Seedless Blackberry Jam

REMEMBER:  Always consult the Ball Blue Book for ALL canning information!!!

1 batch at a time…One batch consists of:

4 cups of strained juice and pulp

*5 lbs of blackberries yields approx 6 pints and 3 half pints (always make a few half pints to share!  Oh come on, you know you’re gunna!!)  5 lbs of berries will be TWO (2) batches.

*FUN FACT – One pint – a pint is 2 cups. One cup equals 8 oz. therefore, 2 cups equals 16 oz; 16 oz = 1 lb.)

4 cups of berry juice and pulp (approx 2.5 lbs. berries)

7 Tbsp Low Sugar Pectin or 1 1/2 pkgs.

6 1/2 cups sugar

1 pat of butter (approx 1 1/2 tsp)

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Pomegranate & Blueberry Juice (as need, later)

Directions:

Mash berries in the pan you will be cooking your berries in.  Place on stove and heat slowly to boiling, stirring as you go.  (You can mash more through heating if you need to.)

Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.  Then add 1 cup sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved.

Strain, over a large bowl or 8-cup measuring cup/bowl, through a large hand sieve using a soup ladle in a pressing, circular motion (for us poor folks).  You will need to scrape bottom of sieve on the outside to drop in the pulp.  Stir.  Repeat until your berries are strained and your juice and pulp only is in your 8 cup bowl.  Discard seeds and stuff that didn’t go thru sieve or compost it.

After 5 lbs of fruit has been juiced (and seeds and Rhine is removed)  add Pomegranate & Blueberry juice to bring up to 8 cups, if needed.  Stir.

Pour 4 cups back into cooking pot and whisk in pectin and lemon juice.  Bring to a rolling boil.  DO NOT BURN!!!

Stir constantly until you have a rolling boil that CANNOT BE STIRRED DOWN.

Add remaining sugar all at once along with butter.  Return to a rolling boil.  Boil for 2-3 minutes at the “rolling boil”.

Ladle into sterilized, hot jars.  Wipe rims and put on lids and rings – finger tight.

Place each jar into your water bath canner containing very hot water.  Make sure after loading canner that you check the water level.  Water must be at least 2″ over your jars.  When canner is loaded, place lid on jar.  Bring to a high boil.  Once boiling, start timer for 15 minutes for pints and half pints; 20 minutes for quarts.

When time is up, remove jars with your jar lifter and set on towels on the counter for 24 hours to continue sealing and to let the seal harden.  Happy pinging!!!

After 24 hours, check for unsealed jars (you can reprocess or put in fridge).  All sealed jars, remove rings and wash jars and rings, dry and label.  You can screw lids back on to store or not…personal preference.

Submitted by:

Barbara Martinez

Panama City customer since 2013