One kilogramme of fruit, one kilogramme of sugar. This jam is packed full of flavour, Jostaberries are less tart than blackcurrants, the delicate gooseberry flavour develops after the initial blackcurrant notes, teasing the taste buds. Or been a bit over-ambitious at the Pick Your Own? The Jostaberry’s thornless bushes reach 1 1/2 metres (5 feet) in their second year, and can grow beyond that up to 2 1/2 metres (8 feet) tall. From sweet blackberry and apple jam or classic strawberry to a spicy cherry tomato and chilli jam, there’s plenty to choose from. By the afternoon things will have magically combined. Now I’ve tried this there’s no going back! I should have written groseille à maquereau for the gooseberry. They're from Martin Soble’s gorgeous Whitethorn Farm in Herefordshire. I totally disagree, and jostaberry is a good example. Josta moment now. Jostaberry Jam. So right! Required fields are marked *. The jostaberries are high in pectin, so it won’t take too long to convert the delicious glut. Pests & Problems. Jostaberry Jam. It’s very unscientific, but I’ve found it’s the best indicator of a when jam is done, even more so than the cold plates method, which I find very fussy. From Balsam Farms, East Hampton . I need to put another batch in the second freezer I had to turn on just to accommodate the volume of fruit. Add lemon juice, thyme and sugar. The reason it’s a it’s all about jostaberries is because the parentage of that fruit is gooseberry and blackcurrant. jams, soft fruit, summer 4 Comments. Recipes Pruning can be carried out when the fruit is being harvested or in the winter. Oh how wonderful Lynne! Frost can be an issue as their flowers can be damaged by a late frost which will result in lower yield. I have heard you can leave them in, but the stems and dried flowers are rough and scratchy, so I prefer them off. I believe I am taking them well before they are ready–about a third are dark purple which is the ripe stage, a third are maroon with tinges of green, and a third are green because they just came off. Reply. A Josta berry is a cross between a blackcurrant and a gooseberry. MANURING In mid-March, or after planting, whichever is latest, broadcast in a circle 45cm (18in) round each bush: 30g (1oz) Nitro-Chalk (calcium ammonium nitrate) and 10g (1⁄4oz) sulphate of potash.35 FIG. Jostaberry Jam Yields two 8 ounce jars, plus a bit for the fridge 1 pound of jostaberries (about a quart), topped and tailed 1/2 pound of sugar (1 cup) My first batch was a real treat: deep garnet in hue, sweet and tart with a chewiness I appreciate. The fruit tastes a lot like black currents and is delicious fresh, frozen or made into pies and jam. But I love both currant and gooseberry so I can imagine the excitement. Put the topped and tailed berries in a pot with 1/4 cup of water. I squeeze over the lemon juice. I was hoping to see a recipe for Gooseberry and blackcurrant Jam/Jelly, as the title suggests, yet the whole thing is about jostaberries. Jostaberries are a great low maintenance, disease free, edible landscape bush perfect for the backyard berry grower. Jostaberry is a cross between a black current and a German gooseberry. They are appreciated for their rich, berry taste. What exactly does top and tail mean? It will take about ten minutes to reach the gel stage. And when I open my jam, I want it to last in the fridge for more than a week. Zest the lime and juice it. They are, however, still vulnerable to the same insect pest, sawfly, that gooseberries are. via spectacularlydelicious.com. It’s got the tartness of the gooseberry and some of the complexity of a black currant. Just 2 ingredients is all you ever need for fresh organic jam! It remains to be seen, if frost can also impact fruit quality and/or taste. 1. I also make peach jam the same way. The Jostaberry, first made available to the public in 1977, is the result of such experiments. Why waste all that delicious product?  If you are really fussed about it.  Add a small teaspoon of butter at the end, stir well and the froth will disappear.  Or like me, you can just stir and stir once you have cooked the jam and are letting it rest five minutes before you pour it into jars. CLIVE PRITCHARD All the creative parts of my life: The Day Job where I research and develop film scripts. Never heard of these! Jam does not have to ever be complicated. (I had to check. This post was written six years ago. Liz Hennel And that reminds me. Using a food mill, crush about half of the jostaberries, keeping the remaining intact into a 6-8 quart sauce pot. I’m surprised it is said that birds will get them quickly, because the berries don’t seem to want to come off the stem. A couple of years ago, my mother had four jostaberry plants sent to me for my birthday. 7.50. One lemon, squeezed.  That’s it.  I tend to pick over the jostaberries late morning, lob them in my preserving pan, add the sugar. 