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.
Jill says
Hi this is a lovely recipe and set of comments. But did you know that the unripe mulberries are the natural cleaner of mulberry stains? Crushing unripe mulberries on your fingers completely removes the stains! Enjoying our huge crop at the moment, along with the regent and satin bower birds, channel billed cuckoos, wallabies, possums, bandicoots, koels (when they arrive), figbirds, orioles, and every other species that love mulberries!
Claire says
Oh wow Jill I never knew that. Thanks for sharing!
Heather Sherar says
We used vinyl gloves to pick and stem the fruit - no stained fingers! Also nail clippers are an easy way to remove the stems
Claire says
Great tip thanks for sharing!
Ronald Hart says
I grow a draw mulberry tree. It only grows a few metres and is easy to prune and keep head height to pick berries. I fertilise with a fruit tree fertilizer and get loads of berries every August/September. Will try this recipe this season.
Ronald Hart says
I meant a dwarf mulberry tree, sorry.
Claire says
I hope you enjoy it Ronald!
Beth Beveridge says
I was born 1946 lived with my grand parents for first 7 years. Grandma had lots fruit trees and chooks etc. The mulberry tree I thought was hers was the neighbours, so big it grew over our fence. We moved when I was 7 and dad took a slip and planted at our new home. Those days long gone - I have just picked a huge bowl from trees my neighbour planted outside their back fence on council green. (With their permission) Saving them from the birds and bats. Will try your recipe. Thanks.
Beth
Claire says
Beth what a wonderful memory! I hope you like the jam.
Linda Whitman says
I'm going to try this recipe. This is my first time trying to make jam . I have 2 mulberry trees in my yard. I just moved here 2 years ago. The problem I'm having collecting the berries is I spread a king size sheet over my driveway and I wasn't getting many. climbed up in the tree to shake them down. I looked down and my dog was eating them as fast as I could shake them down . lol So now he has to stay in the house while I'm berry picking.
Claire says
Haha that's one clever dog!
Shawnee DH says
Hi! My family bought a home that came with a mature mulberry tree. Lucky! I've been harvesting them like crazy this last week, and am looking forward to our first taste of yummy homemade jam.
But, I'm still new to canning, and have only ever done tomatoes and sauce so far. Forgive the newbie question, but don't I have to water bath them to seal the jars? Is it really just put the hot jam in, screw it shut and tip them upside down for them to seal themselves?
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Claire says
That's all I do yep! I am very jealous of your mature tree! I have one that is 18 months old now and have only had a few berries.
Carlos says
Hello Claire, Thanks for the awesome recipe! Just curious as to how long exactly do they keep in a cool dark place? This is my first time ever canning something and don't want to mess anything up.
Claire says
No problem Carlos! I have kept them up to a year but apparently as long as they're sealed well they will keep up to 2 years.
Michelle says
Very tasty but very runny.
Claire says
Glad you enjoyed it Michelle! It might have needed a little more cooking if it was too runny.
Martha Leighton says
I think I'm defiantly going to try this I did have a mulberry tree in my back yard when I was younger and now in my side yard where I'm living now it stains the sidewalk next to it lol.
Claire says
You'll have to save all the berries before they stain!
Tracy says
Hi Claire, well our tree didn't even fruit or when it did over the past year was very minimal to not at all. We picked another two large bowls maybe almost equally to two 4litre icecrem containers full and maybe one more. So we have made two lits of jam now and a family member suggest a mulbery tart. We have given some if the jam we made to family and the first big jar if jam is almost empty. Lol I think with the tree and fruiting maybe try a good fertilizer and watering as we have had some good lots of rain before fruiting so not sure if that's our answer this year. And we have horses so the fertilizer side is a plenty, though I think it could have more to do with the chickens who free range around the tree.lol But honestly I am not to sure what else has made the difference this year. It has been the first time the tree has ever fruited like that since we have been here, so 3.5 years. This year was the first year it has produced fruit like this. Oh the jam was scrumptious, a real treat. So blessed to have this amazing recipe to add to my book. Thank you
Claire says
Thanks Tracy! Yes watering it more would definitely help. I must set a reminder. I have fertilised it and come to think about it it was doing much better when we had chooks. Must give it another feed!
