Steve Smith's hedgerow jam

This rich hedgerow jam recipe is easily adapted for any combination of autumn fruit, such as sloes, blackberries, elderberries and rosehips.

Fresh bread being spread with jam, on light wooden background
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By Saga Magazine | Published - 1 Aug 2026

This autumn jam is a great preserve to make for foragers or anyone with a bountiful supply of autumn fruit, especially if you have a little of everything and want to mix any hedgerow fruit such as sloes, elderberries, blackberries and bilberries.

Cooking Time
1 hour

Ingredients

For 6 jars

  • 2kg wild fruits such as sloes, bilberries, blackberries, elderberries, rosehips
  • 2 cooking apples
  • Water to cover
  • Sugar equal to the weight of fruit once cooked and strained

Method

  1. Remove any stalks and dry leaves from the fruits.
  2. Cut the apples into quarters.
  3. Put all the fruit into a stainless steel pan and cover with water. Simmer until soft for about 30 minutes.
  4. Unlike other jams and preserves this needs to be sieved to remove seeds and pips. Force through a sieve and weigh the pulp.
  5. Transfer to a clean saucepan and add an equal weight of sugar.
  6. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve sugar and cook over a high heat until jam reaches setting point (105°c).
  7. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes.
  8. Then ladle into, warm sterilised jars to within ¼ of the rim.
  9. Wipe off any sticky drops with a hot damp cloth.
  10. Place a wax paper disc onto the jam surface to seal.
  11. Cover the mouth of the jar with cellophane, fastened with an elastic band.
  12. Serve on sliced bread or freshly baked scones.

Recipe courtesy of Steve Smith, the Michelin-starred head chef at Latymer in Surrey.

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