This is a thimbleberry bush...large soft, fuzzy leave with red fragile berries.

This is a typical berry...red, fragile, tea cup shaped.

Critters like thimbleberries. I recommend "picking clean" (leaving debris and bugs aside while you pick). At home, spread out the berries in a single layer, picking out debris and bugs. Rinse & dry.

Get a pretty good measurement of your berries.

Dump clean, dry berries into a heavy saucepan.

$Use equal amounts of berries and sugar. I had roughly 1 cup of berries. (Yes, I know this is a liquid measuring cup. This recipe doesn't call for precision \ud83d\ude09)$

Use equal amounts of berries and sugar. I had roughly 1 cup of berries. (Yes, I know this is a liquid measuring cup. This recipe doesn't call for precision 😉)

Pour sugar into the pan with the berries.

I use a subtle "stir mash" motion to mix the berries and the sugar.

Over medium heat, stir/mash the berries until the sugar is completely melted. Stir constantly & bring to a low boil.

At this point the jam will have the consistency of thin yogurt. It'll be slightly foamy on top too.

Done! I never have enough berries to make it to the jarring phase. These berries are hard to come by & have a short season. I pick 1-2 cups and make jam immediately. This bowl will be empty in a day!

How to make thimbleberry jam

This is the easiest jam you will ever make. The hardest part is getting the berries. They grow wild in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. You will pay $12 for an 8 ounce jar in a store.