Blackberry Jam

posted on: Monday, August 25, 2008

The blackberry saga culminated into mass production of jam. I am happy to announce that we are finally packing our bags for our trip instead of picking blackberries.

If you too are surrounded with blackberries I highly suggest making jam because it's easy as heck. Before making jam for the first time I had an image of fancy jars and fancy jam making equipment in my head (whatever that may be). I'm sure the fancy stuff helps but I'm not fancy so I had to make do with what I have and I'm happy to say that the jam turned out great and that I no longer have a bunch of empty old glass jars on top of my cabinets. The old glass jars are filled with jam that should last us until next summer when we will once again welcome blackberries back into our kitchen.

BLACKBERRY JAM
The first thing you need to do is wash and sterilize all of your jars and lids. I did this by washing them out in the sink and them placing the jars and the lids inside a large pot with boiling water. I left the jars in the pot with the boiling water for about 3 minutes and then took them out with a wooden spoon and placed them on top of a cookie sheet. I left the lids in the pot until I was ready to fill the jars up with the jam.
  • 4 pints of blackberry
  • 7 cups sugar
  • 1 box of pectin
  1. Wash the blackberries and and remove all stems or leaves.
  2. Place the blackberries in a large mixing bowl and slightly mash them. I used my hands but I'm sure it would work with a potato masher.
  3. Measure 5 cups of mashed blackberries and put it in a large pan.
  4. Stir the blackberries with a wooden spoon and bring to full rolling boil.
  5. Once the blackberries begin to boil add the pectin and continue to stir.
  6. Bring the blackberry-pectin mixture back to a full rolling boil and add the sugar.
  7. Continue stirring. When it reaches a full boil you will want it to boil hard for 1 minute and then remove from the heat.
  8. Fill the sterilized jars within 1/4 inch of the top.Wipe of the spilled jam from the jars and set the lids on top.
  9. Some people have a those big caning pots where you can place the jars inside to help it set. I don't have one so I turned the jars upside down for ten minutes and then turned them up again and didn't move them for a couple hours until they were completely cooled down.
This summer was the first time that I used blackberries. Here are some of the things that I've made.

crepes
puff pastry
cheese cake

3 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh! I'd make that right now if I could only find some blackberries out here! Jam is among the finest of things in my refridgerator! Especially the ones from berries!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That cheesecake looks insanely scrumptious!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kirstin, we must go in on blackberries together so we can make it!

    ReplyDelete

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