Mulberry Jam Recipe | No Pectin

Mulberry season is fleeting, but you can continue enjoying the wonderful flavour of mulberries into the weeks ahead by making up some homemade Mulberry Jam.

This recipe is a simple one that can be made in 20 minutes – and I’ve included plenty of tips so that even first-time jam-makers can find mulberry jam success.

The Recipe for Mulberry Jam

I scoured old cookbooks and newspapers for mulberry jam recipes and tips before coming up with the simple Mulberry Jam recipe you’ll find below.

One recipe that I found particularly helpful was a Mulbery Jam recipe published in The Land in 1944.

Located in the “Women’s Interests” section – though women’s lives were expanding well beyond jam-making and other “household duties” at this time as a result of World War II – this is the recipe I relied on for the balance of quantities.

It also suggested the addition of an apple to add extra flavour and pectin for a lovely-tasting jam that also thickens well.

I did, however, update the ingredient quantities and adjust the cooking times, so keep scrolling for the recipe card at the bottom of the post rather than relying on the recipe pictured directly below.

How to make Mulberry Jam

Prepping

Sterilise the jam jar. I do this by placing on a hotter setting in the dishwasher and allowing to air dry.

Remove the small green stems from the mulberries and wash them in cool water, allowing the water to drain off.

TIP: You can cut off those small green stems with small kitchen scissors or by nipping them off with your fingertips.

Crush the mulberries

Place the mulberries into a tray and mash with a potato masher. Allow to rest while you prepare the sugar mixture.

TIP: Make sure you’re wearing an apron or are very careful not to get mulberry juice on your clothes during this step.

Boil the sugar mixture and apple

Place the sugar, water and chopped apple into a saucepan.

Heat gently to dissolve the sugar and then bring to a simmer.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

TIP: Make sure it’s a steady simmer – don’t boil furiously.

Add the crushed mulberries

Add the crushed mulberries and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.

Pour the hot mulberry jam mixture into the sterilised jar and seal immediately.

How to store your jam

I store my mulberry jam, once cooled, in the fridge for up to a few months.

To store in the pantry, unopened, please do your own research on canning and preserving as there are too many variables to provide hard and fast rules here.

Recipe FAQs

Q. When are mulberries in season?

Mulberry trees fruit for anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months during spring.

Q. Where can I buy mulberries?

Mulberries are generally not sold commercially. So you’ll need a backyard tree (or find a friend or neighbour with a tree). You can sometimes find them on local marketplace listings – I bought the ones used in this recipe from a lady in a nearby suburb who listed them for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

Q. Why don’t you need pectin – other recipes require it?

Mulberries aren’t too high in pectin, the starch that is naturally occurring in fruits and that helps gel the jam. Instead of adding store-bought pectin powder, I did it the old-fashioned way and added another fruit (apple) that is higher in pectin.

Q. I have so many mulberries, what can I do with them?

Mulberry Pie is another popular recipe and I have more ideas in this post.

Q. Do you have other jam recipes?

Yes. I have recipes for Grape Jam, Peach Jam, Tomato Jam, Lemon Jam, Fig Jam, Orange Marmalade, Rosella Jam, Mandarin Jam and Strawberry Jam.