Canadian Jam & Jelly Recipes
Every fruit jam, jelly, and marmalade on the site — from the gateway strawberry batch to prairie Saskatoon berry — each citing Bernardin or Health Canada.
Jam is where most Canadian canners start, and for good reason: a small batch needs nothing more than a pot, a few Bernardin jars, and an afternoon. High-acid fruit is the safest thing you can put in a water-bath canner, which is why a first strawberry batch in June is the gateway to everything else on this site.
The recipes below are based on Bernardin and Health Canada methods, not on US tables that use the wrong jar sizes. Each one also points you at your altitude band, because a recipe's stated minutes hold up to 305 m, and a good deal of the country sits above that.
Two things sink more first batches than anything else: a soft set and a fruit that's low in natural pectin. Before you start, it's worth reading how pectin actually works and what to do when the jam doesn't set — both salvageable if you catch them early.
- water bath canning
How to Make Strawberry Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Strawberry jam three ways — the Complete Book's traditional long-cook at page 21, its apple-pectin method at page 24, and the commercial-pectin route.
- water bath canning
How to Make Raspberry Jam in Canada (Seeded or Seedless)
Canadian raspberry jam — Tulameen, Saskatoon, BC, Ontario raspberries. Seeded or seedless via food mill, pectin and no-pectin paths, altitude-adjusted.
- water bath canning
How to Make Blueberry Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian blueberry jam — wild lowbush from the Maritimes or cultivated highbush from BC. Pectin and no-pectin paths, lemon juice rule, altitude-adjusted.
- water bath canning
Blueberry Jelly: What Bernardin Actually Publishes
Bernardin has no pure blueberry jelly recipe — and the reason matters. What they do publish, why blueberries are excluded, and the tested route.
- water bath canning
How to Make Blackberry Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian blackberry jam — BC wild Himalayan or cultivated Marion. Seeded vs seedless, pectin paths, altitude-adjusted Bernardin water-bath times.
- water bath canning
How to Make Saskatoon Berry Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian Saskatoon berry jam, the Complete Book's tested recipe at page 30 — serviceberry or juneberry, powdered pectin, altitude-adjusted.
- water bath canning
How to Make Haskap Jam in Canada (Honeyberry)
Haskap (honeyberry) jam, Canada's earliest summer berry. Freezer-jam and water-bath methods, the bottled-lemon-juice acidity rule, and a firm set.
- water bath canning
How to Make Sour Cherry Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian sour cherry jam from Niagara or backyard Montmorency cherries. Pit-removal step, natural pectin, almond extract option, altitude-adjusted.
- water bath canning
How to Make Black Currant Jam in Canada (Cassis)
Black currant jam (cassis) — the Complete Book's tested quick-cook at page 29, with Bernardin's own pre-cook for the tough currant skins.
- water bath canning
How to Make Red Currant Jelly in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Red currant jelly from the Complete Book: currant juice off page 104, the liquid-pectin jelly off page 112, and altitude-adjusted water-bath times.
- water bath canning
How to Make Gooseberry Jam in Canada
Bernardin publishes a tested gooseberry jam — 10 minutes at up to 305 m. Plus the traditional no-pectin method and which berries actually set best.
- water bath canning
How to Make Peach Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian peach jam — Niagara and Okanagan peaches, the bottled lemon juice rule, and the two tested Bernardin recipes with their published times.
- water bath canning
How to Make Apricot Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian apricot jam — BC Okanagan or Niagara apricots, with or without commercial pectin. Bottled lemon juice rule, altitude-adjusted Bernardin times.
- water bath canning
How to Make Plum Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Bernardin's no-added-pectin plum jam, Complete Book p.25 — tart apples for the set, skins on for colour, 10 minutes in the canner, altitude-adjusted.
- water bath canning
How to Make Rhubarb Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Rhubarb jam, the Canadian way. The commercial-pectin method, the strawberry-rhubarb pairing, the leaf-toxicity warning, altitude-adjusted.
- water bath canning
How to Make Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian strawberry-rhubarb jam, the Complete Book's tested recipe at page 30 — equal strawberries and rhubarb, powdered pectin, altitude-adjusted.
- water bath canning
How to Make Apple Jelly in Canada (Both Bernardin Routes)
Canadian apple jelly, both ways the Complete Book publishes it: the liquid-pectin route and the no-added-pectin route, with altitude-adjusted times.
- water bath canning
How to Make Crabapple Jelly in Canada (Both Bernardin Routes)
Canadian crabapple jelly, both ways the Complete Book publishes it: the liquid-pectin route and the no-added-pectin route, with altitude-adjusted times.
- water bath canning
How to Make Sea Buckthorn Jelly in Canada
Sea buckthorn is one of Canada's tartest berries. How to get it off the thorns, why you freeze first, and the freezer and water-bath routes.
- water bath canning
How to Make Partridgeberry Jam in Canada
Partridgeberry, lingonberry, foxberry, redberry — one Newfoundland berry with four names. How to pick after frost and put it up safely.
- water bath canning
How to Make Concord Grape Jelly in Canada (Both Bernardin Routes)
Canadian Concord grape jelly, both ways the Complete Book publishes it: the liquid-pectin route and the no-added-pectin route, with altitude-adjusted time.
- water bath canning
How to Make Mint Jelly in Canada (Sunday-Roast-Lamb Classic)
Canadian mint jelly — the lamb-pairing classic. The Complete Book's tested method: mint liquid, bottled lemon juice, liquid pectin, altitude-adjusted time.
- water bath canning
How to Make Hot Pepper Jelly in Canada (Bernardin Method)
Canadian hot pepper jelly with red and green jalapeños, bell peppers, vinegar, sugar. The cheese-plate classic. Heat level math, altitude-adjusted times.
- water bath canning
How to Make Seville Orange Marmalade in Canada (British Method)
Canadian Seville orange marmalade — the January-February citrus window, slow-cook traditional method, natural pectin from peels, altitude-adjusted times.
- freezing blanching
How to Make Freezer Jam in Canada (Bernardin, No-Cook)
Freezer jam the easy way: no canner, no cooking. Bernardin Freezer Jam pectin, a sugar-free option with No-Sugar-Needed pectin, and 12 months frozen.
Related guides
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- Preserving Tomatoes in Canada
- Preserving Apples in Canada
- Canning & Preserving Equipment in Canada
- Canning Troubleshooting in Canada
- Bernardin Canning Recipes (Canada)
Or browse the full articles index.