How you store homemade jam depends on how it was made. Jam that was properly processed in a boiling water canner and sealed keeps unopened in a cool, dark cupboard for up to about 1 year. Once it is opened, and for refrigerator or freezer jam that was never processed, the jam must live in the fridge (about 3 weeks) or the freezer (up to 1 year).
Fruit jam is a high-acid, high-sugar food, which is why it can be canned safely in a water bath, provided the jars are processed and sealed correctly.
Sealed, Water-Bath-Processed Jam
- Check the seal. After 24 hours the lid should be concave and should not flex when pressed in the centre. Remove the screw band, lift the jar gently by the lid edge, and the lid should hold.
- Label. Write the contents and date on each lid.
- Store. Keep jars in a cool (50°F to 70°F), dark, dry place, without the bands, so a failed seal is easy to spot.
- Use within about a year. After that the jam is still safe if sealed, but colour and flavour decline.
Jars That Did Not Seal
A jar whose lid pops up and down did not seal. Refrigerate it and use it within 3 weeks, or reprocess it within 24 hours with a new lid.
Opened Jam
Once opened, keep jam in the fridge with the lid on and use it within about 3 weeks. Reduced-sugar and low-sugar jams spoil faster, so use those within 1 to 2 weeks. Always use a clean spoon, because crumbs and butter carry mould spores into the jar.
Refrigerator and Freezer Jam
Jam that was not processed in a canner, often labelled “refrigerator jam” or “freezer jam”, is never shelf-stable.
- Fridge: up to 3 weeks.
- Freezer: up to 1 year in freezer-safe jars or containers, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace for expansion. Thaw it in the fridge.
Signs Jam Has Gone Bad
Discard the whole jar if you see:
- mould of any colour on the surface or under the lid;
- a bulging lid, a broken seal, or liquid that spurts when opened;
- a fermented, alcoholic or yeasty smell, or fizzing bubbles.
Do not scrape off mould and eat the rest: the mould can reach below the surface. Crystallised sugar alone is not spoilage, and warming the jam gently dissolves it.
What Not to Can at Home as “Jam”
Only fruit jams and jellies made from tested recipes are suited to water-bath processing. Pepper jellies, onion jams and other spreads made from low-acid vegetables need a tested recipe with enough added acid. Without one, keep them in the fridge or freezer, never in the cupboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I store jam with the “upside-down” method? Turning hot jars upside down is not a reliable seal. Process jars in a boiling water canner.
- Does the jam need to be refrigerated after opening? Yes, always.
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