The World's Tastiest Gooseberry Jam?

Here we cover a fantastic gooseberry jam recipe that is definitely a cut above most basic offerings but still very simple to make.
Included in the video are a number of money saving hints and tips and simple jam making techniques that need no special tools

[@annahamer515]

What a delicious surprize! I made this jam yesterday but adjusted the amount of chilli to half a red chilli as I am not a fan. Lovely spreading consistancy but when I tasted it after cooking I thought the chilli was too much.. Was I wrong! Next day spread it on my toast...it was wonderful. I absolutely love it and so easy to make. Well done Hugh...a great recipe

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you so much Anna, I'm glad you liked it!

[@rodmund83]

Thank you so much for this informative video :) you'll remember me from commenting on the elderflower video, well as my elderflower bubbles away under the stairs, today my dad picked his ripe gooseberries from his garden and called me to say he had no idea how to turn them into a decent jam. Having watched your video, and now primed with your great advice and recipe, I'll be visiting him this evening with my son to make some tri-gemerational jam with a hint of vanilla and perhaps ginger (i dont think ill convince him on the heat for a sweet jam) 😊

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@rodmund83 I love the idea of multi generational jam

[@JJ-nb4ci]

I’m ordering those chilis! Thank you!!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Definitely worth it for next year!

[@JJ-nb4ci]

@@EnglishCountryLife our gooseberries are red. We make wine and jam.

[@montelarson331]

Thank you for sharing this recipe. Great information!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@alisonlea678]

first time try, I froze on advice from You tube, as as we were going on holiday. So now back going to try your recipe without the additions for now.🙂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

All gooseberry jam is good jam!

[@madonnadove]

I made some today with Serrano peppers. It did set very well! The peppers hit as an aftertaste. I really like it. Tomorrow I’ll try red currant jam. It sure was tedious trimming the gooseberry, but I like the pulp in! Thanks for keeping it simple!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm so glad you liked it, thanks so much for letting us know!

[@nickwilson5637]

Top n tailing is a little easier if you use a stainless cigar snipper. The jam does look pretty spectacular

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's a great idea!

[@Korvmannen]

Thanks! Never did gooseberry jam before, just picked some. This helps since it's good to know the traditional way before I get started! Though I must say people sure have differing tastes, as I always aim for runny jam. To me that's "half the point" of home made (on top of flavor) since I can get this really nice thickened berry sauce without breaking the berries too much. Like "berries in sauce", so I cook them slow on lower heat usually. Last time with blackberries I picked fresh I left them simmering for some time until soft and barely stirred to get a super nice and hot sauce + berries to serve with ice cream.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I think my problem with runny jam is that I can't keep it on the toast!🙂

[@dkj002]

Am definately going to try this recipe, love the addition of the chillies. Please also post the vanilla recipe. Thank you.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It will be done!

[@deborahbullivant7907]

Great interesting instructional video. Many thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad you enjoyed it Deborah 🙂

[@sandieblack4860]

Just wanted to let you know I have spent a couple of hours this afternoon topping and tailing my gooseberries ready for jam making tomorrow. I was raised in the south of England on a smallholding and our first cash crop of the season was gooseberries. We had several different varieties, however, I now live in Canada and gooseberries are not so easy to come by here. I did manage to get a couple of bushes many years ago but they are the small variety about the size of a grape. I find if I leave them on the bush to ripen the birds will get them before I do. So I pick them just before they are ripe, they are very sour but are full of pectin at that stage. I have never had to add pectin to my jam or jelly. However, if I make a later batch with berries that have ripened in my fridge, I do have to add a little pectin. I don't have my own apple trees so what I do in the Spring before the gooseberries get too ripe, I make up a batch of pectin from the green gooseberries for all those other jams that need a boost. I pop it in small jars in my freezer until needed. I now have over 20 gooseberry bushes on my property here in Ontario, all taken from cuttings from the original 2 bushes I purchased over 45 years ago. Love you video and I think I might add a little vanilla to my jam tomorrow, that sounds like a wonderful addition. Take care and stay safe. Sandie, from Ontario Canada.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Making pectin from unripe gooseberries is genius! What a great idea. Do let me know what you think of the vanilla? Hugh

[@scarletpeate]

