Collected here are over thirty Victorian Jam Recipes for all kinds of seasonal fruit; many were recommended for Victorian recipe collections by housewives who had made fruit jams for decades – lots of these recipes were very old at the time, and had been handed down in the family for generations. These are the sort of Jam recipes which can be trusted to produce the best tasting jams, many having won awards at county fairs etc.
If you are new to jam making you might want to read this post Jam And Preserve Making first, as it fully explains the main principles you will need to understand to make a great home-made jam.
JAM AND PRESERVING HISTORY
The precise origin of preserved fruit using sugar and boiling remains a matter of historical debate, it is known that jams probably began centuries ago in the Middle Eastern countries, where cane sugar grew naturally, (originating centuries before from North India). It is believed that returning Crusaders first introduced jam making processes to Britain, helped by the increase in the sugar trade by the late Middle Ages, mainly from sugar refineries in Cyprus. The exact date of the first introduction of sugar into England continues to be a matter of uncertainty. To read more about the history of jams and preserves read this article on Jam Making History.
Victorian Jam And Preserve Recipes
Note: All the Victorian recipes here are unaltered and authentic, the only things changed are the weights and measures intended for use in the modern kitchen. Where they have expressed old measures like lbs, oz or gills etc. these have been converted. Jam making as a skill came into its own under the Victorians, and many of these recipes are still used today, and are recommended by many jam experts as ‘still the best’.
The Fruit Jams And Preserves Are In Alphabetical Order.
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Apple Jam (1) – Mrs. Beeton
- 1.5 kg apples
- 1 kg sugar
- 2 lemons, juice and grated zest
Peel the apples, core and slice them very thin, and be particular that they are all the same sort. Put them into a jar, stand this in a saucepan of boiling water, and let the apples stew until quite tender. Put the apples into a preserving-pan, crush the sugar to small lumps, and add it, with the grated lemon-rind and juice, to the apples. Simmer these for 30 minutes, reckoning from the time the jam begins to simmer properly; remove the scum as it rises, (test) and when the jam is done, put it into pots for use.
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Apple Jam (2)
Link to Apple Jam Recipe.
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Apricot Jam (Fresh 1)
- 1kg fresh apricots (just ripe)
- 700g sugar
Cut any small apricots in half and any large apricots into quarters, (discard the stones). In a bowl mix the fruit and sugar together, cover and leave overnight. The next day put the mixture in a jam pan and bring to the boil for 15 minutes. Test the jam. If ready pot.
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Apricot Jam (Fresh 2)
- 2.2 kg fresh apricots
- 2.2 kg sugar
- 500ml water
- 1 Lemon (juice)
- Apricot kernels
Wash the fruit, halve and stone it. Put the fruit, water, and lemon juice into a preserving pan, bring to the boil. Chop the stones and remove the kernel, blanch them by pouring on boiling water in the same way as for skinning almonds. Add them to the preserving pan, and boil the fruit until it is tender and the liquid reduced by one-third. Add the sugar, stir whilst the jam is coming to the boil, then boil hard for 10 minutes. Test the jam, when ready pot and seal.
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Apricot Jam (Dried)
- 500g of dried apricots
- 1.7 kg of sugar
- 1.7 litres of water
optional
- 100g ground almonds
Soak the dried apricots in the water for 48 hours. Then boil altogether for 30 minutes, then add in the sugar, (and ground almonds if you wish) and boil for another 30 minutes. Pour into dry jars and cover while hot.
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Blackcurrant Jam (1)
‘This recipe has been used in our family for generations. By cooking the fruit well, it is always soft and jellies well’ – Mrs Croxal, Lancashire.
- 1.5 kg blackcurrants
- 1.1 litres of water
- 2.7 kg sugar
Place the fruit in a preserving pan, with the water. Bring slowly to the boil and boil for 30 minutes. Heat the sugar in the oven. Add it to the fruit. Boil quickly for 10 or 15 minutes or until the jam sets when tried.
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Blackcurrant Jam (2)
‘The recipe was given to me by the wife of an old game-keeper some forty years ago, before I was married. It has been our family recipe ever since’ – Mrs A. Garnett, Lancashire.
- 1.5 kg blackcurrants
- 1.7 litres of water
- 3 kg sugar
Dissolve the sugar in the water and then boil together for a few minutes. Crush the fruit and then add to the sugar. Boil for 30 minutes. Test. If ready, pot and cover.
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Blackcurrant Jam (3)
‘If the blackcurrants are at all hard, as they sometimes are in a dry year 110g of butter should be added to the fruit while it is boiling. This makes the fruit soft and juicy’ – Mrs H.H. Wright, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
- 1.8 kg of blackcurrants
- 1.8 litres of water
- 3.6 kg of sugar
- 110g of butter
Dissolve the sugar in the water and then boil together for a few minutes. Crush the fruit and then add to the sugar. Finally add the butter. Boil for 30 minutes. Test. If ready, pot and cover.
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Blackcurrant Jam Recipe (4)
Link to Mrs. Beeton’s Blackcurrant Jam Recipe
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