What you need to get started
Jam making requires very little equipment. The two things that matter most are a large enough pan (jam can triple in volume at a rolling boil) and a thermometer, which removes all guesswork about the setting point.
Equipment
A large, heavy-based pan — 6–8 litre capacity
£20–40 for a dedicated preserving pan; any large stockpot worksJam boils up to three times its starting volume at a full rolling boil. An undersized pan overflows. A preserving pan (wide, sloping sides, heavy base) is ideal — the wide base promotes rapid evaporation and even heat. A large stockpot works fine. Avoid unlined aluminium or copper with acidic fruit.
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Digital or sugar thermometer
£5–15Setting point is 105°C. A thermometer takes all the guesswork out. A digital probe thermometer (the same one used for bread and yoghurt) works perfectly. Jam thermometers with a clip for the pan side are convenient but not essential.
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Glass jars with lids — sterilised
£1–3 per jar, or reuse any glass jar with a good lidAny glass jar with a metal screw-top lid works. Kilner jars with twist tops are ideal. Wash in hot soapy water, then sterilise: place upright on a baking tray in an oven at 120°C for 20 minutes. Fill while both jam and jars are hot. A jam funnel (£3–5) makes filling much cleaner.
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A wide, flat-bottomed spoon or skimmer
Already in most kitchensFor skimming the foam that rises during boiling. A wide metal spoon or a dedicated jam skimmer (slotted, flat) makes this quick. Foam is just air and protein — it doesn't affect safety or taste, but it clouds the jam.
Small cold plates — kept in the freezer
Free — any small plate or saucerFor the wrinkle test: drop a teaspoon of jam onto a frozen plate. If it wrinkles when you push it with a finger, it's set. The plate test is the traditional backup check alongside the thermometer — use both until you trust your thermometer.
Ingredients for strawberry jam
What to buy
- Strawberries — 1kg — Firm, slightly underripe strawberries work better than overripe ones — they contain more pectin and hold their shape. British strawberries in June–July are the best value. Hull and halve large ones.
- Jam sugar — 750g — Jam sugar contains added pectin, which makes setting more reliable with low-pectin fruits like strawberries. Regular caster sugar also works but requires longer boiling and more lemon juice. The ratio here is 1kg fruit to 750g sugar (75% — typical for a soft-set jam).
- Lemon — 1, juiced — Lemon juice adds acid, which activates pectin and brightens flavour. It also helps preserve colour. Always include it, even if the recipe doesn't specify.
This batch makes approximately 4–5 standard 340g jars. Cost per jar: roughly £1–1.50 versus £2–4 for a quality shop-bought equivalent.
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Fruit season = jam season
Jam is how surplus seasonal fruit becomes shelf-stable for the rest of the year. Strawberries in June, raspberries in July, plums in August, blackberries in September. The principle is identical across all of them — only the fruit-to-sugar ratio and boiling time change.
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