Brilliant . I'm making mine with lemon balm and adding an apple

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Oh nice - that will set well

[@baggies59]

Brilliant vid

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you 🙂

[@chars9586]

Gooseberries are my favorite. So hard to find here in the US. Lovely video. My mouth was watering the whole time!!! Thank you!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

They aren't common here either commercially, one of the reasons why we grow our own

[@JH-fv4ge]

I was looking for an alternative to apple sauce for roast pork and I think this will work well. Many thanks!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Should go very well indeed. Our redcurrant jelly goes well with meat too 🙂

[@daphneraven6745]

English Country Life: This is the first year that my gooseberry bushes have had enough berries to make jam, so I’m just discovering your channel for the first time. I’m so excited to try your ideas. Just because you asked for feedback: I’m going to want to learn your way of making pectin, although I suspect that you already have the video made. :-). I’ll search it out, but I did want to give you the feedback since you asked for it. :-) Tyvk for sharing your know-how! Your video is a nice, entertaining treat, too.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Daphne and thank you! I've linked to the pectin recipe below 🙂. Hugh kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHy6aoOZmcaLhLM

[@daphneraven6745]

English Country Life: thank you very kindly, Hugh! I’m excited about trying this too. I used your recipe last night, minus the pepper. It was very nice; I think this will be my go-to recipe from here on in for Gooseberry jam. :-).

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@daphneraven6745 That's great Daphne, I'm so pleased 🙂

[@HarryWe]

Looking forward to making this!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Harry, our gooseberries are almost over now, Fiona has been making lits of fruit leather! Hugh

[@HarryWe]

@@EnglishCountryLife We had a go but it's far too thick to spread (I think I overcooked it). Is there any way of saving it? I've read you can simmer it in water with a bit of lemon juice and brandy.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Its difficult but possible to remelt in a double boiler and add water to soften. I confess I've had no great luck trying it.

[@gloriacallihoo5972]

Yes I would like to know how to make pectin. Thank you!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Here you go Gloria kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHy6aoOZmcaLhLM

[@karenw9996]

Hi Hugh (hope I spelled that right) - I'm having a re-watch because my gooseberries are starting to ripen! First year harvest, maybe two dozen berries, so no jam for me - but you always include useful tidbits so I'm watching anyway. Mine are Black Velvet, so they'll turn very dark when ripe, and I'm getting nervous because my dog is showing an interest. Anyway, as I watched, I wondered if you have Pamona's Pectin available in the UK...I know it gels with much less sugar, and I think someone said it will gel with no sugar but don't remember for sure...if anyone has diabetes or needs to restrict their sugar intake for other reasons, if they can get Pamona's Pectin it would give them some options. Thanks again for all the info you provide!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's a great tip Karen, I've not come across Pamonas but will look out for it - thanks

[@tdelphia1]

I use Pomona's Pectin too! (in the US) I have diabetes so always use granulated splenda instead of sugar and the Pomona's pectin is very reliable. Hugh, I love the chili addition!!! (I have my first red gooseberry harvest along with the currants 😊).

[@madonnadove]

I’m going to try it tomorrow

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Do let me know what you think please?

[@elizabethgardener486]

Topping and tailing is best done with scissors- quicker, less waste and less sticky!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Good tip!

[@pzykezutube1165]

Use a pair of Nail Clippers to top and tail berries

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@pzykezutube1165 Clever!

[@TonyFrmSpace]

That looks delightful. Although never having tried a gooseberry before, I plan on growing some. I just wonder if they grow in the trenches as I'm not sure just how fertile our soil is due to decades of air pollution and factory waste contaminating our rivers. What would you suggest?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

They are a tough hardy shrub Tony. Dig some rotted manure in around their roots and keep them watered for the first year until the roots establish - they should be fine

[@TonyFrmSpace]

@@EnglishCountryLife thank you for the advice. I will get to it 🙌🏾

[@thornwarbler]

Ooh i've always hated goose gogs i think my prejudice was formed at school but i must say your jam looks nice . Great video cheers

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Oh these horrible flabby school dinners bear no resemblance to proper gooseberries! Try a single jar, I promise a taste sensation!

