How To Make Sea Buckthorn Jam- Preserve Your Harvest

Last updated on September 11th, 2023 at 02:53 pm

Sea Buckthorn berries are orange and bright, and grow deep along the stems of the Sea Buckthorn shrub. Harvesting Sea Buckthorn berries is not for the faint of heart, as the thorns on the shrub are large and sharp. The harvest is precious, and the berries are delicious, and very nutritious. Learn how to make Sea Buckthorn jam to preserve your berry harvest.

We have been growing Sea Buckthorn for many years now, at least ten years or more. The shrubs are mature and berry producing, and it’s wonderful to see them so full of berries at the end of the growing season.

We generally harvest the berries for ourselves, and freeze them whole to use throughout the year. They are jam packed with vitamins, in particular Vitamin C, and we value them for these nutritional benefits.

The thorns on the shrubs are extremely sharp and make picking the berries very challenging. Getting enough berries for this sweet jam was an accomplishment in itself, and a relief when the harvest was completed.

If you are wondering more about Sea Buckthorn and how to grow it, you can read all about it here:

HOW TO GROW SEA BUCKTHORN-A BENEFICIAL PLANT

Sea Buckthorn berries are full of pectin. There is no need to add any extra pectin to this recipe, unless of course you would like to.

There are many variations of the Sea Buckthorn jam recipe, including adding apples, lemon, or whole Sea Buckthorn berries, seeds and all.

I wanted to use just the Sea Buckthorn berries, to get a full sense of the flavourful berries in jam form. The recipe involves straining the pulp and the seeds, which still allows for a nice thick jam.

There are many varieties of Sea Buckthorn berries. The two types that we grow on the farm are quite different from each other.

The names of each species is unknown. The berries on one plant are large and oval, and the seeds are large and hard. The other plant produces smaller round berries with smaller seeds.

The jam for this recipe is made with the larger berries, and the seeds will be strained to make for a smoother jam.

What Is Sea Buckthorn Jam?

Sea Buckthorn jam is a delectable jam made with the berries of the Sea Buckthorn shrub.

The berries are ripe at the end of September, and most years these plants produce an over abundance of fruit.

The Sea Buckthorn fruit is very nutritious and we try to harvest as much as we can. It can be hard to use it all at once after harvest however, unless it can be frozen or preserved in some other form.

Made in season, Sea Buckthorn jam is an excellent way to preserve your Sea Buckthorn berry harvest. The jam will be good for at least twelve months if you have used the right preservation techniques.

Personally I love the taste of Sea Buckthorn berries, although some may find them a bit too tart. I think that it may be an acquired taste, although I loved them right from the start.

The sweet jam evens out the tart flavour, and makes the berries much more palatable.

What Do Sea Buckthorn Berries Taste Like?

It’s a bit difficult to describe the exact taste of Sea Buckthorn berries, as they are quite unique.

The taste is tart and full, and somewhat acidic and sharp. Perhaps somewhat like citrus. Some say they are a bit bitter, although I have not found this to be so.

When you bite into a berry the flavour bursts in your mouth. It’s quite sour yet also pleasant. I suppose knowing that it’s full of vitamin C also makes it a bit easier to eat.

I look forward to the berries every year.

How To Make Sea Buckthorn Jam

The amount of berries, sugar and water can be measured and determined by the amount of berries that you have on hand.

This is an easier way to calculate the proportions of the recipe, as you may have more or less than a recorded amount in any given recipe.

Ingredients:

• Sea Buckthorn Berries

• White Sugar

• Water

The amount of berries used in the jam is determined by the amount that has actually been harvested.

The amount of water to add to the berries is approximately half of the amount in mls compared to the weight in grams of berries.

For example, I picked 350 grams of Sea Buckthorn berries. The volume of water added to the berries is therefore 175 mls.

The amount of sugar in this recipe is determined by the amount of strained berry juice obtained. Add 1.5 gms of sugar for every ml of strained berry juice.

Tools:

• Mason Jars

• Funnel

• Cooking Thermometer

• Strainer

Directions:

The beginnings of the jam starts with the Sea Buckthorn harvest. The best time to harvest the berries is at the end of September when they are at fully ripe.

Beware of the thorns, and wear long sleeves and gloves for this somewhat difficult task. If you are lucky enough to be harvesting from a thornless cultivar, then the extra protection is not required.

Harvest, Clean And Weigh The Berries

• Harvest and wash a bowl full of fresh Sea Buckthorn berries.

• Weigh the berries to determine their weight.

• Measure the water based on the weight of the berries (half the amount in mls compared to the weight of the berries in grams)

Wash , Clean And Sterilize Mason Jars And Other Equipment

• We sterilize clean mason jars in the oven at 225°F for 10 minutes.

• The airtight lids, funnel and other canning equipment is boiled on the stovetop for the same duration.

Place Berries and Water Into A Pot

• Place the berries and water into a pot and boil on medium heat until the berries burst and release their juices.

• Use a masher to speed up this process.

• Boil for about 10 minutes.

Strain The Juice From The Pot

• Using a wire strainer, pour the juice from the pot into a heat resistant container.

• Allow the juice to strain through.

• You can speed up this process by pushing it through the strainer and stirring it with a spoon.

• Discard the pulp and seeds.

Measure The Sea Buckthorn Berry Juice

• The amount of the berry juice obtained will determine the amount of sugar added.

• Add 1.5 grams of sugar for every ml of juice.

• We got 250 mls of Sea Buckthorn juice, so added 375 grams of sugar.

Add The Strained Juice And Sugar Back Into The Pot

• Combine the sugar and berry juice in the pot.

• Heat on medium heat until the mixture is boiling.

• Boil until the temperature reaches 235°F on the candy thermometer.

• This temperature was reached right after the mixture went into a rolling boil.

Pour into Warm Sterilized Jars

• Once the mixture has reached the setting point, pour into warm sterilized jars.

• Ensure that there is a one quarter inch gap at the top of each jar.

• Wipe any jam from the rims of the jars, and then cap.

Sterilize In A Water Bath Canner

• Further sterilize the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

• This will ensure safe preservation and a longer shelf life.

Allow The Jam To Set

• The Sea Buckthorn jam set very quickly, within minutes.

• The texture is thick, yet easily spreadable.

The jam is absolutely delicious, and of course packed with lots of nutrition as well.

Eat it on a bagel or english muffin. Enjoy the fruits of your labor, and your preserved berries throughout the year.

There are many other types of recipes that you can use your Sea Buckthorn berries in. They can be juiced, and the oil can be separated for a more concentrated form.

You can also use the leaves. A simple steeped tea can be made from the fresh or dried Sea Buckthorn leaves. It’s delicious and nutritious as well.

Have you ever made Sea Buckthorn jam? Be sure to leave a comment below to share how it turned out!

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Water Bath Canner

Mason Jars

Cooking Thermometer

Canning Kit

Mesh Strainer

Sea Buckthorn Jam Recipe

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