Home » Easy Red Currant Jelly Recipe ( without pectin )

Easy Red Currant Jelly Recipe ( without pectin )

by Chitra S.
3 comments
Easy Red Currant Jelly Recipe

Red Currants are native to Europe and belong to the gooseberry family. They are in season after the summer equinox. Some of the recipes to make with red currants are jams and jellys. This easy red currant jelly recipe made without any added pectin is tart in taste and spreads easily on toast or great on ice creams.

I have already shared a couple of red currant jam recipes in this site, so not a jam this year but a jelly. As I get more proficient in preserving fruits and harvests, I keep learning more new methods. Homemade Jams and jellys make a great addition to Christmas baskets. Personally, I am not much of a jam eater, but love to preserve our garden harvest.

Redcurrant Bush
Red Currants ripe for harvest

HARVESTING RED CURRANTS

Red currants are perrenials. The bush also grows with the age. Our Red currant bush has doubled in size since we planted them in 2017. Therefore, we had a good harvest this year.

Red currants start ripening after June 24, which also marks the beginning of summer. Harvest the berries when they turn red, but get to the berries before the birds do.

Last year, we were slightly late in harvesting because we were waiting for the berries to ripen to a blood red colour. But the birds got to about 25% of the berries, hence our harvest was not so big, but enough to get a few jars which lasted till spring this year.

Lets dive into this easy red currant jelly recipe.

If you want to skip reading, you can watch the video to the recipe. Scroll down for a printable recipe card.

RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED

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Easy Fill Funnel

Conical Jam strainer

TIPS TO MAKE RED CURRANT JELLY

  • Red currants are high in pectin content, so normal castor sugar is sufficient.
  • Sterilise and keep the jam jars dry before filling.
  • Before filling the jelly, place the jars on a wooden board to avoid the jars from cracking.
  • Set a plate in the freezer for testing the consistency.

HOW TO MAKE RED CURRANT JELLY

Red Currant Jelly

Ingredients :

  • 1 Kg of Redcurrants after washing with the stalks
  • 900 gm of caster sugar
  • 1 tsp of lemon juice ( or 1/2 tsp of citric acid)
  • 200 ml of water

Method

  1. Mix all the ingredients into a heavy bottom pot and set it on medium heat. After the sugar has melted the fruit will start cooking.
  2. Cook the berries till they are soft and mushy. Mash them so you get the most from the berries.
  3. Strain the juice from the berries and stalks and cook for about 10 min.
  4. How to test if its ready for bottling? Add a few drops to a frozen plate and tilt the plate slightly.
  5. Repeat the process till it reaches a jelly like consistency. Now its ready for bottling. Don’t cook the jelly too long due to the high pectin content in red currants.
  6. Switch off the heat. And set all the sterilized jars on a tea towel or a wooden board. This will help in preventing the jam jars from cracking while filling the hot jam.
  7. Fill the jars to the brim leaving 1 cm and close the lid tightly.
  8. Store in a cool and dry place. Once you open the jar, store in the refrigerator.
Red Currant Jelly

HOW LONG CAN YOU STORE RED CURRANT JELLY

If your bottle the jelly properly, the jars last a year or more. Once you open a jar, store the jelly jar in the refridgerator.

I usually store the jars in the cool cellar unless I open them.

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RED CURRANT JELLY SERVING IDEAS

Red Currants have a tart taste and can be made into sauces too.

A couple of spoons of red currant jelly can be mixed into a low pectin fruit like strawberry to thicken the jam faster.

Red currant jelly can be used as a topping on ice creams. These are some of the ideas to try on.

Your feedback is valuable

Did you like Easy Red Currant Jelly Recipe ? Leave me a comment, I’d really love to know! Also Tag me on Instagram @swisshomegardenofficial

Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Red Currant Jelly

Easy Red Currant Jelly Recipe

Easy Red Currant Jelly Recipe

Serves: 30 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 18 per Tblsp calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 4.6/5
( 10 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1 Kg of Redcurrants after washing with the stalks
  • 900 gm of caster sugar
  • 1 tsp of lemon juice ( or 1/2 tsp of citric acid)
  • 200 ml of water

Instructions

  1. Mix all the ingredients into a heavy bottom pot and set it on medium heat. After all the sugar has melted the fruit will start cooking.
  2. Cook the berries till they are soft and mushy. Mash them so you get the most of the berries.
  3. Strain the juice from the berries and stalks and cook for about 10 min.
  4. How to test if its ready for bottling? Add a few drops to a frozen plate and tilt the plate slightly.
  5. You don't need to thicken it too much for a jelly, due to the high pectin content the jelly thickens once it cools.
  6. Repeat the process till it reaches a jelly like consistency. Now its ready for bottling.
  7. Switch off the heat. And set all the sterilized jars on a tea towel. This will help in preventing the jam jars from cracking while filling the hot jam.
  8. Fill the jars to the brim leaving 1 cm  and close the lid tightly.
  9. Store in a cool and dry place. Once you open the jar, store in the refrigerator.
Did You Make This Recipe?
How did it go? Tag me on Instagram at @vitalfairliving.

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3 comments

Rachel 14. July 2023 - 19:22

Hello,
Can I water bath can this for extra safety or will it ruin the consistency of the jelly?

Reply
Chitra 16. July 2023 - 17:37

It will thicken it and will not be a jelly. I usually don’t do it and it lasts without any problem for a year sealed. While filling the jars, make sure that the jars are really hot and the jelly is piping hot.

Reply
Chitra 11. September 2023 - 20:25

If you want to water bath can, then don’t make it into a jelly consistency, stop cooking when its already semi liquid. I made a syrup a few years back and did water bath canning and now its jelly consistency.

Reply

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