[@yokooneill53]

Do you have an ice cream recipe? Black raspberries are in season now. I'm going to try making jam. But I have so many berries, ice cream sounds like a good one to try.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We've not done an ice-cream recipe but its a good idea! Hugh

[@myfirstnamemylastname2994]

I sure wish I knew what variety of Gooseberry you have. I'm in the US and I'm growing one that is round as a basketball and is green like yours when it is ripe. But yours are gigantic and they must be much easier to pick for that reason not to mention ever so much easier to remove the blossom end and the stem which is incredibly teejus when your berries are a size somewhere between a pencil eraser and half of a grape tomato really not even quite half an inch in diameter. And the biggest ones are pretty ripe when about half of the berries are still quite small and sour and crunchy. I don't know if the Harvest is really supposed to last over a couple of weeks but that's basically how I picked them and still I ended up just with a lot of tiny berries because I just didn't want to go out there and harvest a third round...

[@EnglishCountryLife]

There are many varieties but over here they are often produced by layering an old bush so no-one knows the name

[@annahamer515]

Hi Hugh. I am going to try this today. I have some gooseberries fresh and 600g frozen. Is it ok to put them together? Do I need to defrost the frozen gooseberries first and lastly do I need to adjust the amount of water? Many thanks . Ps. Love all these videos.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Anna, I can't see why it wouldn't work with frozen berries. Obviously cook time is longer for frozen but again, should work. Let me know how it works?

[@GraceTheBabbler]

I just got 2kg of gooseberries! I have jam sugar and granulated sugar. Could I use half and half? I don’t have pectin right now

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@GraceTheBabbler I would use just jam sugar to get a good set

[@milliebennett2854]

Just made gooseberry and ginger jam. Ooft it's just a bit naughty

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I do love a goosegog

[@maryfrancesangelini9156]

Yes on the pectin and vanilla extract!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Okay! Vanilla is in progress, pectin needs to wait for the spple harvest!

[@bajanknit]

Hi there, just found your channel you are a great teacher. May I ask what's the most amount of gooseberries you'd make at one time? I've just harvested about 20kg and would like to use about 1/3 to make jam. Thanks 😊

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I tend to batch because otherwise stirring and testing gets tricky. 2kg of fruit at a time is enough for me 😉

[@bajanknit]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you 😊.

[@LEODHSACH]

Absolutely love the video as ever, and please show us the pectin and vanilla too 😊 I have jam questions, but will tweet you instead 😉

[@EnglishCountryLife]

With great pleasure. I'll do videos on both, they are simple, effective & money saving. Happy to answer questions here 😉

[@tibbs4000]

I would love to see how to make pectin! will it store long? The way you described the blend of tastes in your jam had my mouth watering! I just subscribed.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We make a liquid pectin. It lasts a couple of weeks in the fridge, a year in the freezer, three years if home canned. I promise to cover it when we start processing apples 🙂

[@tibbs4000]

@@EnglishCountryLife Excellent, thank you!

[@lonewolfshepherd2348]

Just discovered your channel. Real interesting the vanilla extract and the jam lids bit. One question where do you get the new lids from? Vanilla extract kinda like sloe gin but quicker lol. thanks.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Yup sloe gin, vanilla extract & many more are just making a "tincture" (dissolving in alcohol). Try Ampulla for lids www.ampulla.co.uk/shop/plastic/caps-and-closures/63mm-metal-twist-off-lids/

[@emanzahran2772]

Thank you very much for this fabulous recipe and if you please we want another James like strawberry, orange all berries with using your natural pectin to see how it works, and thanks in advance 🌺🌺🌺👍👍👍👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Eman, I will add that to the list 😉

[@emanzahran2772]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you very much for your rapid response and reply 🙏🙏🌷🌷

[@joannaoddie6710]

Please post vanilla recipe

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Here you go Joanna kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmLHp5ljiresoNU

[@naomiodonovan5065]

Could one use regular red or green chillies

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Absolutely Naomi, I cannot think of any reason why that wouldn't work. Hugh

[@myfirstnamemylastname2994]

