Capture the taste of autumn with this delicious Sloe and Blackberry Hedgerow Jam recipe. The sweet blackberries and sharp sloes make the perfect partners.
Updated post, originally published in 2016
I do love a wild blackberry jam and, with sloes in season at a similar time of year, sloe jam is also a favourite way to use those wild crops.
However, for me, I can think of very little better jam than blending delicious hedgerow fruits. A hedgerow jam recipe is generally a combination of seasonal wild fruits, which can include apples, crab apples, haw berries, elderberries, wild blackberry, sloes, damsons and more.
This wonderful wild blackberry and sloe jam combination is one which I have been really wanting to share with you.
I feel a bit of a fraud bring you a jam recipe as in the past I have had more jammy failures than I have successes.
The elusive setting point that is talked about so freely is something that has to date eluded me completely. The one time my jam did set I think was by pure luck.
However, I now have a couple of tricks in my arsenal that makes me confident of nailing any future jam making extravaganza.
Firstly, and controversially within the hardcore jam making community, I used a jam sugar. This sugar already has pectin added and it’s an easy balance between equal amounts of fruit and sugar.
You can find jam sugars in the supermarket quite easily these days, and as 1 kilo of sugar makes about 3 large jars of jam, it doesn’t work out too pricey either (I used the Tate & Lyle brand).
My second little trick is using the Thermapen digital thermometer. This British-made gadget is essential for those that are into making preserves as it takes away any guesswork.
How to Make Sloe and Wild Blackberry Hedgerow Jam
Firstly you need to grab your foraging basket and head outdoors. Blackberries were top of my agenda, but I was open to anything else I could throw in my basket.
I ended up with a good crop of sloes, a few damsons and a handful of elderberries.
When you get home, weigh out your fruit. Scatter it out on a tray or baking sheet and pick out any bugs and debris. I didn’t wash my fruit as I didn’t want to add any water to the mix but if you feel the need, be sure to dry it well afterwards.
Get all your other supplies ready from your sterilised jars to jam jar discs and cellophane lids.
Pop the fruit in a jam pan, or a very large heavy bottomed saucepan. Weigh out the equal amount of jam sugar and tip that in too. Heat the contents over a medium hot heat until all the sugar has dissolved.
Your soon-to-be hedgerow jam will start out looking crystal-like and then turn soupy as the sugar dissolves and the juices flow from the fruits. When there are no sugar crystals on the back of the spoon, turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
At this point get ready with your thermometer. Keep that mixture boiling until it reaches the magic number of 105c (220f). Happily it only takes 3 seconds to record the correct temperature, so you can dip in and out safely until you get up to temperature.
This thermometer’s digital display is backlit. I can’t tell you how handy that is when peering over a vat of molten hot syrup and through a cloud of boiling steam!
At this point you can test it has reached the setting point by dabbing a small amount onto a chilled plate.
Once cool, if the jam skin wrinkles when pushed with your finger, you have hit jam-making nirvana.
Tips to Making Sloe and Blackberry Hedgerow Jam
The sloe stones will mostly have floated to the top of the jam, where they will look yellow against the mass of purpley black jam. You can either remove them carefully before potting up, or leave them in and pre-warn people before they dive in that it contains stones.
If you leave yours in, or if you’re not entirely sure you got them all out, please do not feed this jam to children. Perhaps make a separate wild blackberry jam just for them.
You can also add in a small knob of butter which will clear the scum from the top of the jam. Personally, I didn’t bother as I wanted to keep mine fully dairy free. The scum doesn’t affect the taste at all and is perfectly safe to consume but it doesn’t look particularly pretty.
Carefully spoon or pour the jammy goodness into your hot, pre-sterilised jars. Top off with a jam disc and cellophane lid and secure with a rubber band. Let cool before squirreling away for the winter months.
Whilst this Sloe and Blackberry Hedgerow Jam recipe is very sweet, it also has an amazing sharpness, which it gains from those sloes.
It’s like a bitter marmalade, the perfect balance of sweet and sour.
If you give it a go, do let me know what you think and which hedgerow fruit you managed to snag!
Jam Making Kit
Here’s a handy list for what you’ll need to have on hand before making jam:
- A large, preferably stainless steel, jam pan
- Kitchen scales, preferably digital for accuracy
- A jam or digital thermometer
- Jam funnel. These are often plastic, but I would invest in a stainless steel one that will last you forever
- Sterilised glass jars, jam discs and cellophane lid with rubber bands, or self or locking jars like Kilner jars.
- Jam jar lifter
- Labels to mark on the contents and date the jam was made
- Fabric jam covers if you wish to make your jars of jam extra pretty.
Sloe and Blackberry Hedgerow Jam Recipe
I’ve updated this post with a fun little video I made foraging the hedges on our little farm in Cornwall. Hopefully it’ll prove just how easy this hedgerow jam is to make!
If you’re looking to use up your blackberry haul this season, you will find lots more tasty blackberry recipes on the blog. I’d love to hear what you make with yours!
