Imagine enjoying a jar of delicious jam that you made yourself. With some of your favorite fresh fruit and a bit of effort, it’s quite simple to create mouth-watering concoctions. First, head over to Cranberry Country Market in Tomah, WI, where you’ll find an excellent selection of seasonally grown fresh fruit. Use the helpful guide below to walk you through the process.

Making Jam and Jelly Using Fresh Fruit

Choose Your Fruit

Know what fruit is in season before you begin. Order seasonally fresh fruit from Cranberry Country Market so that you can take advantage of their flavor, nutritious selection. Early summer is the perfect time to pick up strawberries, blueberries, and cherries. Fresh peaches, Bartlett pears, and red raspberries are also available as the season comes to a close.

When the colder months approach, you can still order fresh fruit for your canning and jam-making needs. Cranberry Country Market is stocked with apples, Concord grapes, and cranberries in the fall and oranges and grapefruit in the winter.

Make the Jam Mixture

It’s best to make jam in small batches; make approximately six cups total. To begin, submerge and boil your jars to sanitize them. This also ensures they won’t break once you put the hot fruit mixture in them. Next, begin chopping up your fresh fruit and put it in a pot on medium heat. Add two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, a half cup of water, one cup of honey or sugar, and one packet of powdered fruit pectin to thicken the jam. Bring the mixture to a boil; this usually takes eight minutes.

After 10 minutes your jars will be sufficiently boiled, so carefully remove them with tongs. Slowly pour the jam mixture into the jars, and leave half an inch from the top empty. Fasten the lid tightly, turn the jar upside down, and let it sit for five minutes to help the jam set. Lastly, place the jar right-side up in a boiling pot of water for another five to eight minutes. Let the jars cool, refrigerate them, and then enjoy your delicious, homemade jam.

Cranberry Country Market is your one-stop-shop for baking supplies and groceries. This market offers everything from seasonal fresh fruit to premium deli meat. Visit them online for more information, or stop by anytime. They’re conveniently located right off of Highway 173 in Tomah, WI.