Today’s Recipe: Gooseberry Jam

Honk, Honk! It’s a gooseberry?

This odd little berry is plentiful at my farm, and so naturally, we got to jammin’. ‘Cause jam is wonderfully delicious, tastes good on toast, makes a great gift … you know the drill.

Here’s Ashley, my DIL, Food Stylist and Recipe Developer, picking gooseberries from the garden.

My Gooseberry bushes, below, are squished between my raspberries and the strawberry patch. See the ones in the middle with their branches catching the sunset?

Check out the bounty. Complete with delicious hues only Mother Nature can conjure.

GOOSEBERRY JAM
PREP TIME: 18 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 50 MINUTES
MAKES: ABOUT 3 CUPS

4½  cups gooseberries, topped and tailed
¾    cup sugar
1     cup water

1. Sterilize jars, lids, and bands in boiling water. Add gooseberries, sugar, and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Using a potato masher, break up berries. Continue to boil over medium high heat for 30 minutes, periodically stirring.
2. While the berries are cooking, fill a canner with enough water to completely cover the jars. Bring to a rolling boil.
3. Transfer fruit to sterilized jars, leaving about ¼” of headspace. Cover with lids and secure bands just until they are finger tight.
4. Using a jar lifter, place jars into the canner (or use a jar rack). Cover and boil jars for 10 minutes. Remove jars from the canner, and place on a wire rack to cool. Jar lids should quickly pop and seal. Let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

Sterilize jars, lids, and bands in boiling water. Gather ingredients.


Remove the stems and tails from the gooseberries.


Place 4½ cups of gooseberries in a medium saucepan.


Add ¾ cup of sugar.


Add 1 cup of water.


Bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Using a potato masher, break up berries.


Continue to boil over medium high heat for 30 minutes, periodically stirring. While the berries are cooking, fill a canner up with enough water to completely cover the jars. Bring water to a rolling boil.

Transfer fruit to sterilized jars, leaving about ¼” of headspace.


Cover with lids and secure bands just until they are finger tight.


Using a jar lifter, place jars into the canner (or use a jar rack). Cover and boil jars for 10 minutes.


Remove jars from the canner, and place on a wire rack to cool.

Jar lids should quickly pop and seal. Let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

  1. Lynne says:

    This brought back memories! My dad always talked about his mom’s Gooseberry Pie! His favorite! I have never eaten Gooseberry . . . thanks for bringing me memories of my dad who if he was still alive would be 102 years old. Memories are our gifts . . .

  2. Terry Steinmetz says:

    Sounds delicious!! My hubby just told me that we used to have gooseberries in the back of our field. But alas, no more; they got plowed under. 🙁 But I can taste yours via the pictures & my mind!

  3. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I know nothing about gooseberries. What do they taste like? They are quite beautiful berries and so different because of their light color. They remind me of golden raspberries a little.

  4. Betty in Pasco says:

    I’ve eaten gooseberries when they were yellow gold colored. They are sweet and tart at the same time. Unfortunately, in the Tri-Cities, no one has offered gooseberries for sale. Now blueberries are another thing. I have some frozen in my freezer and look forward to a winter treat. I do also have to locate tart pie cherries, not the sweet ones. Thanks MJ for the memories.

  5. Paula says:

    I have dark purple gooseberries! Just one bush but there are at least 5 gallons on it. I’m excited to try the jam. Pie or tarts sound good, too

  6. CJ says:

    Boy, do I remember gooseberries! We had a row of bushes on the farm and, as kids, we had to pick them so my mom could make her pie, jam . . . or whatever. I remember a farmer friend of my dad’s paid me a couple bucks to pick berries for him so he could have pie. I liked to eat them just off the bush!

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