- 1 kg hedgerow fruits - bugs, leaves & stems removed
- 1 kg jam sugar - or an equal amount to the fruit you have
- 1 tsp butter - optional
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Heat the fruit & sugar together in a jam pan or very large heavy bottomed saucepan.
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When the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil until the jam reaches 105c (220f).
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Test for setting point by dabbing a little jam onto a cooled plate and doing the 'wrinkle test' once it has cooled.
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Pop in a dab of butter if using which will clear the scum from the surface. I don't bother as I like to leave my jam totally dairy free.
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Pour the jam into pre-sterilised and hot jam jars before placing a jam disc and cellophane lid on.
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Let cool before labelling with contents, date and a warning about the sloe stones.
Huge thanks to Thermapen for sponsoring this recipe and allowing me to continue bringing you tasty new recipes, for free. As always all thoughts, and leftovers, are my own.
Janie x
Tina Jui | The Worktop says
I love how you went out to pick your own berries to make this with!
Jane Sarchet says
It’d be rude not to Tina, there’s wild food all around us at this time of year! :)
Janie x
Jane Gilbert says
Try using frozen and thawed sloes. So much easier to take out stones before cooking.
Jane Pembrokeshire 2020
Jane Sarchet says
Great advice Jane!
Platter Talk says
We have to remove the bugs? lol! Your pictorial directions are superb and the jam looks divine!!! Thanks.
Jane Sarchet says
Well, you can keep them in if you’re lacking a little protein Platter Talk :D
Thanks for your kind words
Janie x
Garlic + Zest says
This jam looks AH-MAZING! I’m such a fan of homemade jams. We used to get ours from my Aunt Lynne, but she doesn’t make them anymore…. guess I’ll have to do it myself! Thanks for the recipe!
Jane Sarchet says
It sounds like time you take up the jammy gauntlet Garlic & Zest! Enjoy :)
Janie x
Kristine says
Wow! This jam looks delicious! I love homemade jam and when I have lots of fruit, I always, always try to make jam! I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Jane Sarchet says
Thanks Kristine, I hope you love it :)
Janie x
Ludmilla says
I love homemade jam!! I’ve never heard about this thermometer brand before… I love to find out new tools for my kitchen.
Jane Sarchet says
If you’re a jam maker Ludmilla, you owe it to yourself to give them a go. It is so much safer to use than a traditional jam thermometer.
Janie x
Kelly says
I had some sloes left over from my batch used for sloe gin and decided to try and find an alternative use for them. When I found this recipe I was a bit skeptical as I had tried to make Jam before and it had went horribly wrong however this recipe worked a treat! The jam was perfect, if a little sweet but I just squeezed in some lemon juice at the end to balance the sweetness. Thank you for sharing this recipe :)
Jane Sarchet says
Yay! I do love a good success story Kelly! Great idea to add a bit of sharpness too, shall give that a go next time I pop a jar open :)
Jane x
Jeff the Chef says
Coincidentally, I did some berry picking this summer. I would love to find someone growing sloes – I’ve never actually seen or tasted one. But I did find plenty of blackberries and gooseberries. I made jam with the gooseberries. I wish I’d read your tips and tricks first, though!
Patrick Lynch says
Hi
I enjoyed making this jam and it turned out perfect after using your recipe! I did use less sugar though as I as I like my jam”tart”
It se perfectly and was even more enjoyable as I spent 2 hours picking 4lb of sloes on a lovely Saturday afternoon with Alfie my lab up in the woods!
Many thanks
Patrick
Jane Sarchet says
That’s awesome Patrick, thanks for letting me know :)
Charlotte says
Made something very similar to this this afternoon, I managed to find a lovely hedge of blackberries and sloes, and tomorrow I am heading back for the elderberries I am sure I spy’s just before I left, although I have never picked these before and know that if not Cooke d properly can be a little toxic!? Any advise? Would love to add these to my future hedgerow jams
Jane Sarchet says
That’s awesome Charlotte! re the elderberries, only use the black ones, and no twigs, stems leaves etc. Enjoy!
Janie x
Julie Lavery says
Hi Jane
I have just made your Blackberry & Sloe Jam. Wow it was so easy and of course I had a little left over to taste.
I will defiantly share with a friend and try this recipe again.
Jane Sarchet says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it Julie! Those flavours are just magical aren’t they?!
Jane x
Doreen says
Just made this jam this morning and it is beautiful, lovely and tart, enjoyed it on home made soda bread. I also plan on using it in a sauce to go with loin of venison, I think it would compliment it. Thank you for the receipe! !
Jane Sarchet says
My pleasure Doreen, and thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment :)
Jane x
Jill Fiddes says
Afternoon Jane,
I have lots of Blackberry,s in the freezer, could I use them to make this jam
Thanks
Jane Sarchet says
Yes, I would think that would be a great use for them Jill.
Simply defrost first and get preserving!
Jane x
Martin Henson says
Looked up your receipe yesterday & we are under way, have added some eating apples as well as 1 Bramley to use up, hoping the stones float to the top!!!
Jane Sarchet says
Wonderful! I hope you enjoy it MArtin & do let us know how you get on :)
Jane x