count the cloves and make sure you remove them and the cinnamon sticks before bottling (a bit of a process), or add them at the end if using ground spice. Be cautious - a little goes a long way.