Tracy says
Well the adventer as two Adults today, my partner and I raided our mulberry tree. And again we managed to collect a large slald /mixing bowl full of mulberries. Before they all got eaten we are trying your jam recipe. On the stove now. Can't wait to taste the delicious jam once ready. And yes we have the ever purple hands (and mouths of the ones that didn't make it to the kitchen lol) gosh it certainly brings back great childhood memories. Though I only can get in trouble by myself for being all purple now but the reward in the end will be well worth any giggles over the next few days if mulberry stains. (Should be another large bowl full ready in 3-4 days. (Actually my partner said he hasn't seen soooo many mulberries on one tree. Which is amazing considering the past three years we had almost none. Thanks for sharing your recipe and to everyone for their wonderful stories.
Claire says
Oh wow Tracy I wish our tree would produce like that! It's only a year old but not looking great this year. Any tips? That's sort of gives me hope if you've had years with hardly any. I hope you liked the jam.
yvonne says
Hi im 64 years old have always made jams relishes pickles but have only found my 1st mulberry tree amazing flavour and benefits...off to make mulberry jam
Claire says
Enjoy yvonne!
Lynne says
I have 2 mulberry trees, both loaded at present. We have been picking them for a couple of weeks now. Our 3 Grandchildren have all been raised with mulberries and mulberry jam. They love climbing the trees to get to the fattest, juiciest ones at the top and who cares about the stains. They wash f sooner or later.. We are planning on moving soon, and I will be taking a couple of cuttings with me. Love the jam recipe, this weekend will be jam making.
Claire says
Oh how wonderful Lynne! We have a tiny tree in the backyard and have only had about 15 fruit so far this year but my son just loves them. I haven't gotten one myself! I can't wait until we get a decent crop in a few years.
Gwen Evans says
To remove stains just pick some green mulberries and wash with them. Rinse off. It removes stains from hands etc.
Claire says
Thanks for the tip Gwen!
Carole Baker says
It is a tradition in my family to plant a mulberry tree when a child is born. By the time they can pick the fruit, the tree will be bearing beautifully. If you trim the tree after the spring crop, you can get a second crop in autumn, if you feed the tree well.
Claire says
What a lovely tradition Carole! I didn't know you could get a second crop either. I will make sure I prune it.
Susan le Grange says
I use gloves to pick mulberries so my hands dont get staind, but I would like a few recipes so I can choose which one to make because I live in SA.
April says
A great recipe! I have mulberry stained hands as I type.....an early crop for me this year. Heaps picked and more to be picked. Might have to do a couple of batches....thanks for posting
Claire says
That is early April. Mine are all still green and I'm just hoping like crazy I get some before the birds do. You're welcome!
Debra Strath says
Hi not sure if you will get this I live in Hervey Bay Queensland, i have a mulberry tree that had been badly neglected I cut it right back and l mean cut, last year it didn't bare much fruit so trimmed and feed it and today l picked 10kilo off fruit and that's just the start, it is laden, but l noticed the birds were eating them so l got some old DVDs and put them on string so they move in the breeze, problem solved. l cut it back so l can just stand on the ground and pick them without using a ladder awesome. sooo now I'm about to make jam, thanks for the recipe.
Cheers Debra
Claire says
You're very welcome Debra. I think after this year's crop I will need to cut my tree back. There isn't much fruit and the poor tree is quite small but I'm sure it will get there. I hope you enjoyed the jam.
sarah says
Looks like such an easy recipe! We have hundreds of mulberries on our tree almost ready to pick! My kids will be so excited for some yummy home made jam too! Thanks for the recipe
Claire says
You're welcome Sarah. I hope mine is the same. It just just a few little green berries at the moment. I'm hoping the birds don't get them before we can.