Recently, I embarked on a delightful journey to Oregon, right in the heart of berry season. I thought I had indulged in excellent berries before, but I was mistaken. The strawberries and blackberries were incredibly tasty, and I couldn’t get enough of them.
Wanting to savor a piece of my trip, I purchased a flat of marionberries and carefully brought them back home through a combination of car and plane travel. While I did enjoy some fresh, they quickly needed attention, and I wanted to preserve their captivating flavor for future enjoyment. Making jam seemed ideal, but I wished to avoid using excessive sugar and didn’t have the patience for traditional jam-making.
Easy Ways to Preserve Your Berry Harvest
If you’re in a similar situation—with an abundance of summer fruit but hesitant to use too much sugar or spend ages on the stove—consider making chia seed jam. It only took me about 10 minutes and perfectly captured the authentic berry taste.
Unlike traditional jam, you don’t need to use much sugar or cook it for extended periods because chia seeds naturally thicken the mixture. This allows the berries’ natural flavor to truly stand out. Although you can’t can the jam for long-term storage, it will last for several weeks in the refrigerator and freezes exceptionally well. A spoonful of berry jam is a great way to beat the winter blues.
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
Tips for Creating Chia Seed Jam
If the idea of making jam makes you anxious, this is the perfect recipe. It requires only a few ingredients, has a short cooking time, and there’s no need to worry about setting or canning. The chia seeds handle all the work.
Feel free to experiment with different fruits and proportions using our recipe. I made a version using all marionberries and doubled it, which turned out perfectly. Just remember to taste the jam at the end, as you may need to adjust the sugar content based on the berries used.
Storage and Serving Suggestions
The mixture will thicken in the fridge after a few hours, but it’s best made a day in advance if possible. My batch lasted for two weeks and could have lasted longer if I hadn’t eaten it all. I also froze a second jar for a later date, knowing it’ll be much appreciated.
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
I mostly enjoyed my jam mixed into plain yogurt, which was delightful. For those who meal prep, spoon some jam into the bottom of several small jars, add yogurt, and you’ll have homemade fruit yogurts ready for the week. It’s also fantastic on toast, as a cake topping or filling, or blended into a smoothie.
