Low Sugar Black Raspberry Currant Jam Recipe and How to Juice Red Currants
Black Raspberry Currant Jam is a unique, richly flavored preserve made with foraged or garden-grown berries. This combination balances the deep sweetness of black raspberries with the tartness of red currants for a jam that’s both bold and beautiful.
It’s one of our favorite ways to use up a variety of berries, and it’s easy to customize with what you have on hand. Whether you’re picking from your own yard or a neighbor’s, homemade jam always tastes better.
Want more ideas like this? Visit our Jams and Jellies page to learn how to make homemade jams and jellies.
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What You’ll Need:
- Waterbath Canner– Mine is similar to this one! There are also bundles where you can get your canner and the tools together and save a little bit. If you don’t have a canner or don’t want to can your jam, you can freeze it!
- Canning Tools: I have a set similar to this one. These tools make canning so much easier.
- Food Mill or Cheesecloth – There are different food mills to choose from. I have one like this now that I love to use for tomato sauce and applesauce, too.
- Black Raspberries – mmm, these are my favorite kind of raspberries, but I know sometimes they are difficult to find. You can use whatever raspberries you have access to.
- Red Currants – I like red currants much more than black currants. To me, the black currants taste really bitter, but the red ones have more flavor and less bitterness.
- Sugar– I use organic & raw when possible!
- Lemon juice
- Low sugar ball pectin or 1 box Sure Jell pectin
How to Juice Currants for the Jam
Rinse the red currants and black raspberries. Remove the stems, leaves, and any other debris. Place the currants in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. They will start to pop and release the juices. Gently crush them with a potato masher or spoon.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, cheesecloth, or food mill to extract the juice. You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups of juice. I used a rotary food mill like this one when I did this recipe, but I have since gotten this food mill, and it works better for more things. I love it! Use what you have, or even a cheesecloth.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Black Raspberry Currant Jam
In a large saucepan, combine the black raspberries, red currant juice, pectin, and lemon juice. Heat on medium heat until the pectin is dissolved and the ingredients are combined. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. The rolling boil should not be able to be stirred down. Add sugar and return the mixture to a rolling boil. Boil while stirring constantly for 1 minute. Take off the heat.
Prepare your canner by adding water and heating it over medium-high heat so the water starts getting warm. Ladle the jam into 1/2 pint jars using the funnel and wipe the rims with a clean cloth, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Put the lid in the center of the jar. Put the ring on and make it fingertip-tight.
Place the jars in your water bath canner and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Put the lid on the canner and bring the water to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the raspberry currant jam sit for 5 minutes with the lid off.
Remove the jars and allow them to cool for 24 hours without being disturbed. Check the seals by removing the rings and gently pulling the lids. Lids should not come off or pop up and down. If the jars are sealed, store them for later use. If they come off, store the jam in the refrigerator and use it within 3 weeks.
FAQs About Black Raspberry Currant Jam & Canning
Yes, you can use frozen black raspberries and red currants. You can use them straight from frozen or thaw them first. I love throwing berries in the freezer during the busy harvest season and making jams and other recipes when I’m not so busy.
No! Using pectin (low sugar or regular) makes the jam-making process quicker and will make a firmer jam, but if you don’t want to use pectin, you can leave it out. Currants are high in pectin so they should help firm up the jam. If you don’t use pectin, you will need to boil the jam until it has set.
Place a small spoonful on a chilled plate and let it cool for a minute to check if your black raspberry currant jam has reached the proper consistency. Run your finger through it; it’s ready if it wrinkles and doesn’t run back together!
If I wanted to get a similar flavor in this jam, I would replace the red currant juice with cranberry juice. To me, the flavor of red currants was similar to the tartness of cranberries! Experiment with different berries and juices to see what you like best. Check out this Cran-Raspberry Jam Recipe for a recipe with simplier ingredients to find.
Properly canned jam will last at least 1 year on the shelf. Keep the rings off to make sure the lid stays sealed properly.
Yes! If you want to freeze this jam, let it cool to room temperature before putting it into the jars to decrease the amount of condensation in the jars. Leave 1-1 1/2 inches of headspace when you fill the jars. Freeze until you’re ready to use!
Black Raspberry Currant Jam
Equipment
- water bath canner
- Canning Tools
- 4 1/2 Pint Jars, Rings, Lids
- Food Mill or Cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups black raspberries
- 1 1/2 cups red currants for 2/3 cups juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 tbsp low sugar pectin or one box
Instructions
- Rinse the red currants and black raspberries. Remove stems, leaves, and any other debris.
- Place the currants in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. They will start to pop and release the juices. Gently crush them with a potato masher or spoon.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, cheesecloth, or food mill to extract the juice. You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups of juice.
- In a large saucepan combine the black raspberries, red currant juice, pectin, and lemon juice.
- Heat on medium heat until the pectin is dissolved and ingredients are combined. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil stirring constantly. The rolling boil should not be able to be stirred down.
- Add sugar and return the mixture to a rolling boil. Boil while stirring constantly for 1 minute. Take off the heat.
- Prepare your canner by adding water and heating over medium-high heat.
- Ladle the jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe the rims and put the lid in the center of the jar. Put the ring on and make it fingertip-tight.
- Place the jars in your water bath canner and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Put the lid on the canner and bring the water to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off let the jars sit for 5 minutes with the lid off.
- Remove the jars and allow them to cool for 24 hours without being disturbed. Check the seals by removing the rings and gently pulling the lids. Lids should not come off or pop up and down. If the jars are sealed, store them for later use. If they come off, store the jam in the refrigerator and use it within 3 weeks.
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