12:39 pm. Jostaberry bushes begin to crop well after two years, and up to 4-5kg fruit per bush is possible. There is no need to add lemon, as the berries are very tart. Jostaberry is a thornless blackcurrant x gooseberry hybrid. We have a tiny tree in the backyard and have only had about 15 fruit so far this year but my son just loves them. You have to love a glut. (I had to check. The berries ripen over time to a deep purple and unlike gooseberries are spineless. And the geneticist in the family reminded me that this was typical of hybrid vigour. You may process these in a boiling water bath for ten minutes to keep them on the shelf. Nip off both ends of the berries.Stew the berries in the water for 15 minutes over med-low heat. Jostaberry & Apple Juice. The late frosts of last year, were most likely the principal cause of our rather poor yield. They are rich in vitamin C and good for jam making. Of course you can Clive. https://www.saga.co.uk/.../food/recipes/preserves-sauces/strawberry-jam The levels of pectin are higher in unripe fruit, and therefore your “set” (or how firm a jam is) will be easier to reach. In my humble opinion, using pectin just dilutes the flavor and the sweetness and I just don't use it anymore. Add the sugar, and return to a boil. Place 700g of strawberries or any soft berry in microwave for 7 minutes on high. I started by washing the Jostaberries and draining in a colander and adding to a large heavy bottomed pan with a small amount of water and set them to … The mixture will quickly turn magenta, deepen and start to form large glossy bubbles. Katrine also makes a semi-sweet jostaberry and thyme relish that goes beautifully with the locally producedl L’Artisan triple cream brie as well as any game or poultry dish. I have a jostaberry bush in my back garden and have never known what to do with the excess fruits. Lindy Ingredients you'll need. You shouldn’t have any jostaberry bushes in your soft fruit orchard if you aren’t willing to spend Hours Each Day picking fruit. Jam recipes. Boil gently for ten minutes to soften the berries. Like currants and gooseberries, jostaberries make good bushes for garden boundaries. The Jostaberry should be pruned rather like a blackcurrant, removing some of the older wood each year. Also I have to remember to get some elderberry bushes. Jostaberry Jam. And the geneticist in the family reminded me that this was typical of hybrid vigour. I cook for about twenty minutes. Recommended Varieties. Haskap and Jostaberry Jam. Shaped like a gooseberry, dark like a currant, the Jostaberry is a hybrid of the two. For now these are the basics of this jam, if you see it at a market I hope you try it! ripe Jostaberries 1/2 c. water 12 oz. Cook gently 3 minutes. But it can take thirty. 24 August 2011 at 16:58 Gwen Evans on October 19, 2015 at 3.42 pm . Cassis and groseilles. Boy they are vigorous plants. Jostaberries are utterly forgiving. Also called heterosis; the increased size, strength, etc, of a hybrid as compared to either of its parents.) 10th July 2020 @ Haskap and Jostaberry Jam. https://www.dairydiary.co.uk/recipe-view/gooseberry-ginger-jam Unlike gooseberries, they have no thorns. Thanks for the feedback, Heather! https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/blueberry-jam-recipe And once you’ve made a batch, why not use in our jam tarts or jam doughnuts? I’m going to let the rest of them get really dark and see what happens. Love the jam recipe, this weekend will be jam making. Claire on November 5, 2015 at 5.12 pm . But sugar is the preserving agent here. Place over high heat and stir until mixture comes to full boil. Put the fruit into a preserving pan or large boiling pot with the water. Meanwhile heat the sugar in a 200° oven — this will hasten the cooking when the sugar is added. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. First, you must top and tail the fruit. But cover with a lid. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The berries are shiny black and the size of small gooseberries. Jostabery Jam.pdf Adobe Acrobat document [20.1 KB] 1 1/2 lbs. Mom, there’s a jar all ready to head your way! You shouldn’t have any jostaberry bushes in your soft fruit orchard if you aren’t willing to spend Hours Each Day picking fruit. There are a few seeds in the berry which I don’t mind, but some may wish to pass it through a sieve. Remove from the heat, cool slightly, and put through a jelly bag. Our friends George & Loretta grow beautiful fruit and vegetables and their Josta berries are exceptional. Add sugar and stir. This year I’ve taken a few pounds already, and there are more hanging on the bush. Spoon into 3 x 400g sterilised jars (see Know-how), adding a fresh piece of cinnamon stick to each one. Well, if you want to get very specific here’s a link to its Wikipedia page, but for the most part it is a hybrid of black currant and two different gooseberries. sugar Wash the berries and pick over. No waste there. The Fun Job of being a peasant in training in rural France; and my previous incarnation as a food and travel writer in Russia, The heavenly gooseberry and a blackcurrant jam combination, The pool garden bank – steep garden planting. Put me on the list for a jar or jostaberry jam. It is a great addition to mixed fruit dishes as in summer puddings and also has excellent potential to incorporate into pies, cakes, ice cream or preserved as jam or jellies. I’m going to be daring here and not give you an explicit, detailed recipe.  