So I'm a little puzzled as to why this is called gooseberry jam because I was always told that a clear gel meaning there's no fruit pulp in it is jelly. And jam is where you have fruit called that is a fine puree and so it's opaque and it has fruit in it but fruit that is still has skins and seeds and solid pieces of fruit that are semi crushed or burst in cooking are called preserves. Strawberry preserves where the whole strawberry is there in cases of small strawberries or in a bigger fruit such as cherry tomatoes or small plums then you would actually have a piece of fruit with some skin attached. If you can comment on that it would be great. I'm also considering making a puree so that I don't have to top and tail those jillions of small berries where I make a puree and strain it or I cook it until Barry's pop and then I strain out the skins and everything else. And if you think that might work I'd love to know. I'm going to try some traditional preserves and some with your special recipe!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi, to be a jelly here, it needs to be strained through a jelly bag to have all the fruit pulp removed (you can see this process in our redcurrant jelly video). This still has the fruit in so is jam. I've always topped and tailed so I've no idea if a puree would work.

[@DuncanEdwards1]

Excellent, I've made gooseberry ketchup before. Better than tomato IMO. 😁

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Never tried gooseberry ketchup, but they make a lovely chutney so I'm sure its good

[@santamanone]

I just had breakfast but now I’m hungry again.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Pull up a chair old friend, there is habanero cheese bread to be toasted!

[@harrym7930]

Have watched this about 6 times now preparing for my first gooseberry jam attempt. Chickened out of the vanilla and chili this time as want to try the standard flavour but will give it a go next year. I've got green and red gooseberries, red ones seem sweeter would you drop the sugar and keep in fridge instead or too risky? Cheers mate

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I would keep the sugar the same because without you will get a very soft set. Boil hard if its your first attempt and check your set. We are always here to answer questions Harry!

[@harrym7930]

@@EnglishCountryLife thanks for the tip! Looks and tastes like a success. A couple of the jar lids didn't seal themselves by popping down so do we just eat those first? Thanks again 😎

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@harrym7930 Hi Harry, bung the unsealed ones in the fridge and eat within 6 months. When I get a jar seal failure, it's usually because I didn't wipe the neck carefully enough after putting the jam in (assuming that you are water bath canning)?

[@moniquem783]

Hey Hugh! Watching some of the back catalogue 😁 I’ve never tasted a gooseberry, but I was doing my shopping last week and they had tinned gooseberries so I grabbed a couple. They’re in syrup. Obviously not enough to make jam, but I thought maybe a gooseberry curd would be nice. Do you think that would work or should I play it safe and do a crumble or something like that? Btw, my grandparents had a strawberry farm and my Gran made thousands of jars of strawberry jam to sell every year. She never added pectin. Her secret was to include some strawberries that were underripe, as they contain more pectin.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Monique! That's fascinating on the strawberry jam, I'm definitely going to try that - thank you. I think gooseberry crumble with custard 😋. They are quite a sour berry naturally and a grown up taste. I always think, if you like rhubarb, you will like gooseberries!

[@daphneraven6745]

Monique M: If you have a few currents in your garden, and you make a tart sauce with them and your few gooseberries, that sauce is just divine spooned on French vanilla ice cream!

[@moniquem783]

@@daphneraven6745 no currents here either lol. My garden is a bit on the bare side right now as I’m getting ready to move. The apricot tree is fruiting but a long way from ripe, the very tiny cherry tree is flowering. The apple trees have been dug up and put in pots to take with me. They’re flowering madly and seem very happy. The only thing actually producing fruit is the cape gooseberry, and between the chickens and the bugs I’m lucky to get one of those every few days! But, your little sauce sounds delicious so I’m going to make a note of it to make once I’ve moved and have a productive garden.

[@moniquem783]

