Summer berries are the best, and we have two blackberry bushes out back. Years ago, I found out my boyfriend loves blackberry jam, but we can’t never find it anywhere while we’re out. It’s mostly considered a type “A” jam, so unless you’re going to an expensive breakfast location – you’re not going to find it there. And finding a recipe in a lot of cook books? Good luck!
Despite having the bushes I planted out back, we go through more blackberry jam than our small bushes produce each year. So when I can, I pick up berries when they are on sale and make extra on hand. Our farmers market had a great deal on blackberries and I had to grab a couple cases to use right away. Thankfully, each of the berries were fresh, large and there wasn’t a bad one in the batch. And with this easy recipe, we now have plenty on hand that hopefully will last us through to the next growing season!
Ingredients
- 5 cups of crushed blackberries
- 7 cups sugar
- 1 package of dry pectin ( 1 3/4 oz)
Directions
- Measure out your sugar and place in a large bowl, set aside for later use.
- Rinse your berries and make sure you get any bad ones out. Remember you don’t want fuzzy jam. They turn quickly, so making it the day or day after you get them is ideal. Put approximately 5 cups of smashed berries into a large stock pot. You want to smash them with a hand potato masher – Do not use a food processor! Remember you want chunks in your jam, we’re using whole fruit so lets show it!
- Heat your berries on medium high heat. Add the pectin and stir constantly. Continue to stir until mixture comes to a rolling boil.
- Dump all of your sugar in at once. Stir constantly. Return to a rolling boil. Stir constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and skim off any foam (there will be some)
Canning Instructions:
- Prepare your cans and lids. You will need eight (8) eight ounce jars.
- Remove your jars from their hot bath set on a clean towel. Ladle in your hot jam into the jars leaving at least 1/4 inch space.
- Clean the rim of your jar and place the lids on. Finger tighten the collar band on your jars. Don’t over tighten them.
- Return your jars into the stock pot and cover with the lid. Process in a rolling boil water bath for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the boiling water without tipping. Allow to cool for 12-24 hours in a draft free space.
- Listen for that lovely “Pop” noise as they seal! Yum!
Could you use sugar free substitute in place of sugar?
I’d be careful doing that when it comes to the granulated type, but you could easily use agave or honey instead!
[…] couple years ago, I found out my boyfriend loves Blackberries. I make him homemade jam since we can’t find it at stores often, and I have even planted a couple bushes in new yard, […]
HELP! What does it mean when I have liquid at the bottom of my jars of jelly after pulling from the water bath?
Amber – what type of liquid? Like the jelly didn’t set all of the way or water got in it? If the jelly didn’t set all the way it just means its going to be a syrup towards the bottom, I’d just mix it in when you open that jar. If however it’s water, I’d make sure you use it as soon as possible, your seal wasn’t good at the beginning. Did your cans pop after processing?
Take this to a whole other level (I made this yesterday), Blackberries, Tiny Grated Lemon Zest Bits/Lemon Juice/Turbinado Sugar/One Whole Vanilla Bean Scraped (put the pod in your bubbling vat but remove it when you start to can)/Pectin – you will thank me.