Blackberry Jam Recipe For Canning

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Mash blackberries in a saucepan with a potato masher. Stir in sugar until juices form; place about 1 tablespoon blackberry juice in a small bowl and stir in cornstarch. Pour cornstarch mixture into saucepan.
• Bring berries to a boil, stirring often, until jam is thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and allspice. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer jam to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Stir in lemon juice.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Place the berries in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, mashing the berries with a potato masher as they cook. Add the lemon juice and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring and mashing constantly.
• Add the sugar and return the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to look syrupy and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and test for doneness: a candy thermometer should register 220 degrees F and the mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Run a finger--or a clean object about the width of a finger--through the coat of jam. If the jam does not run and fill the gap, it is done. Otherwise, return the pan to the heat for another 1 to 2 minutes and test again. Be careful not to let the mixture get too thick--it will thicken as it cools.
• When the jam is done, transfer it to a heatproof jar and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. The jam will keep for up to 2 weeks.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• (If you are planning to can the jam, prepare waterbath and sterilize jars).
• Clean berries just before using. Add the blackberries and lemon juice to an extra-large saucepan. Mash with a potato masher and simmer for a few minutes, to break down the fruit.
• (Optional, but recommended:) Use a food mill, or press mixture through a fine mesh strainer, into a bowl, to remove seeds.
• Measure out 4 cups of berry juice and add to an extra-large heavy bottomed stock pot. Add 2-3 spoonfuls of the leftover seeds for blackberry "jam". (Jelly uses the juice only).
• Add sugar and stir to combine. Turn burner to medium low, stirring occasionally, cooking for several minutes until sugar has dissolved.
• Increase the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a full boil (a rolling boil that can't be stirred down).
• Add the pouch of pectin, stirring continuously, and allow to return to a full boil. Set a timer for 1 minute, stirring continuously, and remove from the heat after 1 minute.
• Pour jam into prepared jars and seal with lids.
• For Freezer Blackberry Jam: Allow the jam to cool at room temperature for 24 hours, then store in the fridge for up to 1 month, or the freezer for up to 1 year.
• To Can: Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (or longer if at high altitude*). Allow to rest on your counter for 24 hours, to ensure the jars settle and seal properly. Check seals, and store jam in a cool, dry place for up to one year.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine blackberries and sugar. Let stand for 15 minutes.
• Use a potato masher to mash the berries in the pot, releasing the juices.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once the mixture boils, add the lemon juice; cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 15-20 minutes.
• For a thicker jam, whisk together pectin and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Sprinkle the pectin mixture over the jam and stir to combine. Cook for exactly 1 more minute, then remove from the heat.
• Divide the jam between 2 sterilized 8-ounce glass jars, leaving ¼-inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth, then secure the lids and bands.
• Process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars to a towel on the counter. Let stand, undisturbed, for 12 hours at room temperature. Check the seals after 12 hours by pressing the center of the lids. If the lid gives or the center button remains popped up, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Properly sealed jars will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 8 months. Refrigerate after opening.

BLACKBERRY JAM RECIPE WITHOUT PECTIN

Steps:

• Add blackberries, sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan. Be sure there are several inches of headspace to allow for foaming.
• Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer the jam until it reaches gel stage, stirring to keep the bubbles down. In this low sugar batch, it should take 20-30 minutes for a low sugar jam. (increasing the sugar will cause the jam to gel faster and result in a higher yield)
• Test for gel stage on a plate in the freezer.
• Pour jam into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Store in the refrigerator, or process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Measure out your ingredients. My blackberries were small wild ones, so I did not crush them first, but if you have larger berries or do not want discernible pieces of fruit in your jam, crush them first with a potato masher or a similar tool. You should yield 5 cups of crushed fruit from 8 cups fresh berries.
• If you are planning to water bath can this recipe, make sure you prepare all of your equipment and jars for canning ahead of time. I link to the method I like to use in the notes below.
• Add the berries and the pectin to a large heavy bottomed stock pot and stir to combine. Make sure your pot is relatively tall, as the mixture will expand and sputter when it comes to a boil.
• Bring the berries and pectin to a rolling boil. This means that the boiling does not go down when you stir it. You may notice foam forming on top, you can either ignore it or skim it off with a spoon and discard it.
• Once the mixture has come to a rolling boil, add the sugar and stir to combine everything well.
• Bring everything back up to a rolling boil, and pay careful attention to it once it gets to that point. Continue to boil for exactly one minute more, and then remove from the heat.
• Fill your jars (again, refer to the instructions linked below if you are planning to can this jam for longer term storage), cap them, and either proceed to water bath can them, or leave them to cool at room temperature until they are cool enough to transfer.
• If you did not water-bath can your jam, keep it in the fridge for up to 1 month, or the freezer for up to 1 year.

HOMEMADE BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Place the fresh berries and sugar in a bowl for a few hours (or overnight). During this time, the berries will macerate, and the sugar begins to dissolve - thus needing less time to cook before the sugar fully dissolves, allowing the berries to stay more in-tact.
• First, mash the blackberries and add with the lemon juice to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes to break the fruit down, and then press through a sieve or jelly bag into a bowl. Then simply place 2-3 spoonfuls of the seeds back into the jam or remove the seeds entirely for more of a blackberry jelly recipe (which uses the blackberry juice only).
• Start by very lightly mashing the blackberries in a bowl (or the pan) using a potato masher or similar tool.
• Then, in a medium heavy-based pan, add the sugar, blackberries, lemon juice, and pectin. Heat on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, to completely dissolve the sugar. This will eliminate the risk of grainy/sugar crystal formed jam later on.
• Bring the mixture to a boil (a rolling boil that can't be stirred down) at high heat for five minutes, without stirring. Use a spoon to make sure the jam isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it is, then you can mix a couple of times and reduce the heat slightly.
• To check that the jam has reached setting point, either use a thermometer or the saucer test*. If using a thermometer, the temperature needs to be 105ºC/220ºF.
• Skim off any of the excess foam on top of the pan, for a clean jam. You can also add in a small amount of butter right at the end and stir to help disperse the rest of the foam/scum.
• Remove from heat and leave the jam to cool for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the berries to settle so that they don't sink to the bottom in the jars.
• Meanwhile, sterilize the jars you will be using for the jam and then place it in the oven for 10 minutes at 160ºC/325ºF to completely dry.
• Place the jar onto a wooden surface (or other heat proof surface) and transfer the jam to the jars. This process is easier with a canning funnel, but not necessary.Wipe away any spillage on the outside of the jar with a damp cloth and then seal the jars. Be careful not to touch the lip or inside the lid if you're hoping to properly 'can' your jam.
• If you plan to use the blackberry jam reasonably quickly and don't intend to properly 'can' it then It will last in the fridge for up to three weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
• You can also use the hot water bath method (see notes below) if you want to properly store your jam for long-term storage. That way, your jam will last up to 2 years in a cool, dry, dark location.