@@EnglishCountryLife hey Hugh. A crumble with custard it is then! I think I like rhubarb, but I haven’t had it often as it’s so crazy expensive here. I’ll be planting it in the next garden for sure. I definitely love custard and am a fan of a good crumble so that sounds pretty delish! So with the strawberry jam, when I say underripe I mean most of the strawberry is going red but it still has that white band near the leaves. Not whole white ones. I don’t know if it was ever as specific as a percentage of them being under. It was more that she would look at them in the trays and just know it was about right. I do remember being sent out with my sister to pick more that were under once when there weren’t enough. I would guess that maybe about 10% of them were under. If you looked at the big pot full before she started, it was sort of peppered with white bits. Keep in mind that these are the memories of a 7-9 year old lol, but jam day was a big deal and we all pitched in like all good Italian families do. Gran cooked the jam, someone else was washing jars and putting them in the oven, someone else did up the lids, then every jar from the day before needed to be wiped down and a perfectly centred label was applied, and someone else cut squares of red gingham with pinking shears and I put that square over the lid and secured it with a rubber band. Such an important job! 😂😂 If you need more exact directions, let me know. I’ve fixed my notifications finally so will see a comment! She’s in her 90’s now, and her short term memory is terrible, but she remembers her younger years in incredible detail. She can talk your ear off for hours telling you about every stitch in the jacket and skirt she made when she was 17 lol. She was a bit older when she started making the jams so there’s a chance it’s starting to slip but it’s probably still there. I can’t go to see her as I haven’t had my second dose yet, but Mum and my uncle alternate so she gets visited at least once a day so I can ask Mum to ask her about it.

[@daphneraven6745]

Monique M: all the best with your move! Do you think you’ll get the opportunity to take your apricot tree with you too? It would be such a heartbreak to lose such a wonderful plant.

[@shazzam532]

I really enjoyed watching your video. Would you mind telling me where you sourced the lemon pepper seeds please? I have looked around and cant seem to find Arji Lima sees in the UK. Many thanks.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Sharon! They are known by several names which adds confusion. Lemon Aji but also Lemon drop. Try www.realseeds.co.uk. A great source of heirloom seeds. Hugh

[@shazzam532]

English Country Life brilliant thank you 😊

[@silja-ellenvaga8297]

How much sugar do you use per kilo?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

The full recipe is at the end of the video 🙂. One kilo of sugar per kilo of fruit.

[@deewhite0612]

What does "a doddle to make" mean?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It means "very easy". English slang 😁

[@stephenboyd4934]

Why has this gooseberry jam not turned red, as it is what should happen ? I used a recipe off you tube : 50% fruit 50% white or and brown sugar lime or & lemon juice then boil / simmer until set, end product is a light red & its common for this color change ? But yours does not look red ?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

This recipe does not change colour....it may be that its the brown sugar that causes a red colour?

[@stephenboyd4934]

No I didn't use brown sugar, but I have found out there is different types of gooseberry's which could make the difference ?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's very possible, some varieties are a dark red and there are many variations. Hugh

[@stephenboyd4934]

My gooseberry's are green but I think the red may come from the seeds / when I say red it's more like a light red ? I googled it & yes it is very common for this too happen.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Quite possibly a subtle difference based on variety as you say

[@hillbill79]

Do you ever have issues with Sawfly? They caused a lot of damage to my Gooseberries and currants last year.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I do Mark they are a pain in the..... Six years ago they wiped out the entire patch. This year they have only hit two bushes. I could spray, but...poison on food...

[@hillbill79]

@@EnglishCountryLife I normally pluck them off by hand. I was away for a few days last year when they hit. Killed the currant bush I've had for 6 years.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Its a timing thing, they are really devastating huh? Its one of the reasons that we have such diverse fruit, when one thing has a bad year, something else usually fills in. The Lincolnshire downpour has wrecked the early strawberries this year for example.

[@KnackFarmer-theanswerismeat]

And the crowd of viewers shouts PECTIN please! Vanilla extract YES! Stainless Steel funnel, TICK!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Then I will have to do them 😁

[@MassiveLib]

Do you keep your jam in the fridge when it's done or the cupboard?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Just the cupboard, no need to refrigerate

[@MassiveLib]

@@EnglishCountryLife how long do you think is the shelf life in a cool dark place?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@MassiveLib Its very difficult to tell exactly but we have kept it for several years with no problems

[@marlenesistrunk5300]

Do your lids pop when they are sealed?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Not in the same way that a Mason jar lid does, but, by hot packing, the jar does fully seal. With ham the sugar levels inhibit bacterial action, the sealed lud is mostly to prevent mould spores establishing.

[@MsRoosmarii]

Use scissors to remove the tops and tails.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's a good idea!

[@lizarakovic2729]

Pectin recipe please my friend..😊

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I promise a full video, but it will need to be done when the apple harvest is ripe!

[@snewkirk1902]

Please share your pectin recipe.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHy6aoOZmcaLhLM