If you’re looking for an easy and delicious mulberry jam recipe then look no further than this simple recipe.
It’s the perfect way to use those homegrown mulberries.
Why I love this
- Simple - this recipe is so incredibly simple to make.
- Inexpensive - mulberries often grow wild so if you can find a tree somewhere, all you need to buy is the sugar.
- Delicious - this recipe really is super tasty.
I used this recipe today and made a batch of jam with the berries off my much loved Mulberry Tree. Up until this point I was a jam novice, but your recipe was spot on and my 8 year old son declared that this jam is the best thing he has ever tasted!! I can't wait to try your recipe for Chilli Jam next.
- Cathy
Thank you for sharing!!
When I was growing up we had a giant beautiful mulberry tree in our driveway.
My sister used to eat them by the bowlful and I can still remember her purple-stained hands (see a tip for getting the stains out at the bottom of this post).
When I spotted a bunch of trees growing in a park I was keen to get creating & mulberry jam was born.
Jump to:
Ingredients for mulberry jam
To make this delicious jam, you will need:
- Mulberries - Fresh-picked, firm & ripe. This recipe is for black mulberries and hasn't been tried with white mulberries.
- Sugar - plain sugar, caster sugar or raw sugar will work. Alternative, less-processed sugar like rapadura will also work but it will alter the flavour slightly and the colour won't be as bright.
- Lemon juice - preferably freshly squeezed not from a bottle. We like to save the lemon zest in the freezer for baking.
How to make mulberry jam
- Step 1: Combine all spices into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with mixture
- Step 2: Form into ball shape with your hands
- Step 3: Press into patties
- Step 4: Cook in oven for x minutes at 400 degrees
- Step 5: Remove and add to serving plate
- Step 6: Assemble and serve!
Instructions
Step 1 - Ditch the stems
Make sure you’ve gotten rid of all the stems from the berries then pop them all in a big saucepan or large pot.
How do you remove stems from mulberries?
Here’s a tip – you can use nail clippers to trim off the stems quickly and easily (I included how in the video).
Step 2 - Heat & Squish
Heat the berries over a medium heat and squish them gently to release the juice.
It’s amazing how much liquid comes out of these babies.
Once they’re all smooshed up (yes that’s the technical term), bring the pot to a gentle rolling boil.
Step 3 - Sugar & lemon juice
Combine mulberries with the sugar and lemon juice to the pot.
Keep stirring the mixture until the sugar has dissolved then bring it to a boil again.
If you’re short on time, you can skip step 2 & start with this step.
Step 4 - Bottle the jam
The jam is quite runny at this stage, more like a sauce. It’s meant to be like that.
If you want it to be a bit thicker, reduce the pot to a simmer and leave it to thicken up a bit.
Otherwise, divide it between your jars (make sure it’s still hot),
Step 5 - Lid & flip
Put the lid on then tip the jars upside down to cool.
It's best to use a jar lifter for this and to hold the jar to screw the lid on so you don't burn your hands.
This will make sure they are air-tight and can be kept unrefrigerated until opened for up to a year.
Serving suggestions
Really the possibilities are endless but some of our favourites are:
- Toast bread
- Traditional pumpkin scones
- Lemonade scones
- Jam drops
- Homemade bread
- Use it to top ice cream
How to sterilise jars for jam making
I sterilise my jars in a pot of boiling water then dry them out in the oven.
Make sure they are all covered with water then bring the pot to the boil for 5 minutes.
Use jam tongs to transfer the jars, upright, to an oven tray and bake at 100C fan-forced for about 20 minutes or until they are completely dry.
Make sure the jam is really hot when you pour it into the jars.
As an extra precaution, I rub the rim of the jars & inside of the lids with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
Use a stainless steel funnel for the hot jam.
I also like to rub a piece of lemon around the rim of the jar and inside of the lid.
The acidity will help sterilise the jar. You could also use a little bit of apple cider vinegar on a piece of kitchen towel/paper towel.
NOTE: If you’re using recycled jars, I have a little tutorial for quickly and easily removing the labels from glass jars without ruining your fingernails (you’ll also get a bonus tutorial for making pretty labels in less than 5 minutes without having to buy anything).
Other mulberry uses
DEHYDRATE THEM – lay your washed and dried mulberries on the trays of a dehydrator and leave until well dried.
NATURAL FOOD DYE – boil ½ a cup of mulberries in ½ a cup of water and then strain it to make your own natural food colouring. I like to use dye like this in homemade playdough.
Other recipes with mulberries
- Use the jam to make jam drops
- This mulberry pie recipe looks delicious
- Mulberry crumble bars
FAQs
I read a great tip for getting the mulberry stains off your hands. When you’re picking the mulberries, grab a few unripe fruit and rub them on your mulberry-stained fingers. The stains should come right off.
No you absolutely don't need fruit pectin or liquid pectin to make mulberry jam.
You can definitely make this recipe in the Thermomix.