By July in my jam producing season I can make this stuff with barely a glance at my notes or books or recipes. I can’t wait until we get a decent crop in a few years. Or croseilles in French. I use the spoon technique, and watch for two drips. Your email address will not be published. Cross the two and you get jostas. I am glad someone has use for this–my plants bore no fruit this year! Jostaberries, you say? I never skim the jam as it’s cooking. All you need to do is remember the simple formula. Full sun to partial shade. You really have to pull, hence all the green ones I’ve gotten. 3:33 pm, Groseilles are redcurrants……Jostas are from Johannesbeere and Stachelbeere. You can snip them with sharp scissors, but using your fingers seems just as quick. Eight years ago, John received a gift, a Jostaberry bush, a hybrid plant from a gooseberry crossed with blackcurrant which produces delightful soft fruit. If you boil it too long, you may end up with a very firm jam, which might be fine with you depending on your preferences. And then once the jars, ladle, funnel and lids are sterilizing I will make a batch. It takes more cooking usually, but the peachness is incredible! Take out of microwave and mash fruit with potato masher. You can detect the black currant undertones, which I can only describe as a mix between deep forest and red berry. Nice to see your wonderful posting about jostaberry jam. Read about jostaberries, a tasty cross between black currants and gooseberries, and make this easy recipe for jostaberry jam. I do so hate seeing jam go mouldy quickly.  Use my method and the jam will be perfectly preserved. Well, I’ve found out first hand: they are hard to pick even though they do not have thorns like gooseberries do. This recipe is a: See this week's box. Cooks up quick too. Seal and keep chilled for up to 3 months. Jostaberries are not grown commercially but are favored by home gardeners particularly in England and the United States. I pick them and freeze them on a tray lined with freezer paper. It’s a hardy, disease resistant plant that yields large, dark purple berries. Very confusing. I had a jostaberry bush when we lived on Mechanic Street and the year we moved it had A BERRY. I’m excited to experiment with this fruit, as it seems that they will do well in both sweet and savory applications (I’m thinking pickled jostaberries), but my predilections always run to jam first. Also called heterosis; the increased size, strength, etc, of a hybrid as compared to either of its parents.) Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the cranberries have softened and formed a rich, thick jam. The Jostaberry enjoys full sun in afternoons, though partial shade in the morning which it is written, does them little harm. Jostaberry Jam. The bushes are vigorous and resistant to mildew but susceptible to spring frosts. I haven’t gotten one myself! Remove the worst of the twiggy bits from the Jostaberries and rinC/se the fruit. Thank you from Nottingham, England. spectacularlydelicious.com. 3rd July 2020 @ Then it’s a perfect time to try one of our jam recipes. I do have friends who reduce the quantity of sugar to their fruit.  And that’s not a bad thing. They are more bushlike than gooseberries or currants, have glossy leaves and are very cold hardy. The most delicious monster there is.  My freezer is groaning with the fruit. Yields two 8 ounce jars, plus a bit for the fridge, 1 pound of jostaberries (about a quart), topped and tailed. So with blackcurrants and gooseberries as the parents German plant breeders have created a monster. (Yes, been there.) Bet they’d make an awesome jam cake , So glad I found this recipe! It’s sort of a pain, but find the zen spot of it. If you know me, you’ll know that a fruit plant is always a wise gift to give me! I had one at the farm and Nancy had other ideas for the space and I junked it. Why haven’t you seen more jostaberries around? Bring it slowly to a simmer, and continue simmering for around 45 minutes, until the fruit is cooked and mushy. 1 lime; 6 apples; A 225g punnet of jostaberries; A handful of mint; Step by step this way. Loosely following a recipe by Mary Margaret Briggs on Fruit Forum, I let the jam making commence. Today I might try a batch with a traditional gooseberry flavoring: the elderflower, which is blooming profusely all around my yard. Jul 19, 2018 - You many remember those large gooseberry bushes on our allotment that we covered rather haphazardly in green netting a couple of weeks ago. Got a glut of seasonal fruit? Can I make a jam using Blackcurrants and gooseberries? Stir and forget. Your email address will not be published. Haskap is a member of the honeysuckle family and not dissimilar to a blueberry in texture and flavour. Young and foolish and ignorant back then! On one end is the stem, and on the other end is the spent flower–take them both off. It is a hybrid cross between a black currant and gooseberry. As you may know, some unripe fruit is good for a jam. What is a jostaberry? Halfway between its parents in sweetness,it has tons of pectin so no added pectin is required. So go for it. This is the first year that I’ve had a significant harvest, considering last year’s was all of four berries. Yes, a delightful cross of gooseberries and blackcurrants. Boy they are vigorous plants. In the UK, Jostaberries are usually sold by their generic name rather than as a named variety. What is a jostaberry, you ask?