Where it says to bring to the boil, you will bring it up to 100C.
To simmer, lower the temperature to 70C.
Mulberries are high in many vitamins and minerals.
Here’s where the most goodness lies according to Healthline:
Vitamin C. We all know vitamin C is important for our immune system and it’s also valuable for healthy skin. I like to use wholefood sources of vitamin C as opposed to synthetic. Here’s why.
Iron. This is one I often struggle with but it plays a pretty vital role in our bodies transporting oxygen around the body in our blood.
Vitamin K1. This one is important for blood clotting (so we don’t bleed out cutting ourself doing dinner prep) and for healthy bones.
Vitamin E. This vitamin is a source of antioxidants which helps keep our cells healthy.
They’re also a powerhouse of antioxidants.
In flavour I’d say they’re between a blackberry and a blueberry with the staining power of 100 raspberries in one little fruit.
They’re also quite a nutritional powerhouse.
I recommend filling a sink with water, adding a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and soaking them for about 15 minutes (swish it around a few times with your hands).
Then scoop all the berries into a sieve and give them a good rinse before you use them.
If you’re not going to use them right away, lay them out flat on a tea towel and let them dry completely then store in the fridge in a tea towel lined bowl or container.
They’re not readily available in shops but often grow wild in parks.
If locals do have trees, they’ll likely have an abundance of fruit.
Ask around on local Facebook groups if you don’t know where to find any mulberry trees to pick from.
Make sure you give them a good wash first though.
There are a few things you will need to make jam. Glass jars - you can use recycled jars but it's best to buy new lids if you want to store the jam rather and consume short term. Here's how to sterilize glass jars (without an oven).
Jar lifter - they're basically tongs with rubber coating so you don't burn your fingers. These are optional but make it so much easier.
What about you? Did you have any fruit trees near by when you were growing up?
NOTE: mulberries stain big time so wear old clothes and an apron just in case.
Recipe
Mulberry jam
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh-picked firm, ripe mulberries
- 500 g sugar
- juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Pull all the stems of the fruits and put them into a large saucepan.
- Heat it over medium heat and crush the berries to squish out the juice.
- Bring it to a boil then add the sugar and lemon juice.
- Reduce the heat and stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring it back up to the boil for a few minutes and then bottle and seal the jam.
- Store it in a cool, dark place and it should keep up to 2 years.
Notes
-
- Glass jars - you can use recycled jars but it's best to buy new lids if you want to store the jam rather and consume short term. Here's how to sterilize glass jars (without an oven).
-
- Jar lifter - they're basically tongs with rubber coating so you don't burn your fingers. Optional.
Then scoop all the berries into a sieve and give them a good rinse before you use them.
If you’re not going to use them right away, lay them out flat on a tea towel and let them dry completely then store in the fridge in a tea towel lined bowl or container.
Edwin Constantino says
Nice and Simple recipe...I just picked more or less 2 kilos of fruits, and will try this recipe...THANKS
Claire says
How exciting Edwin. Enjoy! I was just given my first mulberry tree so I am very excited to make a batch from my own fruit soon.
Helena says
Use the unripened berries to remove the actual berry stains. Just squish between fingers or rub on clothing, feet, etc. then normal wash.
Claire says
That's a brilliant tip Helena thank you!
Jenny says
We have a mulberry tree, they grow so easily from cuttings, I'm picking mulberries everyday at the moment and going to try your jam!
Claire says
I'm trying to convince my husband to get one Jenny!
Anne says
Yesterday we joined a load of people in Penrith at Nepean River who were picking mulberries and I'm making this jam as I type - looks delicious. The mulberries trees are popular at ths time if year nd everyone is picking and chatting bout what they will make - my 65 year old dad ended up climbing one and passing the fruit to my two year old who was delighted to get stained fingers !
Claire says
Mulberries create such happy memories for people don't they? I wish I had a tree nearby!
Anton says
I think many councils think fruit trees are high maintenance, but in fact there are many that are not at all high maintenance. The mulberry for one, birds people everything eats the fruit before it falls and it can make a lovely tree for public spaces, nice and shady in summer nice and architectural in the winter. You will have to campaign. I don't live in Australia but my mum just moved there, she already planted a walnut tree, plum tree and a mulberry though at 83 she might not get to see too many fruit. Anyway it's nice she thinks of the future and for others who will get the fruit and nuts, those parrots certainly will thats for sure (:
Claire says
Aww that's so lovely! I think I do need to get campaigning. It would be such a lovely addition to neighbourhoods.
Anton says
Oh oh oh Mulberry jam is possibly the most delicious jam in the entire world, thanks for the lovely memories. My mum used to make a delectable moist chocolate cake with mulberry jam in the middle, those flavours choco and mulberry are made in heaven like chocolate and apricot jam or orange.
A few weeks ago I was besides myself with happiness as I found a jar of mulberry jam all for myself for sale in some far flung part of Northern Thailand. What is also interesting is they have quite a few varieties of mulberry growing there, some with fruit as long and thick as your middle finger black and sweet sweet sweet. Another type and there were many was ruby red, short fruit but double, and also a very nice flavour.
They even grow well on Tasmania where my Mum lives. We ate some off a tree on a farm that sold cherries. They were very tasty.
Funnily enough the actual jam is impossible to find in most shops across the world. Strange as the trees are very good bearers mostly.
Claire says
I never knew there were different types of mulberries. They sound wonderful! I think every street should have a shared mulberry tree!
Anton says
Thats very sociable of you. Its a nice idea. They use orange trees as street trees in Morocco, mulberries as shade trees in public areas in Pakistan, in the case of the mulberries the fruit doesnt get a chance to make a mess as its eaten, people idly chat in the welcome shade while plucking the fruit.
Claire says
See why do they not use fruit trees on public land in Australia? It's such a great idea!
Jess says
Awesome recipe! I love mulberries, they are soo good.
I recently learnt how to grow mulberries so I am going to try this recipe when my mulberries are ripe.
Thanks for sharing :)
Jess
David says
I made a recipe very similar to this (slightly less sugar) however it didn't fully set and is quite loose. How long will it take to firm up? Can I add pectin to the jam now if i bring it back to a boil/warmed up?
Claire says
This recipe is quite a loose jam David. I'm not too sure about using pectin sorry!
Maizie Barker-Welch says
I live in Barbados where it is always summer, but I have two mulberry trees. They bear fairly well but not like those Isaw in other countries. However I own a book called "The Berry Book" which contains the history of all th e know types of berries in the world, with a few recipes followin each history. I tried the recipe "Rummy Mulberries". It was delicious though I had to wait three months for it ro be ready. You dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in potent rum. Wash the jars and cover the mulberries with the rum-sugar solution. Tightly seal and store in a dark closet for three month. good served over ice cream, but I must confess that . It was superdelicious!!!in my wine glass!
Claire says
Maizie that sounds absolutely delicious! I assume it would work with other berries too? Yum! How wonderful it must be to live somewhere where it's summer all year round.
Jess says
Nice recipe. I was just reading about how to grow mulberries so it was very timely.
Thanks for sharing.
Jess
Claire says
It was indeed! Glad you like it Jess!
The Hunter Gatherers says
Thanx for the recipe, I've just made it (3.5 jars) and couldn't stop tasting it, yummy!
I've been eating mulberries for breakfast everyday with yogurt also perfect with ice cream.
We pick our mulberries from the park just around the corner. Councils really should plant more fruit trees in public spaces. I love the idea of free food availble in a communal enviroment.
Claire says
What a wonderful idea! It seems mulberry trees pretty much look after themselves so they'd be a great way to start. Glad you like the recipe!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I really like liquidy or saucy jams. The really firm ones with lots of pectin don't do much for me. This one would in all of its dark beauty! :D
Claire says
Good point they're hard to spread too aren't they?!
KrisJ says
So many memories...there was a massive mulberry tree in the paddock adjoining my parent's home. I would climb it's branches to gather the fattest berries to make a mulberry self saucing pudding I learnt in home economics at school I would have severely purple stained feet and fingers which never bothered me.( At 12 this was an adventure) Mum was always horrified and made me scrub the offended areas with soap for the longest time.
I also recall another time later when I had been suffering from glandular fever. I was awakened from my stupor by the cries of two friends from school who had the good intentions of visiting me but were distracted by said mulberry tree. They could go no further than the back stairs as they were covered mulberry wash from face to toe. (I wish I had taken a photo as they could never recall the experience - you see they had decided to smoke some weed and so the mulberries were far too irresistible to avoid - I think they managed to harvest most of the fruit that year all in one afternoon!!!) I have kept this cherished memory as both guys were so funny and 'off their face' - totally oblivious of their shabby physical appearance and trying to incoherently express their concern for my health... So totally wonderful I thought.!!
Claire says
Haha those are some pretty entertaining mulberry stories Kris! I remember mum used to put my sister in old clothes to eat them!
Kirsty says
My grandparents had mulberry trees and our fridge was always full of mulberry jam. I used to love it but surprisingly, not many of my friends have tried it. Such a shame my Oma sold the house, along with the free supply of mulberries!
Claire says
You don't really see them around much do you? I'm going to have to hunt down some trees!
Hotly Spiced says
I think every Aussie kid has worn that mulberry stain. What a great looking jam. The colour is gorgeous. I didn't know mulberries had so many health benefits. Didn't we all grow up with either an over-hanging mulberry tree or one at a BFF's house xx
Claire says
I didn't either Charlie but it turns out they're as good as other berries and a lot cheaper too! You'll have to pick some when you get the leaves for your silk worms x
Susan le Grange says
Good Day
Yes that is so true. I live in Nelspruit Mpumalange South Africa and it is mulberry time I just love them I am going to make jam now and I am going to use this resapy. I can't wait to start .
Claire says
Enjoy!